The Barbadian government has finalized compensation for prison officers who performed extended duties during the COVID-19 pandemic, concluding a protracted dispute over unpaid wages that had persisted for nearly four years. According to a Friday announcement from the Ministry of Home Affairs, all eligible officers have now received payments for working 12-hour shifts under hazardous conditions while classified as essential workers.
The resolution follows years of mounting frustration among protective service personnel. Earlier disclosures revealed that prison officers alone were owed over half a million dollars for extra duties dating to 2021. Superintendent of Prisons DeCarlo Payne had previously confirmed that administrative preparations were complete, with fund disbursement awaiting action from the Ministry of the Public Service.
In its statement, the government characterized the payment as “not merely a financial transaction but a long-overdue act of recognition and fairness” toward officers who worked under “immense pressure and personal risk.” The Ministry specifically acknowledged that prison personnel played a critical role in maintaining both institutional security and broader societal stability throughout the health crisis.
Officials attributed the delay to manual processing requirements amid ongoing modernization of government financial systems. Three ministries—Home Affairs, Finance, and Public Service—collaborated to resolve the outstanding payments.
The government issued a formal apology for the prolonged wait, recognizing “the frustration and hardship that this postponement may have caused, especially given the immense sacrifices the officers made when the nation needed them most.” Authorities pledged to improve administrative systems to prevent similar delays in future cases involving extraordinary service.