Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Barbados Labour Party (BLP) has secured an unprecedented third consecutive general election victory, capturing all 30 seats in the House of Assembly in a Wednesday electoral landslide. The complete parliamentary sweep reinforces Mottley’s political dominance and represents a continuing mandate for her administration’s policies.
Jubilant celebrations erupted at the party’s Roebuck Street headquarters as results confirmed the comprehensive victory. Supporters gathered in a sea of red attire, the party’s signature color, as electoral returns confirmed the BLP’s total control of Barbados’s legislative body.
In response to the electoral triumph, Prime Minister-elect Mottley declared Friday a national public holiday and announced a national thanksgiving celebration scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the National Botanical Gardens. “Saturday is not only the day of love. Saturday is the day of red, red, red,” she proclaimed, referencing both Valentine’s Day and the party’s symbolic color.
The electoral sweep began with Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw’s victory in St Michael South East, where she secured 3,050 votes against Democratic Labour Party (DLP) challenger Pedro Shepherd’s 734 votes. This pattern repeated across constituencies, with several notable contests including St John, where Charles Griffith retained his seat with 2,327 votes against DLP leader Ralph Thorne’s 1,877 votes.
Several first-time BLP candidates achieved significant victories, including Ryan Brathwaite in the traditional Labour stronghold of St Joseph with 2,662 votes, and Tyra Trotman in St Michael Central, the party’s youngest candidate, who secured 1,962 votes after recently crossing from the DLP.
In her victory address, Mottley emphasized that the overwhelming mandate carried responsibility rather than entitlement. “We did not come simply to hold office. We have come to make Barbados better, and to make your lives better,” she stated, acknowledging the need to protect democratic institutions despite repeated electoral dominance.
The Prime Minister-elect pledged immediate attention to constituent concerns including infrastructure, healthcare, and public safety. She announced plans for a swift governmental transition, with Cabinet members to be sworn in on Monday and parliamentary business to commence by next Friday, signaling an immediate return to governance following brief celebrations.