标签： Barbados

In a significant show of political force, Democratic Labour Party (DLP) leader Ralph Thorne addressed a crowd of over 400 supporters at Independence Square during the party’s inaugural national rally on Sunday evening. The event, marked by enthusiastic displays of party allegiance with yellow and blue colors, reached a crescendo as Thorne made his entrance accompanied by the gospel anthem ‘Walk On’ at approximately 11 p.m., triggering an outpouring of support from attendees.

Thorne’s address wove together spiritual themes with the political legacy of national hero Errol Barrow, articulating a vision of social democracy centered on robust government intervention. The opposition leader presented a comprehensive platform addressing healthcare, education, pension systems, public transportation, and housing infrastructure, framing these services as fundamental rights funded through citizen taxation.

The DLP leader launched a sharp critique against the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP), accusing them of implementing regressive taxation policies that disproportionately burden poor and middle-class families. Thorne specifically called for a overhaul of the current fiscal system, advocating for progressive taxation models, small business relief measures, reduction of Value Added Tax from 17.5 percent, and enhanced pension protections.

‘Current fiscal policies are creating impossible choices for families—between utilities and nourishment—while children attend school without adequate nutrition,’ Thorne asserted. ‘This administration’s approach constitutes an economic oppression that must be confronted.’

Thorne further advanced his ‘Barbados First’ doctrine, emphasizing the prioritization of local professionals in key institutions including Queen Elizabeth Hospital and academic institutions over foreign appointments. He framed the upcoming February 11 election as a historic opportunity to reject what he characterized as a regression to colonial-era governance structures under the BLP administration.

Throughout his speech, Thorne connected his personal narrative of ascent from humble beginnings to party leadership with the broader historical struggle against colonial oppression, positioning the electoral process as a means to ‘recapture and retrieve the nation’s sovereign identity.’

In a fiery address during the Democratic Labour Party’s national rally at Independence Square, St Philip West candidate Dr. David Estwick launched a comprehensive critique against the incumbent Barbados Labour Party administration. The former parliamentarian asserted that BLP fiscal policies have directly precipitated the escalating cost of living crisis, imposing disproportionate financial strain on ordinary citizens through increased taxation mechanisms.

Estwick systematically detailed how rising land taxes, fuel levies, and utility charges have created cascading economic pressures that ultimately burden consumers. “The cumulative effect of higher diesel prices, water rates, and new levies creates unbearable pressure on households and businesses,” he told supporters, emphasizing that diminished purchasing power prevents Barbadians from meeting basic needs as their income stretches less far with each policy change.

The criticism extended beyond economic matters to proposed legislation that Estwick characterized as threatening constitutional rights. He raised particular concerns about the Trident ID system, arguing that citizens should not require new identification to access inherent rights. The Cybercrime Bill faced even stronger condemnation, described as “a blatant and rude affront on democratic rights” that jeopardizes free speech through provisions enabling telephone interception without judicial oversight.

As former Minister of Agriculture, Estwick provided sector-specific criticism regarding water rate increases for farmers from 60 cents to $1.80 per cubic meter, warning that well metering would further raise production costs. He contended that these policies force local farmers to increase produce prices while government support for food imports undermines domestic production viability. The sugar industry received particular attention, with Estwick declaring it had been “brought on its deathbed” through importation policies and terminated production arrangements with Coop Energy.

Estwick concluded with a stark warning that Barbadians would continue suffering under these conditions if the Mia Mottley-led administration retains power, positioning the upcoming election as crucial for reversing these policies.

In a forceful address at the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) national rally in Independence Square, St Michael North candidate Dawn-Marie Armstrong launched a comprehensive critique of the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) administration. The former national cricketer and sport psychologist asserted that systemic neglect of community infrastructure has directly crippled sports development and youth engagement, creating a vacuum that fuels rising crime rates across the island.

Armstrong outlined a stark vision for reform, pledging that a DLP government elected on February 11 would abandon what she condemned as superficial tokenism and ad-hoc tournaments. Instead, her party would institute a professionally structured sports framework designed for long-term sustainability. This new approach would guarantee athletes proper wages and establish clear pathways for professional development.

Central to her proposal is the strategic reopening and modernization of community centers, which she identified as critical hubs for positive social intervention. Armstrong revealed an innovative technological component to this plan: the development of a dedicated national app to facilitate universal access to these facilities. This digital platform would enable young people to seek mentorship, allow women to secure safe recreational spaces for children, and provide athletes with direct booking capabilities for training sessions.

Beyond sports, Armstrong highlighted broader governance issues, condemning excessive bureaucratic barriers and political gatekeeping in constituency development. She shared anecdotes from St Michael North residents who reported needing formal permission from parliamentary representatives for basic infrastructure like street lighting. Promising a radical departure from this system, Armstrong committed to eliminating these political obstacles, ensuring communities can directly pursue development initiatives without administrative interference.

The DLP candidate positioned these policies as essential measures for crime reduction, arguing that structured community engagement through sports and accessible facilities would provide positive alternatives for at-risk youth, particularly young men.

With Barbados approaching critical February 11 elections, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called upon her 29 Barbados Labour Party candidates to center their campaign in spiritual foundation. Speaking during a Sunday service at Jackson’s Church of God, Mottley emphasized that maintaining faith anchors became increasingly vital as political activities intensified nationwide.

The Prime Minister detailed how all BLP candidates simultaneously attended religious services within their respective constituencies, creating island-wide moments of spiritual reflection while fostering deeper connections with local communities. This coordinated initiative underscored the government’s conviction that divine guidance enabled their accomplishments throughout seven and a half years of leadership.

‘Our entire tenure has demonstrated that achievements materialized solely through God’s grace,’ Mottley asserted. She reminded congregants of life’s fragility, referencing four recent unexpected deaths within her St Michael North East constituency. These losses highlighted the imperative of gratitude and reflection during turbulent times.

Mottley cataloged successive crises confronting Barbados—COVID-19, hurricanes, freak storms, volcanic ashfall, and international conflicts—noting that national stability endured because the country’s ‘anchor’ held firm. While acknowledging Barbados’ insulation from worst global tempests, she emphasized the island’s inextricable links to worldwide events requiring vigilance and resilience.

The Prime Minister further addressed youth development, stressing that grounding young people in faith and values ensures resilience even when pursuing opportunities abroad. ‘Properly rooted individuals may bend under pressure but shall not break,’ she declared, framing this nurturing as fundamental governmental responsibility.

Complementing Mottley’s message, Church Minister Lisa Dottin elaborated on theological pruning concepts. She portrayed challenges as transformative opportunities, urging parents and leaders to equip youth with spiritual resilience for navigating life’s uncertainties. Dottin explained divine pruning as removing fruitless elements to stimulate healthy growth, advocating embracement of this process for balanced development.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has revealed that her administration will unveil a suite of groundbreaking national policies within the coming fortnight, designed to fortify the Caribbean nation’s socioeconomic foundations against growing global instabilities. The announcement came during a public address following a religious service at Jackson’s Church of God in St. Michael on Sunday.

Mottley emphasized that these forthcoming measures would transcend political affiliations, targeting holistic societal support from infancy through senior citizenship. “I have some exciting new policies that we will announce over the course of the next two weeks that I hope will allow us as a people, not the [Barbados] Labour Party family, not the Dems, but us as a people to continue to provide the resilience we need,” stated the Prime Minister, who also represents St. Michael North East constituency.

Defending her government’s track record, Mottley acknowledged the challenges of national recovery while highlighting consistent progress. She cited critical infrastructure stabilization through acquisitions of garbage trucks and buses, though admitting services weren’t yet perfect. “This is a journey and on a journey you see progress, but you’re not yet at your final destination,” she remarked.

The administration’s economic strategy has centered on alleviating cost-of-living pressures through innovative fiscal reforms. Since 2019, tax system restructuring has effectively eliminated income taxes for citizens earning under $35,000 annually. From April, homeowners with properties valued below $400,000 will be exempt from land taxation.

Additional consumer protection measures include VAT and import duty removals on essential goods, with recent expansions to cover stewed beef and Horlicks. Electricity VAT has been capped at 10%, while the Ask Dealia price comparison application empowers consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.

Social protection frameworks have been significantly enhanced through pioneering disability grants and supporting legislation. Economic resilience efforts include bolstering food security via the International Food Centre at Newton and a new St. Philip tissue culture laboratory to improve agricultural material access.

Mottley conceded administrative imperfections, citing ongoing roadwork challenges, but framed Barbados’ development within broader global context of conflict-induced weariness and economic uncertainty. She urged national perseverance, referencing the Mission 2030 agenda as a long-term developmental framework rather than expecting immediate transformations.

“This is a journey. This is not a single event,” Mottley concluded, expressing confidence that sustained effort and national resilience would propel Barbados toward significant achievements despite global headwinds.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has issued a firm rebuttal to claims by Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne that the scheduling of the upcoming general election was premature and created administrative chaos. Thorne, addressing supporters at a Democratic Labour Party rally, contended that the election announcement precipitated ‘disarray’ because the official voters’ list had not been finalized by the statutory deadline of January 31st from the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC).

Countering these allegations during her campaign stop at the R&B Bar in St. John, Prime Minister Mottley challenged Thorne to thoroughly review the nation’s election laws. She specifically referenced Section 13(1) of the Representation of the People Act, which mandates that the EBC ‘shall cause to be prepared and shall publish not later than the 31st of January in every year’ the official register. Mottley clarified that the commission had in fact published the 2026 register on January 15th, preceding her election announcement, thereby making it the legally recognized document for the forthcoming vote.

Furthermore, Mottley emphasized that a standard procedure exists for addressing registration issues, noting that a 48-hour window remained for citizens to verify their registration status or update their residential information on the preliminary lists published after an election is called. She categorically dismissed any insinuation that discrepancies appearing on the voters’ list were motivated by partisan interests. The Prime Minister illustrated her point by noting that anomalies, a recurring feature in every election since 1991, had affected the families of prominent politicians across the political spectrum, including those of late PM David Thompson and former BLP MP Gline Clarke. She urged all citizens to proactively check the list to ensure their eligibility.

Democratic Labour Party (DLP) leader Ralph Thorne has launched a formal challenge against the timing of Barbados’ February 11 general election, alleging procedural violations by the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC). Speaking at a party rally on Saturday, Thorne revealed that official correspondence indicates the EBC’s statutory deadline for delivering an updated voter registry extends to January 31—three weeks after the election announcement.

Thorne characterized the premature election call as having ‘thrown the whole electoral process into disarray,’ noting the commission has failed to convene since the election declaration. A scheduled meeting was subsequently canceled, raising questions about administrative preparedness for an election that wasn’t constitutionally mandated until 2027.

The opposition leader detailed significant irregularities within the current voter list, including the DLP’s formal protest against 8,291 problematic registrations. Notably, one of the party’s own candidates appeared incorrectly on the list, while numerous citizens reportedly found themselves excluded entirely. Thorne disclosed that even close relatives of former Prime Minister David Thompson (deceased) have been mysteriously removed from voter rolls despite being resident in Barbados.

Further anomalies include family members appearing in separate constituencies and insufficient rectification timelines. Thorne condemned the one-day window for resolving discrepancies as fundamentally inadequate, though he encouraged supporters to visit DLP offices for assistance with registration issues.

Thorne raised serious concerns about the commission’s independence, suggesting external manipulation may be influencing its operations. ‘The commission is not being allowed to be,’ he stated, implying deliberate interference with electoral preparations.

Despite these challenges, Thorne affirmed the DLP’s commitment to full participation in the electoral process, confirming all 30 party candidates are actively campaigning within their respective constituencies.