Jeffrey Bostic was sworn in as President of the Republic of Barbados
BRIDGETOWN, Dec 1 (NNN-EFE) — Barbados’ second president, Jeffrey Bostic, was sworn in Sunday during the country’s fifty-ninth anniversary of independence from the United Kingdom and the fourth anniversary of the declaration of the republic.
A former Minister of Health and highly decorated military officer of the Barbados Defence Force, Bostic played a pivotal role during the Covid-19 pandemic with his motto ‘No retreat, no surrender’, which earned him widespread recognition for his leadership during one of the country’s most difficult periods.
He succeeds Sandra Mason, who made history as the last Governor-General (2018-2021) under the monarchical system and as the first president of the parliamentary republic.
On Nov 30, 2021, the head of state of Barbados ceased to be Queen Elizabeth II, ending the island’s association with the British Crown, a former colony of about 280,000 inhabitants that became independent in 1966.
The then Prince of Wales, and current British monarch Charles III, attended Mason’s swearing-in ceremony.
Barbados has continued to be part of the Commonwealth, as have other former British colonies in the Caribbean that became republics: Guyana (1970), Trinidad and Tobago (1976) and Dominica (1978).
As part of the celebrations of the anniversaries of independence and the proclamation of the republic, several personalities were honored.
The Governor of the Central Bank, Kevin Greenidge; cricket legend Joel ‘Big Bird’ Garner; and economist and philanthropist, Kurt Lambert, will from today hold the title of Most Honorable, the highest distinction in Barbados.
The three also received the Order of Freedom of Barbados for their distinguished and extraordinary service to the country, the Caribbean diaspora and humanity in general. — NNN-EFE