In February 2005 the Government of Barbados announced its intention to hold a referendum on the republic issue.[3] It introduced a Referendum Bill that month.[3] The Bill was passed into law as the Referendum Act in October 2005. The Act did not set a date for the referendum but instead specified that the "Referendum Day" could be proclaimed by the Governor-General, being no more than 90 days and no less than 60 days from the date of proclamation.[2] The Act itself could not amend Barbados's constitution, because under section 49.1 a majority of two-thirds of Parliament is required to make any amendments.[5]