原标题:这个国家不再奉英女王为国家元首
巴巴多斯总理米娅•莫特利当地时间16日宣布,明年起不再承认英国女王伊丽莎白二世为巴巴多斯国家元首,并宣布成立共和国。
在议会演讲中,莫特利称,现在是彻底抛弃巴巴多斯的殖民历史的时候了,“巴巴多斯想要一个巴巴多斯人来做国家元首。”
莫特利表示,巴巴多斯将在庆祝独立55周年之际成为一个共和国。作为一个独立国家,拥有完整主权是完全合乎逻辑的。
作为加勒比海的一个小岛国,巴巴多斯面积仅431平方千米,是全球面积最小的国家之一,其总人口不足30万人,国防军总人数仅有610人。
1966年,巴巴多斯脱离英国并宣布独立。与其他曾是英属殖民地的国家一样,作为英联邦成员国,巴巴多斯仍然保留了英国的君主制度,由英国女王担任其国家元首,女王通过任命总督来行使元首职权。
Barbados wants to remove Britain‘s Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State and become a republic, according to the Caribbean nation’s government。
The Caribbean island is a former British colony that gained independence in 1966 and Barbados has maintained a formal link with the British monarchy as have some other countries that were once part of the British empire。
“The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind”, said Barbados Governor General Sandra Mason, delivering a speech on behalf of the country‘s Prime Minister Mia Mottley。
“Barbadians want a Barbadian Head of State。 This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving。 Hence, Barbados will take the next logical step toward full sovereignty and become a republic by the time we celebrate our 55th anniversary of independence。”