In another 28 days, Barbados will end its centuries-old relationship with the British monarchy as Head of State, cease to be a Commonwealth realm and become a republic within that family of nations.
The tentative steps towards this historic move, first announced in the September 2020 Throne Speech, became a bold stride on October 20 with the election of first President Dame Sandra Mason at a joint sitting of the House of Assembly and the Senate.
But as we inch closer to our 55th anniversary of Independence and that seminal moment of change, the rest of the nation appears to be on a slow march to a republic. The energy that should attend such a patriotic occasion is hardly evident.
On Monday, we were told that the Republican Status Transition Advisory Committee (RSTAC), which was mandated by Government to help plan and manage the transition, has handed in its report.
The committee had held a number of public meetings to receive the views of Barbadians.
The report won’t be made public until Cabinet has reviewed the findings which we note is merely advisory. Ministers can accept or reject it, wholly or in part.
So now we wait.
We don’t doubt there is broad support for Barbados to become a republic. Certainly, it has been on the agenda of almost every Government regardless of political stripe.
Indeed, the statements of Former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart in March 2015 were clearly supportive of the transition.
He said: “We cannot pat ourselves on the shoulder at having gone into independence; having de-colonised our politics; we cannot pat ourselves on the shoulders at having decolonised our jurisprudence by delinking from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and explain to anybody why we continue to have a monarchical system.
“Therefore, the Right Excellent Errol Barrow decolonised the politics; Owen Arthur decolonised the jurisprudence and Freundel Stuart is going to complete the process.”
He himself didn’t accomplish the lofty goal, leaving it to the Mia Mottley administration to take up the challenge, and so it has.
Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley, too, has given qualified support for republicanism.
Atherley said: “I support the move to a republic. I support the nomination when it comes in the appropriate format and time but I believe very strongly that we are doing this at the wrong time and that the process leaves much to be desired. I believe they are many out there of the view that we are not getting this right when it comes to the process.”
And therein lies the sticking point for many. There have been calls from some quarters for a referendum and much concern about the lack of consultation. We have previously noted that the decision to appoint Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as the Queen of Barbados was an aspect of political window-dressing that was made just as quietly and without public input, just as its change now appears to be.
What we are clear on is that the march to a republic will end on Independence Day. What Barbadians have not been clear on is the path to getting there.
We accept that a referendum was not on the cards and, as pointed out by political scientists, it’s not a requirement set out in the constitution.
But it is concerning that Barbadians appear to still be unsure what a republic would mean for the island, what it would ‘look’ like; if or how it would – or won’t – affect their everyday lives. They have been promised that a new constitution will be developed. According to the Prime Minister: “From December 1 the journey of the settlement of the new Constitution of Barbados, which will be the subject of extensive consultation and communication with the people of this nation.”
Even as we await this promised dialogue on constitutional reform next month, we cannot help but see the proverbial cart being made to drive the horse. There has been no robust public education programme to provide accurate, relevant information on the move.
By public education, we do not mean some slick, bespoke propaganda campaign. The media should have been afforded unfettered access to the machinery of forming a republic. We would have expected more than “watch me” from our leaders on questions of republicanism.
A public that is informed and aware of the facts of such important development not only secures buy-in but puts to rest silly conversations often rooted in lies and mischief.
For a Government that has insisted on transparency and engaging the people, we would have expected it to answer these questions and more.
