Forty-four years after Britain handed us our independence, the question remains—have we earned it, or are we merely celebrating the performance of it?
By Franz deFreitas | IGN News Online | November 1, 2025
Today, November 1, Antigua and Barbuda marks 44 years since Britain handed us our independence. Amid the national colours, ceremonies, patriotic speeches, youth rallies, food fairs, and performances in the streets, a deeper, more uncomfortable question must be asked: Are we truly independent as a nation—or are we simply celebrating the idea of independence?
Independence is often spoken of as a gift. But history tells a different story. Independence, in its truest form, is never handed out like a medal or a certificate. It is seized—through struggle, sacrifice, courage, and, most critically, self-determination. So we must ask ourselves: What have we done, since 1981, to be independent?
The answer is not as clear as the fireworks that light up the night sky. Our national anthem plays. Our flag flies. Yet beneath the surface symbols, questions of dependency, government accountability, constitutional stagnation, and misplaced allegiances persist.
What does independence look like?
It looks like economic sovereignty—not borrowing hand-to-mouth from foreign institutions.
It looks like food security—not castrating our farmers and our agricultural systems.
It looks like prosperity for all—not just politicians benefiting from the public purse.
It looks like free speech and an independent media—not just the governing party and its cronies buying out the media.
It looks like free and fair elections—not politicians colluding with election officials to guarantee outcomes.
It looks like education that doesn’t just mimic foreign models but includes African and local history and innovates for local needs.
It looks like a people who are aware of their culture and shape their own destiny.
Can we, hand on heart, say we’ve achieved this?
Since our independence, we have made no changes to our Constitution—a document inherited from our colonial past. Unlike many other former colonies that have undertaken people-driven constitutional reforms, we continue to operate under a framework designed for a context that no longer reflects our realities, values, or aspirations. This lack of constitutional evolution raises critical questions about our democratic maturity and sovereignty. A constitution should be a living document—one that evolves with the society it governs. Without periodic review and reform, we risk entrenching outdated systems of governance, inequities, and power structures that were never intended to serve an independent nation.
Constitutional review is not merely a legal exercise; it is an act of national self-definition—a collective opportunity for citizens to shape the principles that guide their political, social, and economic future. Our national pledge and oath of allegiance still tie us, in part, to the British Crown and Commonwealth structures. Who, then, do we really serve?
True independence would mean taking ownership of our systems—education, justice, healthcare, and governance. It would mean restructuring our economy so that foreign direct investment does not come with silent handcuffs. It would mean nurturing a civic culture where patriotism is not performative but practiced through daily accountability, innovation, and a commitment to collective progress.
So what does independence mean to me today? It is not just a memory of November 1, 1981. It is a question—a challenge—to my generation and the next: Will you fight for real independence, or will you simply inherit the performance of it?
And what does it mean for our future? That depends on how we choose to engage with this question—honestly and urgently. Because independence is not a static event; it is a continuous act. It is earned, not given.
There is no independence without patriotism. But patriotism is not merely singing the anthem louder than your neighbour. It is interrogating our nation’s trajectory, holding our leaders accountable, defending the rights of all citizens, and daring to dream of a country that does not just survive, but thrives—on its own terms.
So today, as we wave our flags, let us also hold up a mirror.
Have we done enough to call ourselves truly independent? And if not—when will we?
