Guy Faulconbridge

LONDON (Reuters – Barbados is to eject Queen Elizabeth next week as its head of state. It will break all imperial ties with Britain for nearly 400 years, since it was first colony established by the English.

Barbados sees Elizabeth II’s removal as a signal of confidence, and an opportunity to break free from the colonial demons.

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles of Barbados, an historian said that “this is the end to the story of colonial exploit of the mind and body.” It was, he said, a historical moment for Barbados and the Caribbean as well as all post-colonial nations.

Beckles said that the people of the West Indies have struggled for justice and freedom as well as to escape the oppression of the imperial and colonial authorities.

It is 55 years since Barbados’ independence. The republic was born.

This could also signal a wider effort by former colonies to cut all ties with the British monarchy. It is preparing for Elizabeth’s 70-year-old reign to end and Charles’ future accession. Charles will be attending the republican celebrations at Bridgetown.

Barbados is making the move for the first time in 30 years. In fact, the monarch of Barbados is no longer the head of state. Mauritius is an Indian Ocean island that declared itself to be a republic, but is still part of the Commonwealth. This is an alliance of mostly ex-British colonies, which has 2.5 billion inhabitants.

Buckingham Palace said that the matter is for Barbados’ people.

SUGAR and SLAVES

Spanish slaver raids decimated the population of Barbados, which was originally home to waves of Saladoid Barrancoid migrants and Kalinago migrants. Barbados had no inhabitants when the English arrived.

Indentured white British servants were initially employed by the English to work on sugar plantations, tobacco and indigo. But Barbados would be England’s first true profitable slave society in just a few years.

Between 1627-1633 Barbados was home to 600,000. These enslaved Africans were placed in sugar plantations and made fortunes for their English owners.

Richard Drayton (a Professor of Imperial and Global History at Kings College London) said that Barbados was the “laboratory for Caribbean plantation societies under English colonial regulations.” He lived as a kid in Barbados.

“It is the lab for slavery society. It’s then exported to Jamaica, Georgia and the Carolinas.”

Between the 15th century and the 19th century, more than 10,000,000 Africans were chained into slavery in the Atlantic by European countries. The survivors of the sometimes brutal voyage ended up working on plantations.

Full freedom was achieved in 1838. However, plantation owners maintained considerable political and economic power into the 20th century. In 1966, the island was granted full independence.

REPUBLICAN SEEDS

Prince Charles, the 73 year-old British heir to the British crown, will be traveling to Barbados to witness the ceremony marking the resignation of his mother, 95, as head of state.

Barbados will continue to be a Republic within the Commonwealth. This grouping is made up of 54 countries from Africa, Asia and Europe. It has been a top priority for Elizabeth who leads it.

Drayton suggests that though Barbados’ name will be retained, her removal as queen could lead to republicanism spreading further in the Caribbean.

Drayton stated that this would have significant consequences, especially in the English-speaking Caribbean. He referred to the possibility of a republic both in Jamaica and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines.

“The queen had a tremendous personal relationship with many of these countries, and she has demonstrated her commitment to the Commonwealth vision that she inherited at that imperial moment in the 1940s/50s. I believe that the queen’s death will make some of these issues more pressing in Australia and Canada.”

Buckingham Palace says that the queen made numerous visits to Barbados, and has had a “unique relationship” with the island, which is the easternmost of the Caribbean islands.

A ceremony will declare Barbados the republic at the National Heroes Square, Bridgetown. It begins at late evening Monday 29th.

Premier Mia Mottley declared, “The time is now to completely leave our colonial history behind,” in a 2020 speech she prepared for Governor General Sandra Mason. Mason will be replacing Elizabeth as Barbados’ head of state following her election.

“This is the final statement of confidence about who and what they can accomplish.”