标签： Barbados

Law enforcement authorities in St Michael are turning to the community for help as they work to trace a 15-year-old boy who has been reported missing. Toreyan Andre Simmons, a resident of Lot 4B in the Cave Hill neighborhood, was last spotted by members of the public this past Friday, and no confirmed sightings have been recorded since that time.

Investigators have released a full physical description to help residents recognize the missing teenager. Simmons stands approximately five feet eleven inches tall, has a slim frame, an oval-shaped face, and wears his hair in an afro hairstyle. When he was last seen, he was dressed in a bright yellow short-sleeved shirt, cropped black denim jeans, and black slip-on slippers, and he was carrying a fabric haversack with him at the time.

Police confirmed that Simmons is known to regularly travel through two main areas of St Michael: the Cave Hill district and the neighboring Grazettes neighborhood. Authorities are urging any member of the public who may have seen Simmons, or who has information about where he may be staying currently, to reach out to investigators immediately though one of several accessible contact channels.

Tipsters can get in touch directly with the District ‘A’ Police Station by calling either 430-7242 or 430-7246. Those who prefer to reach emergency services can contact the national police emergency line at 211, or submit anonymous information through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (1-800-847-77). Information can also be filed by visiting any local police station in person across the country.

A 47-year-old Barbados resident is set to make his first court appearance on Monday before District ‘A’ Criminal Court, facing multiple drug-related charges connected to one of the recent large cannabis seizures recorded in the region. Ishan Saquan Alleyne, whose address is listed as Town House #8, Fordes Road, Clapham, Christ Church, has been formally charged with three offenses: illegal possession of cannabis, possession with intent to supply the controlled substance, and trafficking of cannabis. All three charges stem from an investigation into a seizure that took place on September 11, 2026, when law enforcement authorities recovered 47.5 kilogrammes of the drug. The seized cannabis has an estimated street value of $237,500, marking a significant bust for local law enforcement targeting illegal drug supply networks operating within the country. Court officials have confirmed that Alleyne’s scheduled appearance will kick off the legal proceedings for the high-value drug case, with prosecutors set to outline the evidence compiled by investigators during the intake hearing.

Barbados’ Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs has rolled out two key changes to the island nation’s social safety net programs, aimed at eliminating longstanding gaps in support for vulnerable citizens while cracking down on exploitation of at-risk groups. In a press briefing held Friday, Minister Adrian Forde confirmed the most impactful reform: beneficiaries of Social Empowerment Agency programs will no longer have their financial payments or essential services halted while their eligibility is under periodic review.\n\nFor years, periodic eligibility reassessments, a core part of the ministry’s mission to help recipients move from dependence on state support to self-sufficiency, came with a costly flaw. When reviews were initiated, recipients were removed from the support system entirely until their cases were finalized, leaving many without critical assistance for weeks or months. Forde acknowledged this past failure, noting that the new policy will run eligibility reviews in parallel with uninterrupted service delivery, closing the gap that left vulnerable Barbadians unsupported.\n\n”Our entire mission is rooted in lifting people out of vulnerability and dependency, and guiding them toward long-term independence,” Forde explained during the conference. “We want all Barbadians to be able to earn their own living and care for themselves, that is the core ethos of this ministry. That goal should never require cutting off support mid-review and leaving people in crisis while we update their files.”\n\nForde added that IT teams and technical experts have completed all necessary upgrades to the ministry’s case management system to enable parallel processing, and confirmed the new policy is already active. “This problem is a thing of the past,” he said. “Our team has given me full assurance that the system is ready to operate this way, so no one will lose access to support unnecessarily going forward.”\n\nAlongside the policy change on eligibility reviews, Forde used the briefing to announce the ongoing transition from paper cheque payments to direct electronic transfers for all program beneficiaries, a shift that will streamline administrative processes and reduce delays in accessing funds.\n\nBeyond administrative reforms, the minister issued a sharp warning to individuals seeking to exploit vulnerable groups including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities in Barbados. Urging those with malicious intentions to end their abuse, Forde echoed a firm stance from the Prime Minister: exploitation of vulnerable citizens will not be tolerated in the country. He also closed the briefing by calling on all Barbadian residents to join the government in protecting at-risk community members, emphasizing that the state cannot address exploitation and vulnerability on its own, and collective community vigilance is essential.

In a push to modernize social welfare delivery and address recent service disruptions, Barbados’ Social Empowerment Agency (SEA) will transition 5,000 National Assistance Grant beneficiaries from paper cheque disbursements to direct bank deposits, People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Minister Adrian Forde confirmed during a Friday press briefing.

The policy shift comes in the wake of recent cheque-printing failures that left thousands of vulnerable recipients unable to access critical financial support on time. Forde emphasized that continuing to rely on outdated paper-based systems is no longer practical for a 21st-century social safety net, framing the transition as both the ethically correct and operationally appropriate step forward for the agency, which merged the island nation’s former standalone welfare and child care services.

The rollout will unfold gradually over the coming months, with government officials stressing there is no rigid deadline to force beneficiaries to adapt. To streamline registration, SEA has developed a custom barcode system and digital registration portal. Starting next week, every affected client will receive mailed correspondence outlining the transition, alongside a pre-generated form to submit banking details. A QR code will also be included for tech-savvy recipients to complete registration online, while those who prefer hard copies can drop off filled forms at three designated SEA locations: Southern Plaza, Six Roads, and Benthams in St Lucy. On-site support will be available at all SEA branches for any recipients who need help filling out their forms.

Forde clarified that the government will not rush the process, noting that officials are committed to partnering with recipients to deliver a seamless transition regardless of which banking institution they use. He also publicly encouraged beneficiaries to use BimPay, the Central Bank of Barbados’ national digital payment platform, to manage their funds. To address widespread concerns about data privacy, SEA Network Administrator Jerome Phillips confirmed that all beneficiary banking and personal information will be stored on an encrypted database, with all sensitive data hashed and sorted to block unauthorized access.

The transition is currently limited exclusively to National Assistance Grant recipients, but SEA Director RoseAnn Richards noted that if the rollout proves successful, the direct deposit system could be expanded to the agency’s educational assistance program in the future. To support recipients who do not currently hold a bank account, Forde said SEA will partner with participating commercial banks and credit unions to help unbanked beneficiaries open accounts, with all administrative support provided by the ministry. Beneficiaries who feel uncertain or uncomfortable with digital banking are also invited to book one-on-one consultations at any SEA location to discuss their concerns.

Forde set a voluntary target of completing the full transition by the end of December 2024, and added that the shift to direct deposits carries an unexpected social benefit: it will help reduce the long-standing social stigma attached to receiving public welfare assistance. Unlike paper cheques that clearly mark funds as welfare disbursements, direct deposits into personal bank accounts are private, meaning recipients do not have to disclose their benefit status to third parties when accessing their money.

“We have created this process to meet people where they are,” Forde said. “There is no pressure to rush, and we are here to work through every barrier alongside beneficiaries to make this change work for everyone.”

A 24-year-old suspect linked to severe criminal activity has lost his life following an officer-involved shooting in the Morris Gap area of Westbury Road, St Michael, Barbados. Law enforcement authorities have formally identified the deceased as Absalom Abejah Francis-Hunte, a resident of Upper Collymore Rock in the same parish.

According to official statements from the Barbados Police Service, the incident unfolded just before 11 a.m. on Friday, when plainclothes and uniformed officers were executing a targeted operation at a private residence connected to Francis-Hunte. During the course of the operation, the suspect was located by the responding team, and an altercation ensued that ended with officers opening fire on the 24-year-old.

Immediately after the shooting, first responders activated emergency medical protocols. Paramedics from the Barbados Ambulance Service and a local medical doctor arrived rapidly at the scene to administer urgent on-site care. Francis-Hunte was then rushed by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the island nation’s primary public acute care facility, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

In line with standard protocol for police-involved fatal shootings, the Barbados Police Service has announced that a senior ranking officer from an outside district will lead an independent probe into all circumstances surrounding the incident. The investigation will review the actions of all responding officers, the sequence of events that led to the use of lethal force, and any relevant evidence gathered from the scene.

Law enforcement is now actively asking for public assistance to build a full, accurate record of what occurred. Any individual who witnessed the shooting directly, or who holds information that could advance the investigation, is urged to contact one of several dedicated hotlines: the anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-8477, the national police emergency line at 211, or the main desk of the Barbados Criminal Investigations Department at 430-7189 or 430-7190.

A 25-year-old Greenfield resident has been sentenced to 18 months behind bars after pleading guilty to a street robbery that targeted essential personal items, including asthma inhalers and toiletries. Rico Ricardo Grazette entered the guilty plea before District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court, admitting that he stole three boxes of inhalers valued at $90, a mobile phone charger worth $50, $13 in toiletries, and $20 in cash from victim Uriah Smith during the August 25 incident.

Court testimony from Constable Troy Tudor laid out the sequence of events that led to the robbery. According to Tudor, a man familiar to Smith first approached the victim, demanding items from him and attempting to yank Smith’s mobile phone out of his pocket. Smith managed to push the unknown man away, who fled the area only to return shortly after with Grazette in tow.

What followed quickly escalated into a violent confrontation. During the physical altercation between Smith and Grazette, Grazette pulled a knife and made multiple stabbing attempts toward the victim, while his accomplice punched Smith repeatedly in the face. In the chaos of the scuffle, Smith’s shopping bag fell to the ground, which Grazette grabbed before fleeing the scene alongside the other man.

In a surprising turn of proceedings, Grazette acknowledged the prosecution’s outline of facts but maintained that he played no active role in the robbery or theft. He told Magistrate Jared Richards that he was just accompanying the man he called “Sweet Life” when he arrived at the scene. He claimed he stepped back and intended not to get involved in the fight between the other man and Smith, and only left the area after the commotion broke out, insisting he never took any stolen items with him.

When pressed by the magistrate about why he would plead guilty to a crime he claims he did not commit, Grazette offered a starkly practical explanation: he said he pleaded guilty simply to speed up the court process because he had a steady grass-cutting job he feared losing, and threw himself on the mercy of the court for a lenient outcome.

Magistrate Richards pushed back on Grazette’s explanation, noting that the narrative made no logical sense: if Grazette was truly innocent, he would have contested the charges rather than admitting guilt. The judge also referenced Grazette’s prior criminal record, which included previous robbery convictions. Further, the court learned that Grazette had violated bail conditions from a separate ongoing case, having failed to show up for required court dates since May, a move Grazette brushed off by saying he had been focused on his work.

Calling Grazette’s choice to skip bail and plead guilty to a crime he denies an insult to the judicial system, Magistrate Richards handed down the 18-month prison sentence, noting “so for now, sweet life done” as Grazette was led out of the courtroom dock.