On the eve of Barbados’ 55th anniversary of its independence, the island is celebrating. Tuesday marks the first day of Barbados leaving the clutches of the British monarchy and finally operating as a republic. It’s a decision that received bipartisan support and was first voted on by parliament last year. Last month, the parliament unanimously elected Sandra Mason to serve as the country’s first president, though the role is largely symbolic. The republicanism debate has gone on for decades, and Mason is especially supportive of the decision. “The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind. Barbadians want a Barbadian head of state,” Mason said last month. Prime Minister Mia Mottley ran on a platform advocating for republicanism when she was elected in 2018 and has continued to push for the move since taking office. Though Barbadians seem overwhelmingly supportive of the move, many—including Mottley—believe much more work must be done to right the wrongs of colonialism and address ongoing systemic racism. Last year, Mottley pushed for a “Caribbean Marshall Plan” and called for reparations shortly after Barbados’ Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador David Comissiong gave an impassioned speech about the importance of reparations. Read more