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标签： Barbados

巴巴多斯

  • Legal Profession Bill expected before Cabinet ‘early next month’

    Legal Profession Bill expected before Cabinet ‘early next month’

    Barbados’ most sweeping transformation of legal profession regulation in 50 years is on track to reach the Cabinet for approval within the first weeks of next month, Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams confirmed in a Monday interview with local outlet Barbados TODAY. The long-awaited final draft of the updated Legal Profession Act will be circulated to the Barbados Bar Association the same day for a 14-day public comment period, a timeline crafted to accommodate the legislation’s unprecedented scope.

    “I currently hold the finalized draft of the revised Legal Profession Act, and no other piece of modern legislation impacts the legal community as profoundly as this. It has always been our practice to consult extensively with the Bar on legislation that will reshape the industry, and this bill is no exception,” Abrahams stated. While earlier rounds of stakeholder consultation have already been completed, the government is entering the final drafting stages, and the attorney general emphasized that the additional comment window aligns with the long-standing principle of “measure twice, cut once.” At more than 200 pages, the legislation demands thorough review, justifying the two-week period for the Bar to deliver feedback, he added.

    The draft was prepared by the Legal Reform Commission, chaired by former Chief Justice Sir David Simmons, who delivered the full “entirely rewritten” bill to the government at the end of last year. Speaking to Barbados TODAY earlier this month, Simmons outlined that the new law addresses a broad spectrum of long-unresolved gaps in the current framework, including the high-profile issue of attorney misappropriation of client funds.

    Under the proposed reforms, the process for disbarring convicted attorneys will be streamlined, but the core natural justice protection — the right to appeal disciplinary rulings before the Court of Appeal — will remain fully intact, Simmons confirmed. The former chief justice noted that the 1973 Legal Profession Act, which the new bill will replace, was written when just 192 practicing attorneys operated in Barbados. Today, that number has grown nearly fivefold to 900, with an additional 40 new attorneys expected to be admitted to the Bar by the end of this year, making a full update long overdue.

    During a two-day industry symposium hosted by the commission at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in June of last year, Simmons explained that the new legislation codifies decades of legal, constitutional and societal shifts that have transformed the Barbadian legal landscape since 1971, when the original act was first drafted. Key reforms laid out in the bill include the legalization of professional legal corporations, a formalized mandatory framework for continuing legal education (CLE) for practicing attorneys, updated accounting and ethical compliance rules, and the lifting of long-standing restrictions on attorney service advertising.

    Contrary to claims that the reforms were drafted without industry input, Simmons confirmed that the process included more than a year of internal review by the Bar, which submitted a full table of proposed amendments and a formal report to the commission. The commission ultimately adopted the overwhelming majority of the Bar’s suggested changes, ensuring the final bill reflects input from working legal professionals.

    Despite the broad consensus around the reforms, Simmons issued two key recommendations for implementation. He warned that provisions related to new accounting requirements and the new continuing education framework will require significant additional staffing and institutional support to function effectively. To avoid overburdening the country’s legal regulatory system, he advised the government to roll out the new rules in a phased sequence rather than implementing all changes at once.

  • Chief Justice shops reforms to boost criminal law practice

    Chief Justice shops reforms to boost criminal law practice

    As the Caribbean nation of Barbados confronts a growing crisis of declining legal practitioners specializing in criminal law, the country’s top judicial officer has laid out a sweeping set of institutional reforms to reverse the trend and unclog a years-long backlog of criminal cases. In an address marking the opening of the 2026/2027 legal year at a special sitting of the No. 1 Court in the Supreme Court Complex, Chief Justice Leslie Haynes emphasized that piecemeal fixes would not solve the shortage, arguing that deep-rooted structural changes are required to make criminal law practice appealing to the next generation of legal professionals.

    Haynes pointed to rising educational debt loads carried by newly graduated attorneys as one of the core deterrents pushing young legal professionals away from criminal practice, noting that many seek higher-paying or more stable work outside of the criminal bar. To address this barrier, he put forward two key policy proposals. First, he called for a significant increase in public funding for the Community Legal Services Department, widely known as Legal Aid. The additional resources would allow early-career attorneys to take on less severe criminal cases – including wounding and grievous bodily harm matters – building practical experience gradually before moving up to high-stakes cases such as murder, manslaughter and serious sexual offenses.

    His second major proposal is the creation of a dedicated Public Defender’s Office, a state-run institution that would provide a structured, stable career track for legal professionals interested in criminal law who value the job security of public sector employment over the uncertainty of private practice. Beyond funding and institutional restructuring, Haynes also called on senior members of the legal profession to step up their mentorship of young attorneys, framing this support as a critical investment in the long-term future of the criminal justice system. He urged senior counsel to actively guide new entrants to the field, while encouraging young lawyers to consider building their careers in criminal practice.

    Alongside his proposals to address the attorney shortage, Haynes delivered a comprehensive update on the state of Barbados’ court system, which is still recovering from significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He acknowledged that criminal court teams – including judges, prosecutors and defense counsel – have maintained essential operations despite longstanding challenges, including the absence of a dedicated criminal registry and consistent juror shortages. He revealed that the judiciary is now in the critical phase of establishing the long-awaited criminal registry, a change expected to cut down on excessive delays that leave criminal cases stagnating in the system for years. As an example of the scope of the backlog problem, Haynes noted that two cases over a decade old were recently brought to his attention. As of December 31, 2025, the total backlog of pending criminal cases stood at 1,382, with the largest categories including unlawful firearms possession, sexual offenses, burglary and murder.

    Haynes also shared detailed data showing a steady recovery in case disposal rates after the pandemic-induced slump. When the COVID-19 outbreak was at its peak in 2020, High Court civil judges issued 113 written decisions, 88 of which were full High Court rulings and 25 related to applicant matters. In 2021 and 2022, as the pandemic continued to disrupt court operations and slow litigation across the country, disposal rates dropped to 76 and 69 written decisions respectively. From 2023 onward, the numbers began a gradual upward trend, hitting 76 decisions in 2023 and 71 in 2024, with High Court disposals accounting for 86 percent of all resolved matters in both years. By 2025, the number of written decisions issued reached 125 – surpassing the 2020 pre- and peak-pandemic levels for the first time in five years. As of August 2026, 82 written decisions have already been issued, putting the court on track to continue this positive trajectory. Haynes noted that the addition of new judicial officers has been a key factor driving the increase in resolved cases.

    For the Court of Appeal’s criminal division, Haynes reported that approximately 200 active appeals were pending as of July 31, 2026. Only two of these appeals were initiated in 2022, with 42 filed in 2023, and the remainder opened between 2024 and the present. Of the 14 outstanding appeals that predate 2019, nine are civil and five are criminal. Progress has already been made on these legacy matters: two civil appeals have been discontinued, three are awaiting further case management to reach resolution, three have been scheduled for retrial, and one is no longer being prosecuted. On the criminal side, two appeals have been abandoned, one has been reheard with a decision pending, and one has been scheduled for retrial. For all appeals filed after 2019, Haynes confirmed that significant progress has been made, with a large number of pending decisions on track to be delivered before the 2026 Christmas holiday break.

  • Gun courts by January – CJ

    Gun courts by January – CJ

    Barbados’ top judicial leader has announced a firm timeline for the launch of two specialized gun-focused courts, part of a broader push to clear a backlog of firearms-related cases and reduce systemic pressure on the island nation’s entire court network. Chief Justice Leslie Haynes made the announcement Monday during the ceremonial opening of the 2026-2027 legal year, held at the Supreme Court Complex’s Court No 1.

    Haynes confirmed that the two dedicated gun courts will be fully operational no later than next January, adding that collaborative work between the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Legal Affairs puts the project on track to launch well ahead of that January deadline. The specialized courts, created to exclusively handle cases of unlawful firearms possession, will be based at the Henry Forde and David Simmons Legal and Judicial Complex located on Coleridge Street.

    The Chief Justice openly acknowledged ongoing space constraints that have challenged the judiciary’s expansion plans, noting that recent renovation work at the Forde-Simmons Complex and growth in judicial staffing at the Supreme Court have made the space shortage more acute than ever. To address this, Haynes said court administrators are taking a creative approach to space allocation, which is reflected in the judiciary’s updated capital improvement plan. He highlighted the long-delayed rehabilitation of the St. Matthias court complex, confirming that planning for that project is now in its final advanced stages.

    Alongside the St. Matthias renovations, four other key infrastructure projects are moving forward this term. First, construction will soon begin on a redesigned public waiting area for District A magistrate courts, a change designed to uphold the dignity of all visitors accessing court services. Second, ongoing roof repair work at the main Supreme Court Complex will continue. Third, the Supreme Court Complex will add two entirely new courtrooms, as well as dedicated meeting spaces for attorneys who travel to the complex for cases. Haynes called the full slate of projects an ambitious agenda, but stressed that the judiciary is committed to delivering tangible, positive results for the public.

    In addition to physical infrastructure upgrades, the judiciary is also rolling out digital improvements to streamline processes and reduce strain on other government agencies. Haynes revealed that internet bandwidth is currently being upgraded at every magistrate court across the island to enable virtual hearings for bail applications. Once the upgrade is complete within the next few months, virtual bail hearings will become the standard practice. This change will eliminate the need to transport inmates from correctional facilities to local magistrate courts for these hearings, freeing up overstretched Barbados Prison Service resources to be deployed to other critical needs.

    Haynes added that the upgraded internet capacity will unlock a range of other administrative improvements, including the ability to conduct daily reviews of core magistrate court administrative tasks: these include processing incoming and outgoing funds, managing child maintenance payments, debt collection, and financial enforcement actions.

    The Chief Justice also shared new details on the planned new judicial complex at Six Roads, which will include a centralized command center for financial administration across the magistrate court system. Currently, each individual magistrate court maintains its own separate bank account, a fragmented system Haynes described as an administrative nightmare that fails to meet modern transparency standards. The new centralized command center will oversee all collection of fines, court fees, and other payments, as well as all disbursements for things like child maintenance and debt settlements, greatly improving accountability for all public funds handled by the magistrate court system.

  • 22-year-old motorcyclist dies in St James collision

    22-year-old motorcyclist dies in St James collision

    A devastating road accident has claimed another life on Barbados’ road network, marking the island’s latest traffic fatality. The fatal incident unfolded just after midday on Sunday at the intersection of the Ronald Mapp Highway and Westmoreland, located in the parish of St James.

    The victim of the collision was identified by local law enforcement as 22-year-old Kahlil Nash, a resident of Cave Hill in St Lucy. Emergency response teams were dispatched to the crash site immediately after reports of the collision, which involved two vehicles: a motorcycle operated by Nash and a private motorcar. The crash was first logged by emergency services at 12:33 p.m.

    Despite rapid first responder intervention, Nash succumbed to his injuries at the location of the incident. Authorities have confirmed that the case remains open, with active investigations ongoing to determine the full sequence of events, contributing factors, and any potential liability surrounding the collision.

  • Christ Church man bailed on cannabis charges

    Christ Church man bailed on cannabis charges

    A criminal court hearing in Christ Church has concluded with a 47-year-old local supervisor being released on bail following charges connected to a major cannabis seizure. Ishan Saquan Alleyne, a resident of Town House #8 on Fordes Road in Clapham, faces three separate indictable offenses: possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to supply, and trafficking of cannabis. All charges stem from an enforcement operation that took place on September 11. Law enforcement seized approximately 47.5 kilogrammes of suspected cannabis from the scene, which local authorities have valued at an estimated street price of $237,500. When the charges were formally read out in court by presiding Magistrate Jared Richards, Alleyne was not required to enter a plea at this procedural stage of the case. The defendant is represented by two experienced defense attorneys, Simon Clarke and Neville Reid, who argued for bail ahead of the next court hearing. In the end, Magistrate Richards granted bail set at $20,000, which requires two sureties to be secured before Alleyne’s release. The case is scheduled to resume in court on December 9, when further procedural steps or evidence presentation will take place. The seizure represents one of the larger bulk cannabis cases processed by local courts in recent months, highlighting ongoing enforcement efforts targeting drug trafficking and distribution in the region.

  • UWI researchers win world’s largest education prize for transforming early childhood development

    UWI researchers win world’s largest education prize for transforming early childhood development

    Three pioneering researchers, two affiliated with the University of the West Indies (UWI), have been honored as 2026 Yidan Prize laureates for Education Development, one of the most prestigious recognitions in global education. The award celebrates more than 30 years of groundbreaking work that has fundamentally reshaped global approaches to understanding and advancing early childhood development across the world.

    Professor Susan P. Walker, an Emeritus Professor of Nutrition at UWI’s Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR), and Dr. Susan M. Chang-Lopez, Senior Lecturer at CAIHR, share this year’s award with their long-time collaborator Sally Grantham-McGregor, Emeritus Professor at University College London. Grantham-McGregor has deep institutional ties to UWI: she began working at the University Hospital of the West Indies in 1967, later joined UWI’s Tropical Metabolism Research Unit, and departed as a full professor in 1995.

    The three researchers earned the award for developing Reach Up, an evidence-based, scalable early childhood intervention program that originated from a 1986 research study in Jamaica and has since expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of children from low-income, vulnerable households across 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The program is currently scaling up its operations in Brazil, where it will eventually serve 1.5 million children.

    Dorothy K. Gordon, head of the Yidan Prize Judging Panel for Education Development, made the official announcement of the 2026 laureates, noting that their decades of work have reshaped global education by producing some of the most robust empirical evidence to date linking early cognitive stimulation, pre-primary learning, and long-term life outcomes. Gordon pointed out that a primary barrier to healthy child development for children growing up in poverty is the lack of access to early learning opportunities at home and limited enrollment in pre-primary education. She commended the laureates for their open willingness to share their research findings and intervention techniques with the global community.

    According to Gordon, the practical innovation embedded in the Reach Up program, paired with the strong international network of partner institutions that supports its implementation, demonstrates how lasting, equitable change can be achieved through the combination of rigorous empirical evidence, cross-border collaboration, and local leadership.

    Reach Up delivers low-cost, practical, culturally adaptable solutions that build caregivers’ capacity to provide developmentally appropriate stimulation for children between the ages of 0 and 4. Its learning activities are integrated into everyday household routines, empowering caregivers to foster the knowledge, social skills, and confidence children need to communicate, play, and interact in ways that support healthy cognitive development. Delivered through existing local networks of health, social protection, education, and humanitarian systems, all of Reach Up’s curricula and resources are available for free, and the program undergoes continuous evaluation and adaptation to maintain its effectiveness across diverse regional contexts.

  • Parent Education Programme celebrates first cohort

    Parent Education Programme celebrates first cohort

    On a recent Saturday at Bridgetown’s iconic Queen’s Park Rotunda, a diverse group of 40+ parents and caregivers crossed a meaningful milestone, crossing the stage to mark their completion of Barbados’ first ever Parent Education Programme (PEP). The gathering included representatives from the national autism association and multiple local faith-based church groups, all united by a shared commitment to becoming stronger, more intentional caregivers for children across the island.

    The graduation ceremony centered a critical, often underdiscussed pillar of national education: the foundational role that stable, informed home environments play in driving healthy child development and long-term educational success. Chief Education Officer Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw led official remarks, commending participating caregivers for their dedication to completing the rigorous six-session curriculum.

    Dr. Archer-Bradshaw explained that the PEP initiative, which is funded through a partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank, grew out of on-the-ground observations from school attendance officers. Those frontline education workers identified a widespread, unaddressed gap in accessible, evidence-based parental guidance across Barbados, and pushed for the creation of a structured programme to fill that need.

    In her address to graduates, Dr. Archer-Bradshaw emphasized that participation in the programme should not be seen as a final achievement, but rather the start of an ongoing, high-impact investment in their families. “Even before our children can read a book, they learn to read the faces of their parents and their guardians,” she said. “You are your child’s most important teacher. Every hug matters, every kiss matters, every boundary matters, and every bedtime story matters.”

    The PEP curriculum was intentionally designed to tackle the unique, modern everyday challenges that Barbadian families navigate. Programme content specialist Fabian Sargeant praised participants for their willingness to be open and vulnerable about their parenting struggles, a step that runs counter to long-held cultural norms of traditional Barbadian pride, which often discourage public discussion of domestic challenges.

    Sargeant noted that the curriculum was not a one-size-fits-all imported framework, but a meticulously researched, needs-aligned programme developed after extensive consultations with local teachers, students, and child psychologists. “Our young people struggle tremendously, and we parents, we are their anchors,” Sargeant told the crowd. “An anchor must be strong; it must be sturdy, and that is what PEP is about. It is about building that strength to help guide and navigate your children through their developmental stages in a rapidly changing world.”

    Programme co-ordinator Dr. Terrie Blackman echoed that perspective, pointing out a widespread societal gap: while modern communities invest heavily in preparing people for formal education and professional careers, there is almost no structured, formal preparation for the work of raising children. She added that PEP has already successfully filled that gap, equipping participating parents with evidence-based knowledge and hands-on practical skills that change how they approach daily parenting. Rather than simply reacting to challenging child behavior, graduates now have the tools to act with intentional, proactive strategy that supports long-term development.

    Beyond the formal curriculum content, Dr. Blackman highlighted the community power of the programme, noting that peer connection often drives the most meaningful change for caregivers. “Sometimes the most powerful learning does not come from a presentation or a workbook,” she explained. “It comes from hearing another parent say, ‘I understand. I went through that too.’”

  • Crochet project pairs craft with health education

    Crochet project pairs craft with health education

    Against a backdrop of soaring rates of preventable lifestyle-related illnesses across the Caribbean, including hypertension and type 2 diabetes, one local craftsperson has turned a beloved intergenerational skill into a powerful tool for community wellness. Nikisha Toppin, founder of Elaine’s Caribbean Crochet, has launched an innovative community initiative titled *Crochet for a Cause: Hooked on Healthy*, that weaves together the meditative art of hand crochet with evidence-based public health education to support lasting healthy behavior change.

    Toppin’s organization grew from a deeply personal origin: it was founded as a tribute to her grandmother, the matriarch who first taught her the craft as a child, turning a family legacy into a force for community good. The debut program brought local residents together to practice their craft while learning key holistic wellness strategies, partnering with formal public health institutions to expand the event’s impact. The Lions Club provided on-site comprehensive health screenings, giving attendees free access to blood pressure and blood glucose testing to catch undiagnosed conditions early. The Ministry of Health and Wellness, through the National Nutrition Centre, also contributed expert nutritional guidance tailored to local dietary habits.

    To connect the craft activity to long-term healthy eating habits, participants hand-stitched detailed crocheted replicas of common fruits and vegetables. Each finished piece is tagged with evidence-based nutritional information that highlights the health benefits of the produce it represents. When these items are sold to the public, they act as a constant, tangible daily reminder to incorporate more whole produce into everyday meals.

    Beyond the nutritional outreach, Toppin highlights the proven mental health benefits inherent to the craft of crochet. The slow, repetitive motion of stitching has long been associated with reduced anxiety and improved cognitive function, making it a natural, accessible stress reliever for people navigating daily mental health challenges. By combining the therapeutic power of handcraft with targeted public health education, Toppin’s initiative creates a holistic approach to wellness that addresses both physical and mental health needs, empowering communities to take proactive steps toward longer, healthier lives.

  • BHTA chairman champions Tourism 3.0

    BHTA chairman champions Tourism 3.0

    Barbados’ tourism industry stands at a pivotal crossroads, as the head of the island nation’s leading hospitality industry body pushes for a fundamental rethinking of how the sector measures success. Kelly-Ann Payne, Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), is urging the country’s top tourism stakeholders to move beyond the longstanding metric of counting arriving visitor numbers, and instead prioritize quantifying the tangible value that tourism delivers to local communities and the broader Barbadian economy.

    Despite facing cutthroat global competition in the international leisure and travel space, Payne acknowledged that Barbados has made solid progress in expanding and diversifying its source markets for international visitors. In the first half of 2026, arrivals from Canada jumped 13.7% year-over-year, while visitor numbers from European markets grew an even stronger 20%, signaling that the island’s diversification strategy is gaining traction.

    Even with these positive volume gains, Payne argues that the next era of the industry, which she has labeled Tourism 3.0, must center on delivering shared, long-term benefits to Barbadian citizens rather than chasing ever-increasing visitor counts. “The future of tourism cannot be measured solely by growth in visitor numbers. The future must be measured by growth in value,” Payne stated, emphasizing that deeper integration between tourism and other key domestic sectors—including local agriculture, manufacturing, and the creative economy—will be critical to unlocking that broader value. Stronger cross-sector links would keep more tourism revenue within Barbados, supporting small local businesses and reducing reliance on imported goods and services for the hospitality industry.

    Payne shared these remarks during the BHTA’s most recent third quarterly general meeting, where she also highlighted positive developments in air access to the island. Grantley Adams International Airport, Barbados’ primary international gateway, is projected to have over 1.6 million incoming air seats available to passengers by August 2027. Flagship UK carrier British Airways alone is set to increase its capacity to the island by more than 71%, a boost that will open the door to more visitors from key European markets. That said, Payne warned that translating expanded air access into sustainable, widespread economic gains depends on strategic investment in the sector’s workforce.

    “Tourism cannot thrive without talent and talent cannot thrive without opportunity,” Payne said, calling on industry leaders and policymakers to adopt data-driven, evidence-based workforce planning to tackle persistent recruitment and employee retention challenges that have plagued the Barbadian tourism sector in recent years.

    In other updates from the meeting, Payne celebrated a recent milestone: the signing of a new Memorandum of Agreement with the Barbados Workers’ Union, which is expected to bring greater labor stability to the sector for both hotel employers and frontline workers. On the policy advocacy front, Payne reaffirmed the BHTA’s firm opposition to controversial pricing practices by online travel giant Booking.com, specifically the company’s policy of charging commissions on government-mandated taxes and statutory levies. The BHTA argues that these funds are rightfully public revenue owed to the Barbadian government, and do not qualify as part of hotel revenue that should be subject to third-party commission fees.

  • BHTA reports strong first-half performance

    BHTA reports strong first-half performance

    Against a backdrop of shifting global travel trends and geopolitical uncertainty, Barbados’ key tourism industry has posted strong overall results for the first half of 2024, industry leaders have confirmed. The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) unveiled the sector’s solid financial performance and landmark development progress during its third quarterly stakeholder meeting, held recently at the scenic Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary.

    While the industry faced a mild headwind in the form of a 3% year-over-year drop in visitor occupancy – a decline BHTA Chief Executive Officer Ryan Forde attributed to simmering global geopolitical tensions that have disrupted international travel patterns – key performance metrics tell a far more positive story. Both Average Daily Rate (ADR) and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR), two of the hospitality industry’s most critical financial indicators, recorded measurable increases over the 2023 first half period, underscoring the sector’s ability to maintain strong revenue even amid slight dips in bookings.

    Beyond solid financial results, the first half of the year has also brought transformative infrastructural growth to Barbados’ tourism landscape. Three major new hospitality offerings have opened their doors to visitors, joining the island’s expanding accommodation portfolio: the upscale Royalton Vessence Barbados resort, the casual Blue Monkey Hotel & Beach Club, and the completed Marriott Collection, a network of seven distinct properties that broadens the international brand’s footprint on the island.

    In his address to members and stakeholders, Forde also pushed back against growing public criticism of the island’s tourism industry, highlighting the BHTA’s successful advocacy work that has secured critical policy concessions for two key hospitality-linked sectors: standalone restaurants and local car rental operators. Forde emphasized that these won concessions deliver widespread benefits across businesses of all sizes, stretching from large multinational resort operations to small, community-run rum shops that are a core part of Barbadian cultural and economic life.

    “When individuals speak from a place of limited information and speak negatively about tourism and hospitality, we implore them to speak not from emotion but from evidence,” Forde told attendees. Moving forward, the BHTA has outlined clear strategic priorities to strengthen the sector further: the association plans to deepen its collaborative partnerships with multiple government ministries to elevate the profile of Barbados’ national cultural festivals and upgrade the country’s tourism data collection systems to support more informed planning and decision-making.