Go Barbados ?

I think it is quite telling that the families who were historically involved in the anti slavery movement are families/people who don't use their titles.

My husband is descended from slaves in Barbados. He doesn't blame the Queen for slavery as she wasn't born at the time. You can't even get her on "The sins of the Fathers" in relation to Elizabeth I or William III as she died childless and he had no legitimate children.

He does get annoyed that all his working life his taxes contributed to the reparations to slave owners, well paying off the loans.

William 111rd had no children at all legitimate or illegitimate. Dutch William was purported to be homosexual, but it was only whispered, particularly in the Dutch court.

His Catholic enemies said he was homosexual, it is by no means certain. To my Orange family in Northern Ireland he will forever be King Billy, revered by the protestants.

If he wasn't a homosexual it would be likely he had illegitimate children. Elizabeth Villiers was believed to be his mistress, their relationship ended in 1695, her daughter was born in 1696 so who knows. The certainty is he had no legitimate children.

Back to Barbados there has just been an interesting programme on BBC news channel about it becoming a republic.

Jamaican PM Andrew Holness has announced that Jamaica's Constitution - much of which is based on British law - will undergo a major review next year. This comes as Barbados is set to remove the Queen as its head of state in a matter of hours.

I have read I do not know if it is true that they have taken a very large sum of money from China.

The last time I was in Antigua I spoke to a government official who told me how the new airport was being provided by China and was concerned at the involvement China was having and how they were buying up the world resources.

They built the new highway in Jamaica that runs from Kingston to Ochi however they bought in their own labour. I wonder if they are offering financial incentives?

Keeper1

I have read I do not know if it is true that they have taken a very large sum of money from China.

The last time I was in Antigua I spoke to a government official who told me how the new airport was being provided by China and was concerned at the involvement China was having and how they were buying up the world resources.

They built the new highway in Jamaica that runs from Kingston to Ochi however they bought in their own labour. I wonder if they are offering financial incentives?

I wonder ….? I think it’s highly likely but personally my view is let them all get on with it.

Forsythia

Keeper1

I have read I do not know if it is true that they have taken a very large sum of money from China.

The last time I was in Antigua I spoke to a government official who told me how the new airport was being provided by China and was concerned at the involvement China was having and how they were buying up the world resources.

They built the new highway in Jamaica that runs from Kingston to Ochi however they bought in their own labour. I wonder if they are offering financial incentives?

I wonder ….? I think it’s highly likely but personally my view is let them all get on with it.

Absolutely. Read that this Republic was made in a short time, with not much involvement from the people of Barbados.
apple.news/AtRJb7cSVQ0KFK_gYgpNYUg. Still good luck to them.

Let's hope that if there has been a large amount of financial input from China, that's the only input they'll have.

While on holiday in Barbados some years ago I do remember a fellow British tourist saying to a local lady, ‘I see that you have our Queen on your stamps.’

Local lady said very emphatically, ‘Our Queen!’

Yes when in St Lucia many people I spoke to said that they should not have left the Commonwealth.

They haven't.

What a happy report.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-59470843

Still a Commonwealth member, I note.

If the people of Barbados want a republic then that's absolutely fine and their choice, but what is disturbing is that the people of Barbados were not offered a choice on this subject in the form of a referendum, just a majority in Parliament decided this matter. Ummm! The input of China is equally concerning as China won't be giving something for nothing. We shall see.

Doesn't worry me if they are a republic or not but I do think the people of Barbados should have had the final say on it. I don't know if it was part of a manifesto at their last elections which would be something but a referendum is the way to go I think.

Look at Brexit, even after a referendum it has divided the country, imagine how people would feel if David Cameron had just announced it was happening, or Theresa May or Boris Johnson.

I should have said independence

I absolutely agree tww, I wonder if others on here do too?

Sorry posted to soon I was writing in regard to St Lucia but I see Barbados is staying in the Commonwealth. Rumours are circulating that China is behind the recent moves they have supplied a lot of money on low interest rates let’s hope Barbados doesn’t regret it.

I read that this decision was taken for the people of Barbados by their government. No consultation. No referendum.

China's influence already perhaps Urmstongran.

People vote a government in to make decisions on their behalf. Referendums are inherently divisive. The Queen being monarch of far flung countries is an anachronism and will doubtless wither away.

A great and dignified speech from Prince Charles.

I don't think we would have been too pleased at being told that changes in our constitution was up to the government of the day?! In a democracy surely the will of the people is paramount in extremely important matters? Yes referendums are decisive inevitably so, but government decisions of this magnitude without the consent of the public is a dictatorship. The role of China in this is is certainly worrying. They don't give substantial sums of money for nothing in return.

Yes, excellent speech by Prince Charles.