:Governor-General of Barbados
{{Short description|Representative of the monarch of Barbados}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox official post
| status = Abolished
| post = Governor-General of Barbados
| flag = Flag of the Governor-General of Barbados.svg
| flagsize = 160px
| flagcaption = Flag of the governor-general
| flagborder = yes
| insignia = Coat of arms of Barbados (3).svg
| insigniasize = 100px
| insigniacaption = Coat of arms of Barbados
| image = Sandra of Barbados.jpg
| imagecaption = Final Holder
Sandra Mason
8 January 2018 – 30 November 2021
| style = His/Her Excellency
| residence = Government House, Barbados
| appointer = Monarch of Barbados
| termlength = At Her Majesty's pleasure
| formation = 30 November 1966
| abolished = 30 November 2021
| first = John Montague Stow
| last = Sandra Mason
| salary = 220,998 BBD annually{{cite web|url=https://www.barbadosparliament.com/uploads/sittings/attachments/ab6b646f55108047d0050bf43cdf87d2.pdf|title=SCHEDULES OF PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS 2016 – 2017|author=Government Printing Department|website=barbadosparliament.com}}
}}
{{Politics of Barbados}}
The governor-general of Barbados was the representative of the Barbadian monarch from independence in 1966 until the establishment of a republic in 2021. Under the government's Table of Precedence for Barbados, the governor-general of Barbados was regarded as being the most important of all personnel of the Barbados government.{{Cite web |url=http://www.foreign.gov.bb/UserFiles/File/Precedence.pdf |title=Table of Precedence for Barbados - July, 2008 |access-date=25 January 2009 |archive-date=6 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706132254/http://www.foreign.gov.bb/UserFiles/File/Precedence.pdf |url-status=dead }}
The office was established by Chapter IV of the 1966 Constitution of Barbados.Constitution, Chapter IV The governor-general was appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister of Barbados.Constitution, Chapter IV, Section 28(1)Constitution, Chapter IV, Section 32 The governor-general exercised the monarch's executive powers and gave assent to bills in the monarch's name, promulgating them as laws.Constitution, Chapter V, Section 58(1) The powers of the monarch and the governor-general were limited, and they, in most instances, exercised authority on the advice of the prime minister or other persons or bodies within Barbados.Constitution, Chapter IV, Section 32
The office of the governor-general was established when Barbados gained independence in 1966. Since then, Barbados had 8 governors-general. On 30 November 2021, Barbados became a republic and the office of governor-general was abolished.
Duties
The Barbadian monarch, on the advice of her Barbadian prime minister, appointed a governor-general to be her representative in Barbados.{{cite web | title = Queen's role in Barbados | work = The Monarchy Today: Queen and State| publisher = The Barbadian Monarchy | url = http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/TheQueenandBarbados/TheQueensroleinBarbados.aspx | access-date = 2 June 2010 }}Constitution, Chapter VI, Part 1; Section 28 Both the monarch and the governor-general held much power in the country, though it was rarely used unilaterally; it was usually only used in such a way in emergencies and in some cases war.Constitution, Chapter III, Part 15; Section 25(1)(a)
The governor-general represented the monarch on ceremonial occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament and the presentation of honours and military parades. Under the constitution, the governor-general was given authority to act in some matters; for example, in appointing and disciplining officers of the civil service,[https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/11/21/the-role-of-gg-is-not-just-ceremonial-says-arthur/ The role of GG is not just ceremonial, says Arthur] granting "any person convicted of any offence against the laws of Barbados a pardon",Constitution, Chapter VI, Part 2; Section 78(1)(a) and in proroguing parliament. However, in only a few cases was the governor-general empowered to act entirely on his/her own discretion, often requiring the countersignature of the prime minister to exercise their powers.
The governor-general of Barbados also chaired the Privy Council of Barbados.
List of governors-general of Barbados
Following is a list of people who served as governor-general of Barbados from independence in 1966 to the establishment of a republic in 2021.
Symbols{{note label}}{{refbegin}}
:{{note|Died|†}} Died in office.
{{refend}}{{legend|#E6E6AA|Denotes acting governors-general}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}} ! rowspan="2" | Portrait ! rowspan="2" | Name ! colspan="3" | Term of office ! rowspan="2" | Monarch |
| Took office
!Left office !Time in office |
|---|
| 1
| 70px | John Montague Stow | 30 November | 18 May |169 days | rowspan="14" style="background:#eaecf0" | 70px |
| 2
| 70px | Arleigh Winston Scott | 18 May | 9 August |9 years, 82 days |
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"
| – | 70px | William Douglas | 9 August | 17 November |100 days |
| 3
| 70px | Deighton Lisle Ward | 17 November | 9 January |7 years, 53 days |
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"
| – | 70px | William Randolph Douglas | 10 January | 24 February |45 days |
| 4
| 70px | Hugh Springer | 24 February | 6 June |6 years, 104 days |
| 5
| 70px | Nita Barrow | 6 June | 19 December |5 years, 195 days |
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"
| – | 70px | Denys Williams | 19 December | 1 June |165 days |
| 6
| | Clifford Husbands | 1 June | 31 October |15 years, 151 days |
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"
| – | 70px | Elliott Belgrave | 1 November | 30 May |211 days |
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"
| – | 70px | Sandra Mason | 30 May | 1 June |2 days |
| 7
| 70px | Elliott Belgrave | 1 June | 30 June |5 years, 29 days |
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"
| – | 70px | Philip Greaves | 1 July | 8 January |191 days |
| 8
| 70px | Sandra Mason | 8 January | 30 November |{{Age in years and days|2018|1|8|2021|11|30}} |
Timeline
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bar:Stow
from: 30/11/1966 till: 18/05/1967 color:official text:"John Stow" fontsize:10
bar:Scott
from: 18/05/1967 till: 09/08/1976 color:official text:"Winston Scott" fontsize:10
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from: 09/08/1976 till: 17/11/1976 color:acting text:"William Douglas" fontsize:10
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from: 24/02/1984 till: 06/06/1990 color:official text:"Hugh Springer" fontsize:10
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from: 06/06/1990 till: 19/12/1995 color:official text:"Nita Barrow" fontsize:10
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from: 19/12/1995 till: 01/06/1996 color:acting text:"Denys Williams" fontsize:10
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from: 01/06/1996 till: 31/10/2011 color:official text:"Clifford Husbands" fontsize:10
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from: 01/11/2011 till: 30/05/2012 color:acting text:"Elliot Belgrave" fontsize:10
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from: 30/05/2012 till: 01/06/2012 color:acting text:"Sandra Mason" fontsize:10
bar:Belgrave
from: 01/06/2012 till: 30/06/2017 color:official text:"Elliot Belgrave" fontsize:10
bar:Greaves(acting)
from: 01/07/2017 till: 08/01/2018 color:acting text:"Philip Greaves" fontsize:10
bar:Mason
from: 08/01/2018 till: 30/11/2021 color:official text:"Sandra Mason" fontsize:10
Official oath of office
According to the First Schedule section of the 1966 Constitution of Barbados, the official oath of office for the governor-general of Barbados was as follows:
{{cquote|I, (name), do swear that I will well and truly serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Her Heirs and Successors, in the office of Governor-General. So help me God.}}
Abolition
{{main|Republicanism in Barbados}}
In September 2020, the government of Barbados announced that it planned to abolish the Barbadian monarchy and the position of the governor-general, and the Queen of Barbados to be replaced with a ceremonial president, akin to that of the president of Trinidad and Tobago.{{cite news |date=17 September 2020 |title=Wickham predicts Barbados' republic model to mirror Trinidad's |url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/09/17/wickham-predicts-barbados-republic-model-to-mirror-trinidads/ |editor1-last=Madden |editor1-first=Marlon |department=Top Featured Article |publisher=Barbados Today |publication-date=17 September 2020 |access-date=4 June 2021 |quote=As Barbados prepares to ditch the Queen as its Head of State and become a republic, a prominent political scientist is predicting that Prime Minister Mia Mottley will follow the Trinidad and Tobago model. What's more, Peter Wickham has shot down any idea of the Barbados Labour Party administration holding a referendum on the matter, saying that to do so would be a "mistake". "There is no need to and I don't think it makes a lot of sense. We had a situation where since 1999 this [political party] indicated its desire to go in the direction of a republic. The Opposition has always supported it.... So, I think there is enough cohesion in that regard to go with it," he said. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920163841/https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/09/17/wickham-predicts-barbados-republic-model-to-mirror-trinidads/ |archive-date=20 September 2020 |url-status=dead}} Incumbent governor-general Sandra Mason was elected president on 20 October 2021 and took office on 30 November 2021.
See also
- Government House, the official residence of the governor-general
- Order of Barbados
- List of governors of Barbados
- Governor-General of the West Indies Federation
- List of prime ministers of Barbados
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [https://www.royal.uk/barbados About Queen Elizabeth II and her role in Barbados] - Royal.uk
- [https://www.gov.bb/Visit-Barbados/governor-general Governor General of Barbados], Our Nation, Government of Barbados
{{Governors-General of Barbados|state=collapsed}}
{{Barbados topics}}
{{Representatives of the monarch in Commonwealth realms and Dominions}}
Barbados, List of Governors-General of
Category:1966 establishments in Barbados