The Governor-General of Barbados, Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, has been elected as the first-ever President of Barbados, a Caribbean island. She will replace Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as the new head of Barbados.
- She will swear in as the President of Barbados on 30th November 2021, which marks the 55th anniversary of Barbados’s independence from Britain.
- Barbados will remove the Queen as its Head of state and gain the status of a republic.
About Sandra Prunella Mason:
i.Sandra Mason has been serving as the Governor-General of Barbados since 2018.
ii.She was the first woman to be appointed Appeals Judge on the Barbados Court of Appeals.
iii.She served as the Queen’s Counsel to the Inner Bar of Barbados.
iv.She has served as the Chairman (1997-1999), Vice Chairman (1993 to 1995) and Pioneer of the United Nations(UN) Committee on the Rights of the Child between 1991 and 1999.
Facts of Barbados:
i.Barbados was claimed by the British in 1625.
ii.Barbados has been called “Little England” for its loyalty to the British Customs.
iii.The country gained independence from the United Kingdom on 30th November 1966.
iv.The country which was dependent on sugar exports diversified its economy into tourism and finance.
v.With a population of around 300000, Barbados is one of the most populated Caribbean islands.
Queen Elizabeth II – Head of the State:
i.At present, Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the State of 15 Commonwealth countries (including Barbados) in addition to the United Kingdom(UK).
ii.The 15 countries are Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, St Christopher and Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, St Lucia, Grenada, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Jamaica, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
iii.She is also the head of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 54 independent countries.
Key Points:
i.As of 2020, The last country to remove the Queen as Head of State was Mauritius in 1992.
ii.Former British colonies in the Caribbean that became republics:
- Guyana – 1970
- Trinidad – 1976
- Tobago – 1976
- Dominica – 1978
About Barbados:
Prime Minister– Mia Mottley
Capital– Bridgetown
Currency– Barbados Dollar
