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Barbados has witnessed a significant reduction in school vandalism over the past two years, according to Ministry of Educational Transformation officials. The decline is attributed to the government’s zero-tolerance policy and the launch of a nationwide beautification program aimed at modernizing educational environments and fostering pride in school spaces. Minister Chad Blackman emphasized that while isolated incidents persist, the overall trend is positive. He warned students against testing the law, stating that consequences for vandalism are clear and enforced. The government’s goal is to eliminate such incidents entirely, linking improved school maintenance and appearance to reduced vandalism. Historical concerns about student-related damage, such as the 2011 graffiti incident at Coleridge & Parry School, highlight the persistent nature of the issue. Recent cases of bus vandalism have also prompted stricter warnings from the Transport Board. In conjunction with these efforts, the Barbados Best Kept Schools Competition was announced, running from January to April 2026. This initiative, part of broader educational transformation, aims to enhance both infrastructure and cultural attitudes toward schools. Blackman stressed that schools should resemble professional environments conducive to learning and exploration. The program includes phased upgrades to aging structures, improved ventilation, and better-equipped classrooms. Community involvement is a key component, with residents, former students, and youth groups contributing to landscaping and maintenance. The ministry plans to introduce new national standards for school infrastructure and landscaping, aligning with Barbados’ vision of nation-building and preparing students for the future. Blackman described the initiative as a cultural transformation through education, essential for the republic’s progress.

The Government of Barbados has announced that printed tickets for the Installation of the second President of Barbados, the Independence and Republic Day Ceremonial Parade, and the National Awards Ceremony will be available for collection starting Wednesday, November 26. Tickets can be obtained on a first-come, first-served basis at Government Headquarters, Bay Street, St Michael, between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Additionally, a complimentary park-and-ride service has been arranged for attendees. Interested individuals can access the service by visiting https://bit.ly/3XNRl71, selecting their preferred language, and clicking on “Attending.” The process will generate an electronic ticket, granting access to both the parking location and the event at Kensington Oval on Sunday, November 30, beginning at 8 a.m. For those seeking tickets without parking or shuttle services, the link https://bit.ly/3M08nMP is provided. (BGIS)

In Barbados, a common saying goes, ‘We small, so everybody know everybody business.’ Yet, when it comes to violence against women and girls, silence often prevails, leading to tragic consequences. The latest United Nations data on femicide reveals a grim reality: every ten minutes, a woman is killed by someone she knows. In 2024 alone, 83,000 women and girls were intentionally killed, with 50,000 of these deaths perpetrated by intimate partners or family members. These statistics are not just abstract numbers; they reflect the lived experiences of countless women across the Caribbean.

Regional and international agencies, including UN Women, UNDP, CARICOM, and UNICEF, have highlighted that psychological and emotional abuse are the most commonly reported forms of violence. However, severe underreporting obscures the full extent of the issue in countries like Barbados. In such closely-knit societies, many survivors remain silent to avoid shame, judgment, or retaliation.

While traditional forms of domestic violence persist, new threats are emerging. Technology-facilitated abuse, such as cyberstalking, harassment, digital monitoring, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, is becoming increasingly prevalent across the Eastern Caribbean. This digital abuse, though less visible than physical violence, inflicts deep emotional wounds.

In response, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, running from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day), has launched the Orange Campaign. This global initiative calls for solidarity in ending violence against women and girls. In Barbados, Soroptimist International of Barbados (SIB) has spearheaded this year’s campaign, titled ‘Illuminate the Silence,’ with support from Screenplay Advertising Ltd and Clarity Media. The campaign uses island-wide LED digital screens to raise awareness and foster solidarity.

SIB President Patrice Alleyne has emphasized the urgency of a national response, noting that violence against women is ‘evolving — not disappearing,’ particularly with the rise of digital misogyny and online harassment. She stressed that Barbados must update its systems, laws, and protections to address the realities of violence in 2025, not 1995.

However, the responsibility to combat gender-based violence does not rest solely on the government or advocacy groups. Families, communities, schools, workplaces, churches, and cultural norms all play a role in either reinforcing or challenging harmful behaviors. Too often, violence is dismissed as ‘family business,’ survivors are silenced by shame, and public sympathy only emerges after the worst has happened.

The 16 Days of Activism offers more than an opportunity to wear orange or illuminate buildings; it is a call for Barbados to examine the values it upholds and the silences it tolerates. Men and boys must be active participants in the solution, institutions must be proactive rather than reactive, and society as a whole must be more willing to intervene, support, and protect.

Because a nation cannot be considered safe if its women and girls are not safe in their homes, communities, or on their devices.