NEWS

Nearly 400 years after the country became a British colony, Barbados has become the world’s newest republic

WHERE IS BARBADOS : The Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands

HISTORY

• Barbados, which is said to have been made a ‘slave society’ by the British, first became an English colony when a ship arrived at the Caribbean in 1625.
• On November 30, 1966, Barbados gained its independence Errol Barrow became the country’s first prime minister.
• Barbados opted to remain within the Commonwealth of Nations.
• The effect of independence meant that the Queen of the United Kingdom ceased to have sovereignty over Barbados, but the island chose to remain a constitutional monarchy with Elizabeth II as Queen of Barbados.
• The Monarch was represented locally by a Governor-General.

Who took over as the new head of Barbados: Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, who was selected to become the first president of Barbados last month, took over as the President of the country.

REPUBLIC : A government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law