The business community in Barbados is confident things will improve now that the island has transitioned to a parliamentary republic.

A well-known retailer and past president of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry told the Jamaica Observer, “My hope is that the younger citizens will see that their head of State is one of their own and this in itself will inspire us collectively to rise higher and strive harder as we now no longer have the realm to rely on.”

Barbados joins Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Dominica as Caribbean countries to attain republican status after gaining independence from Britain.

The Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a statement said it is honoured to be charting these new waters with its nation at this significant time in its history.

“The business community welcomes positively our nation’s transition to a parliamentary republic. The Barbados Chamber looks forward to the progress and advancement of Barbados as a republic and we will continue to play our part in facilitating a more enabling business environment for our people, here and abroad. In the words of the first president of Barbados, Her Excellency the Most Hon Dame Sandra Mason, GCMG, DA SC, we stand ready and willing to give our new republic its spirit and its substance.”

Notably, the transition is not expected to impact Barbados’ economic situation or trade. In fact Barbados will remain part of the Commonwealth.

With that in mind one business owner said, “Candidly, I do not see any immediate change that will affect the business sector by Barbados opting for a parliamentary republic form of Government. We as older citizens must realise our responsibility to celebrate our republic, and those that follow must be inspired by our actions.”

Barbados transitioned to a republic on its 55th anniversary of Independence on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.

Barbados’ transition to a republic means The Queen remains head of State for just 15 nations – Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, The Bahamas, Tuvalu, and the UK.