In possibly a rising trend, Barbados has declared it doesn’t want the Queen to be its head of state. That leaves 14 more countries that continue to keep the Queen as head of their state. Let’s not forget, Great Britain had military presence in 171 countries except 22 countries of the world. Out of this 171 only 54 decolonized & independent countries remain members of the Commonwealth comprising 2.4billion people of which 1.3billion are Indians. The question is out of the remaining 14 – who will be next to say no to the Queen, while kick starting withdrawing from the Commonwealth. Its seriously time Sri Lanka said cheerio to the Queen & the Commonwealth too.
The Queen is Head of State of Great Britain &
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Belize
- Grenada
- Jamaica
- Papua New Guinea
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & Grenadines
- Solomon Islands
- Tuvalu
While Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago & Dominica removed the Queen as Head of State in 1970s, Mauritius removed the Queen in 1992.
Barbados joins the list in 2021 after gaining independence in 1966.
Australia voted at a referendum to continue with the Queen as Head of State in 1999.Yet an increasing number of citizens in Australia and Canada wish to have their own elected Head of State instead of the Queen.
In 2020 total UK exports to the 11 countries (excluding Australia/New Zealand/Canada) that continue to hold the Queen as their head of State amounted to £436 million
In 2020 total UK imports from the 11 countries (excluding Australia/New Zealand/Canada) that continue to hold the Queen as their head of State amounted to £720 million
54 countries proudly claim to be members of the Commonwealth, exactly what do they benefit other than shaking the Queen’s hand annually?
It’s not enough that Britain illegally occupied countries, Britain even sets a criteria to select former colonies to be members of the Commonwealth and these countries are expected to comply with the 1971 Declaration of Commonwealth Principles. The nations must demonstrate commitment to democracy, hold free and fair elections, apply rule of law, independent judiciary, good governance, well-trained public service, protect human rights, freedom of expression…. the list couldn’t get more hypocritical. Fancy how all these values nicely omits UK acknowledgement, accountability and reparations for British colonial crimes committed against 171 nations!
The Commonwealth Secretariat set up in 1965 is supposed to be helping the commonwealth member states to follow the Principles of the Commonwealth. Let’s kick of these values & principles by returning all the treasures proudly on display in UK Museums! In reality, there is very little that member states get from Britain though members of the Commonwealth.
In 2019, UK exports to the Commonwealth were worth £65.4 billion; British imports from the Commonwealth were £63.7 billion. The Commonwealth accounted for 9.1% of the UK’s total trade – around the same as the UK’s total trade with Germany.
UK trade with the Commonwealth was heavily focused on five countries – Australia, Canada, India, Singapore and South Africa; combined these countries accounted for 72% of UK exports to the Commonwealth and 73% of UK imports from the Commonwealth.
This means the rest of the countries are really insignificant, though Britain enjoys bullying them.
The US has turned both UK and India into faithful poodles.But India & UK will soon wake up to harsh realities and unforgiving neighbors in EU and South Asia. Both UK and India have unreliable partners. US bears no sentimental attachment to either UK or India. Isolated from EU and if Commonwealth states also bid adieu to UK, Britain will learn a hard lesson in what it feels to be isolated. Britain can hardly expect partnerships if they side with terrorist fronts and take pains to draft resolutions on behalf of them.
For US, having Britain isolated in Europe and India hated by South Asians is the perfect strategic move. A weak ally is a good poodle. Same strategy applies to India.
The Queen’s friends!
While Britain is backstabbing Commonwealth member and former colony Sri Lanka propping LTTE fronts to separate Sri Lanka, back home Scotland wants to separate from the UK!
LTTE supporting Britain following Brexit has found difficulty in even selling their fish to the European mainland and British truck drivers crossing the English Channel are even having their sandwiches snatched by Dutch border officials citing new food import rules!
Like Brexit exit, it is a good time for commonwealth nations to exit it if Britain cares not to defend the nations it destroyed and plundered without an apology or reparation.
Isolated from Europe, Britain will soon feel the heat and this is no better a time for the Commonwealth Nations to evaluate exactly what Britain has given them in return for the decades of humiliation their people suffered under British rule and continue to do so simply because Britain sings Long Live the Queen!
Shenali D Waduge