Barbados:
Nearly 400 years after the country became a British colony, Barbados has become the world’s newest republic.
- The Caribbean island nation removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state in a ceremony attended by Prince Charles. Barbados, however, will continue to be one of the 54 Commonwealth nations.
- Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, who was selected to become the first president of Barbados last month, took over as the President of the country.
- There are no plans to change the flags, coat of arms, national pledge or national anthem. However, the terms “royal” and “crown” would be dropped from all official references.
- Hence, Royal Barbados Police Force will become Barbados Police Force and crown lands would become state lands.
- 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.
