| The Constitution of Barbados | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Jurisdiction | Barbados |
| Ratified | 22 November 1966 |
| Date effective | 30 November 1966 |
| System | Parliamentary monarchy (before 2021) Parliamentary republic |
| Government structure | |
| Branches | |
| Head of state | President, elected by Parliament |
| Chambers | |
| Executive | Prime minister–led cabinet responsible to the House of Assembly |
| Judiciary | See Judiciary of Barbados |
| Last amended | 2021 |
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The Constitution of Barbados is the supreme law under which Barbados is governed.[1] The Constitution provides a legal establishment of the Government of Barbados, as well as legal rights and responsibilities of the public and various other government officers. The Constitution which came into force in 1966 was amended in 1974,[2] 1980, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003,[3] 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. The 1966 document succeeds several other documents concerning administration of Barbados. One of them, the Barbados Charter, is discussed in the present Constitution's Preamble. Prior statutes were created for the administration of Barbados as a colony. As a former English and later British colony, the Constitution is similar to those of other former Commonwealth realms, yet distinctly different in the spirit of the Statute of Westminster.
- ^ Constitution of Barbados, Chapter 1, Section 1.
- ^ 1974 Amendment
- ^ 2003 Amendment