ON December 1, the dawn breaks on a new republican Barbados as that small nugget-shaped island, furthest east of the entire West Indian archipelago, redefines its independence by nixing The Queen of the United Kingdom as its constitutional head of state.

With constitutional reform still on the cards, Barbados’s new head of state, Dame Sandra Mason transitions from the role of Governor General to first President of the republic after receiving two-thirds required majority from both Houses of Parliament to become the country’s first President. Prime Minister Mia Mottley continues as the elected head of government.

The long form name of a country usually tells the type of political system operating there: The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Republic of Suriname—all Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries with republican status. But Barbados, by the wish of its leaders, will be simply called “Barbados”.

Removing Her Majesty The Queen as its ceremonial head of state is a feat not yet accomplished by many English-speaking former colonies of the once-mighty British empire now shrunken to a less direct interventionist Commonwealth of Nations still headed by the UK monarch of the day.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has political acumen. Culminating not only in the considerable majority her Barbados Labour Party (BLP) enjoys in the Barbados Parliament after grabbing every single seat contested in the country’s 2018 election as former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and his entire Democratic Labour Party (DLP) historically lost every single contested constituency.

‘Aunty Mia’ has a way with words. From international media interviews to global conferences on climate change, the world knows Mia the woman, the leader. A voice unafraid to take on global powers during her stint as CARICOM Chairman, unafraid to say what must be said of the global south’s experience in climate change and climate financing, international financing and lending institutions, and the legacy of colonisation still manifesting in the global political and cultural economies.

Not many thought they could do it. It just didn’t seem right that Barbados—Little England—would wipe The Queen from its leadership roll call. Former St Lucia Prime Minister, Dr Kenny Anthony, quipped on Facebook: “for years we treated Barbados as the most anglophile nation in the Commonwealth Caribbean. We ridiculed Barbados whenever we had the opportunity.

“There is no hope for ‘Little England’ we would say. Yet, among the nations of the region, Barbados, in recent times, has chosen to be the most courageous.” Dr Anthony hopes his country will follow in the footsteps of the ‘land of the flying fish and Rihanna’.

The “Road To Republic”, as Barbados has dubbed its journey, wasn’t short on consultations, public education campaigns, and broad discourse on what this decolonization process really means for that country with a population less than all the people in Guyana’s District No. 4 (Demerara-Mahaica).

But this move to further its independence to Republic status after the country secured the right of political independence in 1966 didn’t begin under this current Mia Mottley administration. This is the ground work of Caribbean statesman and former Barbados Prime Minister, the late Right Honourable, Owen Arthur, who died in July 2020, mere months after his robust defense of Guyana’s democracy following the March 2020 general and regional elections. Arthur was the Chairman of the electoral observer mission from the Commonwealth of Nations.

In a warm congratulatory official letter dated November 30 to the Prime Minister and people of Barbados, Guyana’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali, saluted the country’s move to republic status as the country joins Guyana in the league of republics.

The President’s letter read: “We salute the Barbadian people on this momentous transition, as you seek to further consolidate political independence and nationhood. It is a tribute to the conscience and courage of your forebears who yearned for freedom in all its plentitude and stood fast against the odds.

“Guyana and Barbados are joined by ties of blood, history, and friendship. Our two countries now traverse the path of independence and integration as sister Republics. We look forward to working with you to further develop the warm and friendly ties which so happily exist between us and to strengthening the fabric of our Caribbean Community.”

In times past, the congratulatory message of HM The Queen would have probably been read out by the Now-President herself when she served as The Queen’s official representative. This time, the Monarchy was represented in Barbados for the republic celebration by the UK’s future monarch, His Royal Highness (HRH) Charles, the Prince of Wales.

The Queen’s health status has been in-and-out of the news since the passing of her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in early 2021 just months shy of his 100th birthday.

HM has not visited Barbados again since her first time for the country’s 1966 independence but continued to hold considerable constitutional power, sparingly exercised throughout the nations where she still sits as constitutional monarch. Antimonarchist sentiments grow in Canada and Australia.

In a letter published on social media by HM’s representatives, The Queen’s message, typed on a Windsor Castle letterhead, read: “Over the years, our countries have enjoyed a partnership based on common values, shared prosperity, and close collaboration on a wide range of issues, including recent work on climate change.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a statement issued from his official residence and office at No 10 Downing Street, London, underscored the long relationship between the UK and the new republic and the overall value of the Commonwealth of Nations.

“Ours is a partnership built to last, as we tackle shared global challenges like the climate crisis and global recovery from the pandemic together,” the No 10 Downing Street statement said.

The transition was observed through a five-hour ceremony which saw Robyn ‘Rihanna’ Fenty, multi-Grammy winning billionaire megastar, named a National Hero of the country. Rihanna joins slavery abolitionists, former prime ministers, and other national leaders to be styled “The Right Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty”.

Barbados now has 10 national heroes overall who have contributed extensively to the growth of the nation. The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers, an international cricket legend, and Rihanna are now the two surviving national heroes of the republic, a small island with a big place in the world.