Barbados’ Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) has launched a crackdown on unregulated outdoor advertising cluttering public road infrastructure, announcing a mandatory removal order for unauthorized billboards and sidewalk sandwich boards that have increasingly appeared along local highways in recent months.
Jason Bowen, MTW’s Deputy Chief Technical Officer for Design Services, confirmed in an official statement that ministry authorities have been monitoring the spread of these unpermitted advertising structures across public right-of-way areas. The ministry is now giving business owners a 30-day window to voluntarily take down any unauthorized advertising materials placed on sidewalks, traffic islands, road verges, official road signs, and other public street furniture. Only advertising structures that have received prior formal approval from MTW will be allowed to remain in place.
The enforcement action is backed by existing national legislation: Section 13 of the Highway Act, Chapter 289, explicitly grants MTW’s Chief Technical Officer the legal authority to remove and dispose of any object or material intentionally placed on any highway in Barbados without proper authorization. Business owners that fail to comply with the voluntary removal order will not only face financial penalties but also be held responsible for covering all costs associated with the ministry’s enforced removal.
MTW has also issued guidance for businesses seeking to use sandwich boards and similar small-format advertising materials. The ministry advises all operators to only place such advertising on private land after securing approval from property owners, and strictly avoid placing any commercial signage on public road-related property to prevent running afoul of the Highway Act. This crackdown comes as part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to maintain clear, safe road infrastructure and reduce visual clutter that can distract drivers and block pedestrian pathways.