MEDIA RELEASE: While Barbados elects its first president, New Zealand appoints another representative of a foreign monarch
21 October 2021
"The swearing-in today of another representative of the Queen, Dame Cindy Kiro, starkly contrasts with the election earlier today in Barbados of Dame Sandra Mason as the first president of that country" said Lewis Holden, campaign chair of New Zealand Republic, Kia Mana Motuhake a Aotearoa.
"Barbados has been on a path to become the latest republic in the Commonwealth by the end of November. Meanwhile Dame Cindy Kiro, our first female Māori Governor-General, has to suffer the indignity of bowing to the British Monarch who remains our head of state. The continued colonial symbolism of this arrangement is clear."
"The move to a republic in Barbados has been prompted by the Windrush immigration scandal in the UK. It's clear the monarchy did nothing for Barbados. It does nothing for Aotearoa - whereas having our own head of state has clear benefits in diplomacy and trade."
"Barbados has demonstrated that this change is not hard to achieve and can be done in a straightforward way. The first president is the last governor-general, they will be elected by Barbados parliament by a two-thirds majority, and have the same reserve powers as the Governor-General. Our campaign hopes that Dame Cindy Kiro might become our first independent head of state" concluded Mr Holden.
ENDS
Media contact: Lewis Holden, phone: 09 889 8426