| Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2021 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parliament of Barbados | |
| |
| Territorial extent | Barbados |
| Passed by | House of Assembly of Barbados |
| Passed | 28 September 2021 |
| Passed by | Senate of Barbados |
| Passed | 6 October 2021 |
| Royal assent | 11 October 2021 |
| Signed by | Sandra Mason (Governor-General of Barbados) |
| Commenced | 11 October 2021 |
| Legislative history | |
| First chamber: House of Assembly of Barbados | |
| Bill citation | Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2021 |
| Introduced by | Mia Mottley (Prime Minister of Barbados) |
| Introduced | 20 September 2021 |
| First reading | 28 September 2021 |
| Second reading | 28 September 2021 |
| Second chamber: Senate of Barbados | |
| First reading | 29 September 2021 |
| Second reading | 6 October 2021 |
| Related legislation | |
| Barbados Independence Act 1966 | |
| Keywords | |
| Republicanism, Head of state, Diplomatic credentials, Commonwealth membership criteria | |
| Status: Current legislation | |
The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2021 is an act that amended the Constitution of Barbados to replace the Monarchy of Barbados as the country's Head of State with the office of the President of Barbados thereby transitioning its form of governance from a monarchy to a republic. Under the Act all of the functions previously performed by the Monarch and their Governor-General were transferred to the president. The amendment was passed on the 6 October, 2021 with its commencement via proclamation being 11 October 2021.[1][2][3] Its long title was:
An Act to alter the Constitution in order to provide for Barbados to become a republic with a President who shall be Head of State of Barbados; and to provide for related matters.
Barbados became an independent nation state on 30 November 1966, having previously been a British colony. Like many other former colonies, Barbados became a Commonwealth realm, with Elizabeth IIasQueen of Barbados.
In September 2020, the Barbados Labour Party government of Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced in its Throne Speech that Barbados would become a republic by November 2021.[4][5] The Barbados Labour Party held a two-thirds majority in both houses of the Barbadian Parliament (including all but one lower house seat), enough to approve a constitutional amendment.[6][7] If the plan was successful, it meant that Barbados would cease to be a Commonwealth realm, but would maintain membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.[8][9]
The Bill was introduced to the House of Assembly of Barbados on 20 September 2021 and had its first and second reading on the 28th of September 2021. The Bill was then passed that same day and sent to the Senate the following day on the 29th where it had its first reading that day and its second reading on 6 October 2021. It was then signed into law on the 11 October 2021 by Governor-General Sandra Mason.
Then Opposition senator Caswell Franklyn, while supportive of the transition to a republic, criticized the bill stating that a new constitution "should be drawn up" to facilitate the transition instead of an amendment to the Barbados Independence Act 1966, further adding that the process was "rushed".[11]
