Barbados declared a republic - World - BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley (L), President of Barbados Dame Sandra Mason (2nd L), National Hero Sir Garfield Sobers (C), Charles, Pri.
Barbados is about to cut ties with the British monarchy, but the legacy of a sometimes brutal colonial past and the pandemic's impact on tourism pose major challenges for the Caribbean island as it becomes the world's newest republic.
In October, Barbados elected Mason to become its first president, one year after Prime Minister Mia Mottley declared the country would "fully" leave its colonial past.