Governor-General of Barbados facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Governor-General of Barbados |
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| Style | His/Her Excellency |
| Residence | Government House, Barbados |
| Appointer | Monarch of Barbados |
| Term length | At Her Majesty's pleasure |
| Formation | 30 November 1966 |
| First holder | John Montague Stow |
| Final holder | Sandra Mason |
| Abolished | 30 November 2021 |
| Salary | 220,998 BBD annually |
The Governor-General of Barbados was a very important person in Barbados from 1966 to 2021. This person was the official representative of the Barbadian monarch (the Queen of Barbados) in the country. The Governor-General was seen as the most important official in the Barbados government.
This important role was created when Barbados became an independent country in 1966. The Governor-General was chosen by the monarch, but only after the Prime Minister of Barbados suggested who it should be. The Governor-General helped carry out the monarch's powers and approved new laws. However, most of the time, they acted on the advice of the Prime Minister or other Barbadian officials.
The role of Governor-General ended on November 30, 2021. On that day, Barbados became a republic, meaning it no longer had a monarch as its head of state. Instead, it now has its own President.
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What Did the Governor-General Do?
The Governor-General had several important duties. They represented the monarch at special events and ceremonies. These included the official opening of Parliament and giving out awards. They also attended military parades.
Powers and Responsibilities
The Constitution of Barbados gave the Governor-General certain powers. For example, they could appoint and manage civil service officers. They could also grant pardons to people convicted of crimes. The Governor-General could also temporarily stop Parliament meetings.
However, the Governor-General usually needed the Prime Minister's approval to use these powers. They could only act completely on their own in a few special situations. The Governor-General also led the Privy Council of Barbados, which was a group of advisors.
Who Were the Governors-General of Barbados?
Barbados had eight Governors-General from 1966 until 2021. Here is a list of the people who held this important position. Some people on the list were "acting" Governors-General. This means they filled the role temporarily.
Symbols
- Died in office.
Denotes acting governors-general
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Monarch (Reign) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 |  |
John Montague Stow (1911–1997) |
30 November 1966 |
18 May 1967 |
169 days | .jpg) Elizabeth II (1966–2021) |
| 2 | |
Arleigh Winston Scott (1900–1976) |
18 May 1967 |
9 August 1976 |
9 years,
82 days |
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| – | |
William Douglas (1921–2003) Acting Governor-General |
9 August 1976 |
17 November 1976 |
100 days | |
| 3 | |
Deighton Lisle Ward (1909–1984) |
17 November 1976 |
9 January 1984 |
7 years,
53 days |
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| – | |
William Randolph Douglas (1921–2003) Acting Governor-General |
10 January 1984 |
24 February 1984 |
45 days | |
| 4 | |
Hugh Springer (1913–1994) |
24 February 1984 |
6 June 1990 |
6 years,
104 days |
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| 5 | |
Nita Barrow (1916–1995) |
6 June 1990 |
19 December 1995 |
5 years,
195 days |
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| – | |
Denys Williams (1929–2014) Acting Governor-General |
19 December 1995 |
1 June 1996 |
165 days | |
| 6 | Clifford Husbands (1926–2017) |
1 June 1996 |
31 October 2011 |
15 years,
151 days |
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| – |  |
Elliott Belgrave (b. 1931) Acting Governor-General |
1 November 2011 |
30 May 2012 |
211 days | |
| – |  |
Sandra Mason (b. 1949) Acting Governor-General |
30 May 2012 |
1 June 2012 |
2 days | |
| 7 | |
Elliott Belgrave (b. 1931) |
1 June 2012 |
30 June 2017 |
5 years,
29 days |
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| – | |
Philip Greaves (b. 1931) Acting Governor-General |
1 July 2017 |
8 January 2018 |
191 days | |
| 8 | |
Sandra Mason (b. 1949) |
8 January 2018 |
30 November 2021 |
3 years, 326 days | |
Timeline of Governors-General
This timeline shows when each Governor-General served. It helps you see how long each person held the role.
The Oath of Office
When a new Governor-General took office, they had to say a special promise called an oath of office. This oath showed their commitment to serving the monarch and Barbados.
The oath from the 1966 Constitution of Barbados was:
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.
Why the Role Ended
In September 2020, the government of Barbados announced a big change. They planned to stop having the British monarch as their head of state. This meant the role of Governor-General would also end.
Instead, Barbados decided to have its own President. This new role would be similar to the president in countries like Trinidad and Tobago. The last Governor-General, Sandra Mason, was chosen to be the first President. She took office on November 30, 2021, the same day the Governor-General role was officially abolished.
See Also
- Government House, the official home of the Governor-General
- Order of Barbados
- List of prime ministers of Barbados
