标签： Barbados

Barbados has ushered in a historic shift in family dynamics and gender equity, rolling out a national public awareness campaign called ‘Share the Care’ to encourage men and boys to take on more active caregiving responsibilities, paired with the country’s first-ever legislated paid paternity leave policy. The dual initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs in partnership with the Bureau of Gender Affairs, aims to dismantle centuries-old entrenched gender norms that have long confined care work exclusively to women across the Caribbean island.

The campaign made its public debut on one of Barbados’ modern electric public buses, a deliberate choice to maximize visibility among everyday commuters as it builds support for the newly implemented paternity leave legislation contained in the updated Family Leave Act. Passed by the government in October of the previous year, the landmark law not only expands maternity leave from 12 to 14 weeks for single births and to 17 weeks for multiple births, but also guarantees all new fathers three weeks of paid paternity leave — a policy first for both Barbados and the broader CARICOM regional bloc.

Speaking at the official launch to journalists and government stakeholders, Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Adrian Forde stressed that building a truly progressive, inclusive society demands a nationwide cultural shift in how caregiving is framed and valued across all communities. He framed the ‘Share the Care’ campaign as an open call for Barbadian men to reevaluate their roles within their homes, extended families, and local neighborhoods.

“Share and care. We must understand and appreciate that sharing is caring, but equally, if you juxtapose it, caring is sharing as well,” Forde told attendees. “It is for us, especially our men, to be imbued with a sense and appreciation of caring — caring for their loved ones, caring for their extended family, caring for their neighborhoods, caring for their communities, and, by extension, caring for Barbados.”

Forde positioned the new paternity leave legislation as a foundational policy step toward closing gender equity gaps in domestic life, noting that the guarantee removes the structural barriers that once prevented fathers from being present for the earliest, most formative moments of their children’s lives. What was once a distant dream for many working fathers is now a protected right, he emphasized.

From the government’s earliest days in office, leaders have centered men as equal partners in national conversations around gender equity, Forde added. “We have said that paternity leave must not only be a part of men’s imagination, it must all be part of the active conversation, and that is why we moved a place to have paternity leave for men so that they take care of their little babies and share that love, care, and attention that is desperately needed.”

Local creative agency Visual Element has been tapped to lead the strategic and creative execution of the national campaign. Ardith Burgess, the agency’s marketing team lead, explained that the initiative’s core mission is to break down rigid gender stereotypes that have for generations assigned all care work — from childcare to elder care to caring for sick family members — to women. The need for more balanced caregiving has grown increasingly urgent as Barbados grapples with a rapidly ageing population, which has put growing pressure on women to take on unpaid care work, she noted.

“The whole focus of this campaign was generated by the legislation that has been recently enacted,” Burgess said. “We’ve been pigeonholed by gender roles where people only think that caring for children, caring for the elderly, caring for someone who’s ill, is a responsibility of our womenfolk. We want to move beyond that where anybody can share care and don’t have a complex about it or assume that that is the responsibility of the females in the household.”

Acknowledging long-standing societal challenges including widespread paternal absenteeism and a lack of positive male caregiving role models in many communities, Burgess said campaign leaders recognize shifting culture will take time. The initiative is designed to build a sustainable framework for long-term behavioral change, rather than offering a quick fix, she explained.

Looking beyond public media advertisements, the Bureau of Gender Affairs plans to integrate the campaign’s core values into national school curricula starting from primary education, to embed equitable caregiving norms in younger generations early on. “We want to be able to have our men and boys more engaged in terms of not just waiting for a partner or significant other to have a baby, but to be involved as their parents age, as their aunts age, that everybody puts their hand to the floor, in essence, to give care,” Burgess said. “Our whole intent is to spread the word, have people more aware of the legislation, and we would like to take it further into the school system — not just secondary schools, primary schools — to let boys know that sharing care starts at a young age.”

To reach broad audiences across the island, the campaign runs eye-catching mobile advertisements on Barbados’ national transit system, each equipped with scannable QR codes that connect commuters to free educational resources and the Bureau of Gender Affairs’ social media channels. In addition to transit ads, the ministry and its partner organizations will host community outreach pop-up events across every part of the island, featuring public information sessions and branded promotional materials to drive local engagement.

The official launch event brought together a cross-section of key leaders in policy and social development, including Wayne Marshall, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of People Empowerment; William Warner, Director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs; Nicole Daniel, Social Project Development Manager from local non-profit One Family; and Kim Bobb-Waithe, Acting Director of the National Wellbeing and HIV Commission.

After 48 years and 10 months of dedicated service to education in Barbados, Dr. Martin Alleyne, the long-serving Deputy Principal of Harrison College, was celebrated by the entire school community in a special farewell assembly, bringing together current students, faculty, non-teaching staff, and former colleagues to mark the close of his historic career.

Colleagues across the school shared glowing tributes to Dr. Alleyne, framing him as a steady, dependable leader who guided Harrison College through some of its most turbulent modern challenges. Retired principal Juanita Wade’s citation, read aloud by current teacher Sophia Chase—who first met Dr. Alleyne as her first-form English instructor—highlighted the depth of his experience across every level of school leadership. From his early days in the classroom teaching canonical works like *David Copperfield* and *The Call of the Wild*, he rose through the ranks to become a senior teacher, department head, and finally Deputy Principal, building a reputation as a trusted advisor whose insight was rooted in decades of frontline education work.

Wade emphasized that through crises ranging from seasonal hurricanes and the 2021 eruption of the La Soufrière volcano to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Alleyne remained an unwavering source of support for the entire school community. Never one to shrink from adapting to new demands, he voluntarily completed virtual professional development courses to master modern online teaching methodologies when the pandemic forced schools to shift to remote learning, keeping his skills sharp and his instruction aligned with cutting-edge educational practices. “He was a dependable and approachable Deputy Principal who consistently gave his very best,” Wade wrote in her citation, adding that his steady leadership made her own work as principal far easier.

Current principal Kaylene Kellman-Holder echoed this praise, crediting Dr. Alleyne with ensuring a seamless leadership transition when she first took on her role at the school. Recalling her first day in office, Kellman-Holder noted that Dr. Alleyne’s behind-the-scenes coordination kept school operations running so smoothly that no one could tell it was her first day in the top leadership position. “Teacher man… has been the one directing, guiding… despite being very much behind the scenes,” she said of his quiet, effective leadership style.

The celebration was repeatedly interrupted by joyful student chants of “Big up a man like Dr Alleyne,” a clear reflection of the widespread affection and respect the school body holds for the retiring educator. The school community presented Dr. Alleyne with a range of gifts to mark the occasion: second-form students gifted a custom cake reading ‘Happy Retirement’ and a gift bag, the sixth form year group presented an original painting, and the school leadership presented a ceremonial gift basket.

Longtime connections ran deep throughout the event. Marilyn Boyce-Singh, speaking on behalf of the school’s non-teaching staff, shared that she has known Dr. Alleyne for more than 40 years, after he taught her when she was a student at what is now Graydon Sealy Secondary School. “He is one of those persons that I can call at any time and ask a question and get an answer. He is so easy to work with,” she said, before wishing him a long, healthy retirement filled with blessing.

In his own farewell remarks, Dr. Alleyne surprised many by sharing that education was never his original career path. After graduating from The Lodge School Upper Sixth in 1977, he only took a temporary five-week teaching post while planning to pursue a career in law. That short appointment grew into a nearly 50-year lifelong calling, and over the decades, he developed a deep abiding love for teaching, with a particular passion for English literature.

Framing his career as the close of the first chapter of his life, Dr. Alleyne said: “This is the end of my first book. My second book will begin on the 24th of July.” The educator, who officially retires on July 23, shared that he is looking forward to enjoying long-postponed hobbies in retirement, including fishing, swimming, recreational reading, and returning to shooting and archery. He left students with one final piece of advice, encouraging them to embrace their journeys no matter where they lead: “You don’t know at your age where you will end up. But whatever you do… do it as unto the Lord.”

Barbados is facing ongoing flood risks as a slow-moving tropical wave keeps drenching the island with intermittent moderate to heavy downpours, prompting local weather officials to extend their flash flood watch until 6 p.m. local time on the day of the announcement.

According to the Barbados Meteorological Services, the system is forecast to drop up to one additional inch of rain across the island during the morning hours. This added precipitation will amplify already elevated flood hazards in low-lying communities and zones that have a history of repeated flooding during heavy rain events. Forecasters noted that conditions are projected to gradually ease through the afternoon, with rainfall intensity tapering off as the tropical wave begins to move away from the island.

Local authorities have issued urgent guidance to both motorists and residents across Barbados, urging them to remain vigilant when traveling through or residing in at-risk areas. The public is also instructed to stay up to date with the latest official weather bulletins, as the current watch could be upgraded to a more severe flash flood warning if weather conditions deteriorate faster than expected.

Flash flood watches are issued when conditions are favorable for dangerous flooding to develop, while warnings signal that an active flood event is imminent or already occurring, requiring immediate safety precautions.

Nestled in the heart of downtown Bridgetown, Barbados, Cheapside Farmers’ Market carries the distinction of being the oldest continuous trading hub on the island, with a commercial history stretching all the way back to 1810. Today, a government-backed pilot initiative to overhaul the historic site into a fully organized, year-round indoor attraction is stirring heated debate among the market’s vendors, with some backing the plan as a long-overdue opportunity to boost trade, while others remain deeply skeptical given a string of past failed reforms.

The proposed transformation was first unveiled by Sherlock King, market manager for Barbados’ Ministry of Agriculture, during a public colloquium held this week. The project forms a core part of the ministry’s broader agenda to revitalize the country’s aging public market infrastructure and draw more locals and visitors to downtown commercial hubs.

Local outlet Barbados TODAY reached out to more than a dozen current Cheapside vendors to gauge their reaction to the plan, revealing a sharp divide in opinion. One vendor, originally from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, pointed to successful market overhauls in her home country and neighboring St. Lucia as evidence the plan could work in Barbados. She explained that after St. Vincent moved street vendors into purpose-built, year-round indoor facilities, sales rose dramatically for most participants, with well-maintained, clean stalls drawing far more consistent foot traffic. She added that the status quo sees many vendors only set up at the market on busy weekend days, leaving the indoor space largely empty midweek, a problem the new plan could resolve if all vendors cooperate with the new rules.

Not all vendors share that optimism, however. Another long-time vendor argued that outdoor vending remains a draw for many shoppers, a trend seen in open-air markets across the globe. They noted that even under the current setup, the indoor space only sees significant crowds on Saturdays, with midweek days seeing almost no activity inside the facility.

Despite their disagreement on the core relocation plan, both vendors agreed on two key changes that could boost foot traffic: adding regular entertainment and activities within the market space, and improving signage to guide visitors. In recent years, low customer volumes have pushed dozens of vendors to abandon their indoor stalls entirely, with many now using the indoor space solely for storage overnight while setting up their wares on sidewalks outside during trading hours. Better directional signs, the vendors argued, would help the many tourists that pass through the downtown area find food stalls, clothing vendors and other offerings that are currently invisible to most first-time visitors.

Roy, another long-time Cheapside vendor, said he supports the government’s effort to test new approaches but will reserve judgment until the plan is put into action. “I want to see it done, not just hear about it. If they’re ready to try something new, let them come down here and give it a go,” he said.

For Angela, another veteran vendor, past attempts at reform make her deeply doubtful the new plan will deliver different results. “They’ve been trying to make this work for decades, and every single attempt has failed. I don’t see why this time will be any different,” she said. She echoed the widespread observation that most current vendors use the indoor market only for storage, pulling their displays out to sell on the street every trading day. “Nobody wants to sell inside. We store our trays and benches here overnight, then take everything back out to sell on the sidewalk in the morning,” she explained.

Angela added that inconsistent cleaning and chronic slow midweek trade have further eroded indoor activity. Each Monday, the entire indoor space is power-washed, leaving surfaces wet and unsuitable for vendors to set up for most of the day, and from Tuesday through Thursday, only a handful of vendors bother to open inside. While she acknowledged the market would only reach its full potential if all vendors agreed to operate indoors full-time, she argued that the government would need to offer meaningful incentives to get vendors to agree to the change. Right now, she added, the market is operating well below its potential, which hurts full-time staff and overall operations for the site.

One vendor noted the plan could succeed if managed properly, drawing a comparison to the popular, vibrant Oistins Fish Fry, but argued that critical sanitation issues must be resolved first. “They say they want it to look like Oistins, but first we have a huge rat problem that needs to be dealt with, and that’s not going to be easy,” she said. Like many others, she said she will wait for the government’s final plan before making a decision, and will accept whatever outcome is agreed.

Cheapside Market takes its name from the historic trading district in London, and its origins stretch back to a period when Barbados was still a British slave colony. After an 1806 fire cleared the downtown area, and decades of informal street vending, the market was purpose-built in 1810 to let both enslaved and free Black vendors trade produce legally under cover from the tropical rain and heat. Over the centuries, the site has been expanded and modernized multiple times, including a major renovation in the early 20000s funded by a Chinese government grant.

On the eastern side of Barbados, a small rural primary school has defied widespread preconceptions about underperforming rural education after three of its students delivered extraordinary scores on the 2024 Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination, capping months of disciplined, intentional preparation by students and staff alike.

Eleven-year-old Mashayla Layne, St Philip Primary School’s top performer and top female scorer, earned a 95 in Mathematics and an 85 in English, securing her a spot at the prestigious Queen’s College for the upcoming September term. The aspiring future lawyer shared that her success came from intentional sacrifice, supported by both her educators and family. Speaking to Barbados TODAY, Layne highlighted the extra preparation led by her Class Four teacher Sonia Marshall-Bushell, noting “Our teacher made us skip breaks to prepare us.” She also credited her parents for consistent encouragement through the months of studying.

For Marshall-Bushell, the exceptional results are the product of shared commitment between educators and students, with every member of the class giving up personal time to hit their academic goals. The experienced educator adapted her teaching strategy to meet each student’s individual needs, relying on differentiated instruction that acknowledged the unique learning pace and style of every child. She introduced a wide range of problem-solving frameworks and incorporated hands-on practical activities to reinforce core concepts, rejecting the idea that exam preparation requires cutting all creative and recreational time. “I believe in the whole child so I did not deprive them of games, lunch time and so on, but I must admit they did give up some of their vacations,” she explained.

The teacher emphasized that the strong performance carries extra meaning because St Philip Primary, located in Church Village, is often overlooked by families choosing schools in the St Philip district. “It is seen as a no-brand-name school, we find that lot of people bypass this school and head to other schools in St Philip, but this was an opportunity to show that great things can come from St Philip,” she said. Beyond the three standout students, every one of the 16 students in Marshall-Bushell’s class exceeded performance expectations, even those who had struggled with core content earlier in the year. All students earned scores above 50 percent, a result that left Marshall-Bushell overjoyed.

Two 10-year-old early entry candidates also delivered strong results that earned them places at the island’s top secondary schools. Kaiden Young, who hopes to pursue a career in medicine, scored a 91 in Mathematics and will join Layne at Queen’s College. Despite his impressive score, Young said he believed he could have performed even better, noting he had given up holiday time to attend extra preparation sessions. Fellow early sitter Sunjay Mottley, who will attend Harrison College, earned an 89 in mathematics and an 81 in grammar. Mottley, who has career goals in law, veterinary medicine and cosmetology, said she felt pleased with her outcome but also saw room for improvement. She shared that she felt nervous going into the exam even after thorough preparation, and encouraged next year’s candidates to prioritize consistent, early studying.

St Philip Primary Principal Pamaletta Bhamjee praised Marshall-Bushell’s extraordinary dedication to her students, noting the teacher gave up personal breaks, holiday time and weekends to ensure the class was fully prepared. Bhamjee highlighted that the school’s average scores outpaced national averages across both core subjects: the national mean for English this year is 64.2, while St Philip Primary achieved a 67 percent average; the national mean for Mathematics is 58, compared to the school’s 66.6 average. “So you can see Mrs Marshall-Bushell did an excellent job,” the principal said.

Bhamjee also credited several external and government initiatives for supporting the school’s rising academic performance, particularly the Payce Digital reading programme based at Haggatt Hall. The programme offers after-school reading sessions for both infant and junior students, and has helped build a stronger culture of recreational reading among the student body. “The ladies at Payce Digital are very creative, so on the final meet, one of them actually wrote a story that she read to the children, which they thoroughly enjoyed,” Bhamjee noted. The Level Up Reading Club also provided critical support, funding new books for the school and backing its athletic programme.

The principal additionally acknowledged the Barbados Ministry of Education’s ongoing education transformation initiatives, which have provided valuable teacher training and literacy resources including Snappy Sounds and Jolly Phonics, materials that educators have called invaluable for building foundational skills. This year, the school also received its first dedicated reading teacher for the Junior Department to support students struggling with literacy. “I find that has done a lot to raise the self-esteem of the children, and once they have that help and they realise they actually can read, it will make a difference to how they approach their work overall because [you need reading skills] to make a success of your life,” Bhamjee explained.

For Bhamjee, who will retire later this year after more than four decades in the education sector, these exceptional exam results mark a fitting capstone to her career. The outcome proves that when paired with dedicated teaching staff, supportive community partners and motivated students, small rural schools like St Philip Primary can compete and outperform many of the island’s most well-known institutions.