Barbados' Mottley hails landslide victory for ruling party

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley arrives to cast her ballot to vote in the country's first election since it became a republic by removing the British Queen as its sovereign, at Eden Lodge Primary School in St Michael, Barbados January 19, 2022. REUTERS/Nigel R. Browne

(Reuters) -Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on Thursday celebrated a landslide victory in the Caribbean nation's first general election since it became a republic last year by removing Britain's queen as sovereign head of state.

Mottley called the snap election in December, saying it would help promote unity as the government battled the coronavirus pandemic, which has heavily affected the tourism-focused economy.