标签： Barbados

Barbadian legislators are confronting a growing trend of businesses advertising overseas for positions traditionally filled by local workers, prompting significant parliamentary debate during the Ministry of Labour’s appropriations review. Christ Church West Central MP Adrian Forde highlighted constituent frustrations with frequent newspaper advertisements claiming insufficient qualified Barbadians for roles ranging from bartenders and chefs to teaching positions. These notices routinely assert that no suitable local candidates exist, thereby justifying recruitment beyond national borders.

Labour Minister Colin Jordan clarified the jurisdictional framework, noting that while work permit authorization resides with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Immigration Department, his ministry ensures labor market equity through employer-worker connections. The critical innovation addressing these concerns is the Barbados Job Register—a digital platform launched in August 2025 designed to transform workforce matching. This system requires immigration officials to consult its database before approving any foreign work permits, ensuring Barbadian candidates receive priority consideration.

According to Acting Director Moreen Bowen of the Barbados Employment Career and Counselling Service, the platform has attracted significant engagement since its inception, with approximately 2,800 jobseekers and 140 employers registered by February’s end. Jobseekers represent diverse sectors including construction, financial services, technology, retail, and hospitality, with skills spanning customer service, computer proficiency, and data entry. The platform’s functionality allows candidates to upload detailed résumés showcasing qualifications and experience, while employers can search for suitable matches.

The government is currently developing an enhanced second phase featuring direct vacancy postings and AI-powered job matching algorithms. Outreach collaborations with educational institutions like the Barbados Vocational Training Board, Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, and Barbados Community College have bolstered registrations. While employer feedback remains limited, approximately 43 positions have been filled through the system to date. Minister Jordan emphasized ongoing coordination with immigration authorities to prioritize local hiring, simultaneously urging businesses to acknowledge their social responsibility in providing decent employment for Barbadian citizens.

Barbados President Jeffrey Bostic has formally initiated the Chapman Challenge, an ambitious youth development program targeting Class Three and Four students across the nation. The presidential office will spearhead the initiative with support from community volunteers, marking a significant step in national efforts to foster resilience and unlock potential among young citizens.

During a landmark visit to Grantley Prescod Memorial School, President Bostic articulated the program’s core mission: inspiring children to transcend limitations and societal barriers. “This school, like any other school, has its challenges,” Bostic acknowledged before students and educators. “The important thing is the fact that you did not allow the challenges to prevent you from doing what we are doing here today. You rose above the circumstances.”

The initiative, first announced during Bostic’s November 30 inaugural address, draws its name from Chapman Lane—the community where the president himself grew up before ascending through military ranks as a lieutenant colonel in the Barbados Defence Force and ultimately assuming the nation’s highest office.

The launch event featured remarkable student performances that embodied the program’s spirit. Young learners from Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary—currently hosted at the St. Barnabas facility during campus renovations—delivered a stirring medley of patriotic songs including ‘Proud to be a Bajan’ and ‘Beautiful Barbados.’ Students further demonstrated their talents through an acrostic presentation honoring presidential qualities, a Spanish-language performance showcasing linguistic skills, and a dance display that continued seamlessly despite technical difficulties.

President Bostic reinforced his commitment to educational excellence by quoting the host school’s mission statement emphasizing disciplined, creative environments that develop responsible global citizens. “I want to encourage teachers and students alike,” he stated, framing his visit as both motivational opportunity and civic connection.

The president candidly addressed contemporary educational challenges, recognizing teachers operate in “very difficult and challenging times, perhaps more so than your predecessors ever had to deal with.” He urged educators to maintain unwavering commitment with a rallying cry of “no retreat and no surrender.”

Adding powerful testimony, Presidential Aide-de-Camp Captain Tevin Maynard—a Wilkie Cumberbatch alumnus—shared his transformative journey with students. Reciting his former school’s motto (“We persevere, we succeed, for life we work”), Maynard delivered an impactful message: “Anything you put your mind to, you can achieve if you are of good character, you persevere and you continue to work hard. Every time people tell you you can’t, prove to them you can.”

The event culminated in a thoughtful exchange during which students engaged the president with questions about his academic preferences, age, and childhood aspirations, revealing his unexpected path from aspiring teacher to national leader. President Bostic departed with a custom-carved mahogany plaque of the school’s crest, crafted by alumnus Marlon Waterman, symbolizing the enduring connection established through the Chapman Challenge launch.

In a significant boost for youth athletic development, St Bartholomew Primary School’s sports programs received substantial support through a donation of new sporting equipment from Amoy Gilding-Bourne, Vice President of the Democratic League of Women and former Democratic Labour Party candidate for Christ Church East. The contribution, presented on Monday, included comprehensive netball and football gear comprising professional netballs, official bibs, referee whistles, and training skipping ropes.

Addressing assembled students and faculty, Gilding-Bourne expressed profound admiration for the young athletes’ dedication to sporting excellence. She particularly highlighted the school’s remarkable performance at the recent NAPSAC competitions, noting “a noticeable improvement from previous years” that deserved recognition. The political figure emphasized that such equipment donations represent a strategic approach to youth engagement through athletic development, vowing to continue supporting sports initiatives as part of her community outreach.

Physical Education instructor Perry Barnett acknowledged Gilding-Bourne’s commitment to fulfilling her promise to the school, while Principal Althea Gill extended formal gratitude for the contribution that will directly enhance training capabilities and competitive preparedness for the institution’s emerging athletes.

Residents of Deacons community are demanding increased employment opportunities for youth following a brazen daylight shooting that injured two individuals on Monday. The incident has left the neighborhood grappling with a complex mixture of resilience and underlying anxiety about public safety.

While daily routines have resumed superficially, interviews reveal a community deeply concerned about socioeconomic challenges facing young people. Adrian Williams, a 66-year resident, articulated the prevailing sentiment: “People get accustomed to the chores. They go to the shop. It ain’t stopping the people.” This apparent normalcy, however, masks a deeper reality where gun violence has become a recurring global phenomenon that communities have learned to navigate through various coping mechanisms.

The fundamental issue identified by multiple residents is the critical lack of legitimate economic pathways for youth. Williams emphasized that financial stability represents the cornerstone of community improvement: “If they can have money in their pockets, they can take care of their basic needs. I don’t think all the problems will be solved, but some of them would be.”

The shooting’s timing—during daylight hours while residents conducted ordinary activities—has intensified feelings of vulnerability. One community member expressed heightened concerns: “It makes you more fearful to come out, to walk around… a life can be lost just by exiting your house to go next door.”

Younger voices within Deacons are advocating for vocational training and mentorship programs, urging peers to pursue constructive pathways despite challenging home environments and limited local resources. This generational perspective highlights a strong desire for personal and community advancement.

Regarding law enforcement, residents demonstrate pragmatic realism. While police patrols are generally welcomed, there’s widespread recognition of their limitations given the community’s open layout with multiple access points. One resident noted: “Security for this neighbourhood will be a challenge… It’s a very open place, and entrances are coming from a lot of different directions.”

Many believe sustainable solutions require more than increased policing, advocating instead for long-term community development combined with resident vigilance. Despite evolving community dynamics over decades, Deacons maintains a core of law-abiding citizens dedicated to their families and neighborhood.

As the community processes Monday’s events, residents hope attention will shift from the violence itself toward creating futures where young people possess the tools to thrive rather than becoming casualties of circumstance.

Barbados Fire Chief Errol Maynard has issued an urgent public safety appeal following a severe house fire that left a 90-year-old pensioner hospitalized with serious injuries at Two Mile Hill. The incident has sparked renewed concerns about residential fire safety across the island nation.

While investigations continue into the exact cause of the blaze, preliminary data reveals a complex fire safety landscape. Thus far in 2026, Barbados has recorded 15 house fires, representing a slight decrease from the 17 incidents reported during the same period in 2025. However, the overall fire count across all categories has risen to 282 incidents, up from 274 last year.

This increase is primarily attributed to a surge in rubbish fires, which climbed to 90 cases compared to 86 previously, while grass fires have decreased from 129 to 115 incidents. Chief Maynard expressed particular concern about the Two Mile Hill incident, praising a courageous bystander whose intervention saved the elderly resident from certain tragedy.

The fire chief emphasized the critical importance of community vigilance and proper safety equipment. He specifically urged all households to install early-warning systems such as smoke detectors and regularly inspect electrical appliances.

When questioned about common fire origins, Maynard identified electrical failures, unattended cooking equipment, and aging appliances as primary culprits. He recounted a recent case where a microwave continued operating after being switched off, highlighting the dangers of malfunctioning equipment.

“When residents use damaged power strips or compromised plugs,” Maynard explained, “the wiring generates intense heat that can ignite nearby combustible materials like dust or insulation. Once internal wiring becomes compromised, the appliance transforms into a significant heat source capable of sparking a major blaze.”

The Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) issued a statement commending the neighbors whose quick actions saved the elderly resident. President Marilyn Rice-Bowen praised their “quick thinking, compassion, and willingness to act without hesitation,” noting their immediate intervention proved decisive in ensuring the resident’s safe extraction from the burning structure.

Rice-Bowen emphasized that the rescue operation underscores the vital importance of community cooperation during emergencies, serving as a powerful reminder that vigilance and neighborly care can mean the difference between life and death for vulnerable community members.

An emergency early dismissal was enacted at Hilda Skeene Primary School in St Philip, Barbados, on Tuesday, triggered by significant environmental health concerns, primarily a rat infestation. The sudden closure created a scene of confusion and logistical chaos as parents, many alerted through informal channels rather than official communication, scrambled to collect their children.

The event exposed critical flaws in the school’s emergency protocol. Numerous parents reported a complete absence of formal notification from either the school administration or the Ministry of Education. Instead, information spread haphazardly through social media posts, private teacher-parent chats, and word-of-mouth from other families. One local business owner and parent stated she learned of the situation online, remarking, ‘I hear the school shutting but they ain’t tell we why, but I hear the same thing, rat infestation.’

Further compounding the distress was a breakdown in on-the-ground procedures. Parent Charles Domingo recounted a frustrating experience, arriving to find the school gate locked and his child’s classroom door shut while teachers were reportedly in a meeting. He voiced serious concerns over child supervision, noting that children were gathered in a pasture area without a clear system for secure, organized parent collection, as the school guard had received no specific directives.

Julian Pierre, First Vice-President of the Barbados Union of Teachers, confirmed that the infestation issue is multifaceted. While the school compound itself requires industrial cleaning, the problem is exacerbated by a publicly used adjacent pavilion that accumulates significant garbage. Pierre emphasized the collective responsibility needed for a solution and publicly called on the Ministry of Education to equip all schools with covered, industrial-grade garbage bins to deter rodents. He also indicated that Hilda Skeene Primary may be slated for more extensive repairs under the ministry’s upcoming summer maintenance program. As of the incident, the Ministry of Education had not issued an official public statement.