Trinidad and Tobago gained independence in 1962 and became a republic in 1976 while remaining in the Commonwealth. The country has a President who is the head of state and commander-in-chief, currently Professor George Maxwell Richards. Trinidad and Tobago also has a Prime Minister, currently the Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who was the first female Prime Minister. The national flower is the Chaconia and the national bird is the Scarlet Ibis.