Barbados News

PM urges govts: Turn reparations advocacy into action

Prime Minister Mia Mottley said Barbados will appoint historians and economists to quantify its slavery reparations claim, as CARICOM pushes for stronger evidence and a common strategy. She urged Caribbean governments to move from advocacy to action, warning that the region is still paying for historic exploitation and climate and economic harms it did not create.

By Emmanuel Joseph

Retrieved Sep 19, 2026

Foursquare man gets suspended drug sentence

A High Court judge suspended a two-year, 204-day sentence for Michael Williams after he admitted to trafficking and importing more than 56 kilogrammes of cannabis in two operations linked to Bridgetown Port. Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell said his role was secondary but integral, and warned he will serve the term if he reoffends.

By Jenique Belgrave

Retrieved Sep 19, 2026

Barbados hosts the Third CARICOM Regional Conference on Reparations

The Third CARICOM Regional Conference on Reparations opened last evening at the Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle Resort, bringing together regional and international political leaders, scholars, local activists and African diaspora წარმომადგენatives. The conference is expected to advance the Caribbean reparations agenda and strengthen regional advocacy on slavery and colonial injustice.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 19, 2026

Barbadians urged to join Independence celebrations

Barbadians at home and abroad are being urged to unite for the country’s 60th anniversary of Independence and fifth year as a republic. Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams said people should wear the national colours and decorate communities as part of the planned celebrations, announced at a press conference at Ilaro Court.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Beckles: Reparations movement in ‘final phase’

CARICOM Reparations Commission chairman Sir Hilary Beckles told the Third CARICOM Regional Conference on Reparations that the movement has entered its final push, with a revised ten-point plan centered on justice for the Caribbean and protection of humanity. He said slavery in the region amounted to chattel slavery and genocide, with Black women’s forced reproduction central to the system. Beckles argued the UN has already established the moral case for negotiations.

By Ricardo Roberts

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Harrison College marks 50th Anniversary of first female students

Former Harrison College students returned yesterday to mark 50 years since the school admitted its first girls, ending its 243-year all-male tradition. They donated a nine-foot hardwood bench to current students, while speakers said the move helped advance inclusivity and equality in education in Barbados.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Factoring system underway for contractors says PM Mottley

The government is moving ahead with a factoring system that will let contractors sell unpaid government invoices to a third party for immediate cash. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced the plan during the Leo Leacock Memorial Lecture as part of Small Business Week, a move that could improve cash flow for businesses waiting on payments.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Indigenous chief presses for stronger role in reparations movement

Taíno Chief Damon Gerard Corrie told a Caribbean reparations conference that Indigenous peoples must be central to any regional reparations plan, not included as an afterthought. He said ancestral land, land rights and development programmes for Indigenous communities should be built into CARICOM’s revised reparations agenda, alongside efforts to address slavery and genocide linked to colonisation.

By Ricardo Roberts

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Barbados Trust Fund supports 48 local businesses with loans

Prime Minister Mia Mottley said the Barbados Trust Fund is continuing to provide important financing for micro-businesses, with 48 businesses already approved for loans of $20,000. She made the remarks during the Leo Leacock Memorial Lecture as part of Small Business Week, highlighting support for small enterprise growth in Barbados.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons book first CPL final spot

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons became the first team into the Caribbean Premier League final after beating the Guyana Amazon Warriors by nine wickets at Kensington Oval. Shadab Khan took 4 for 16 and Rahkeem Cornwall smashed 49 off 16 balls as Guyana were skittled for 76. The Falcons will face Friday’s qualifier winner in Sunday’s final.

By Kurtis Hinds

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

King’s Trust Programme welcomes new participants

Seventeen young men and women have started the 12-week King’s Trust International Teen Programme with an orientation at the Valley Resource Centre in St George. The self-development initiative includes projects, outdoor activities, community service and a “Next Step” week to prepare participants for work. More than 800 young people have graduated since 2016.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

National school nutrition in Barbados

In this opinion piece, Dr Zhane Bridgeman-Maxwell says Barbados’ full rollout of the National School Breakfast Programme is a major step for education because free meals can improve children’s focus, memory and classroom performance. She argues the programme will work best if it delivers nutritious food, uses local suppliers, prevents waste and stays firmly funded.

By Barbados Today

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Bajans urged to conserve water

Barbados is being urged to conserve water as the Meteorological Service says drought concerns remain elevated, with hydrological drought warning in place until October and a watch after that. Below-average rainfall, El Niño conditions and Saharan dust could slow aquifer recharge, raise temperatures and increase heat stress, especially for agriculture in the south and east.

By Antoinette Connell

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Diaspora group seeks smoother donations to schools

The Barbados Association of Southern California says it is trying to find easier ways for U.S. donors to support St Philip Primary School in Barbados, after logistics made direct supplies difficult. President Gregory Chase said the group now backs the school’s breakfast programme instead, and urged students to use overseas support as they work toward their goals.

By Lauryn Escamilla

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

INFRA donates geometry sets to Parkinson Memorial Secondary School

INFRA Equipment Rentals Limited donated geometry sets to all first-form students at Parkinson Memorial School as part of a wider islandwide initiative to support new secondary school students. Store Manager Anita Bascombe-Cobham said the company is giving back through its Kids Are Our Stars programme, while Principal Captain Adrian Ward urged students to use the gifts well.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Minister Blackman addresses late deliveries in National Breakfast Programme

The Ministry of Education, Transformation says it is fixing problems with the newly launched National Breakfast Programme, including late deliveries. Minister Chad Blackman said measures are in place to ensure students receive a quality product, after concerns were raised on Q100.7FM’s Let’s Talk About It programme.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Police warn against the non-consensual sharing of intimate content online

Barbados Police Service’s Cybercrime Unit says cases of intimate photos and videos being shared online without consent have risen slightly. Sergeant Keimar Burke said victims can seek help, and reminded the public that non-consensual sharing of intimate images is a chargeable offence, especially in revenge situations after relationships end.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Attorneys raise concerns over compulsory judge-alone trials

Two defence lawyers have warned that making judge-alone trials compulsory in some Barbados cases could weaken fair-trial safeguards and shift criminal justice further toward the prosecution, after Chief Justice Leslie Haynes suggested removing the accused’s right to choose a jury. Both attorneys backed a Public Defenders’ Office, saying it could improve legal representation and help clear the case backlog.

By Jenique Belgrave

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

No surety, burglar accused remanded

Roderick Llewellyn Forde of Enterprise, Christ Church was remanded to Dodds Prison overnight after no surety was available to sign his bail. He denied burglarising Backyard Kitchen and stealing cash, liquor, a Samsung tablet and energy drinks worth a total of $1,821. He returns to court on September 18.

By Jenique Belgrave

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Media urged to put children before the story in disaster coverage

Caribbean journalists are being urged at a Saint Lucia workshop to shift disaster coverage toward protecting children and other vulnerable people, with emphasis on dignity, privacy and informed consent. Trainers said reporters must also verify images and information amid social media misinformation, while participants said the session exposed gaps in how disasters affect children and how they are portrayed.

By Shanna Moore

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Fiesta Latina marks 30 years in Barbados

Fiesta Latina, the Barbados-based dance and social company founded by Edward Ayong, is marking 30 years on the island with plans to celebrate alongside supporters. Ayong says the organisation is pleased to keep contributing to Barbados’ economy and tourism sector.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Kimberly Greenwood nominated as U.S. ambassador to Barbados

President Donald Trump has nominated Kimberly Greenwood, wife of singer Lee Greenwood, to be U.S. ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. If confirmed by the Senate, she will represent the United States in Barbados, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

By CBC Barbados

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Police warned: It’s not permitted

Barbados police are ticketing motorists who park on sidewalks and footpaths near Kensington Oval during Caribbean Premier League matches, saying the illegal parking forces pedestrians into the road and can block emergency vehicles. Traffic officials urged patrons to use existing parking areas or a park-and-ride service as crowds continue for the CPL playoffs and final.

By Natanga Smith

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Data gaps ‘threaten’ global climate funding access

Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw says Barbados could struggle to secure international climate finance unless it improves how it collects, collates and presents data to lenders and donors. During a World Bank site visit in Bridgetown, she said detailed evidence on damage, losses and expected impact is now essential for funding climate resilience projects, including work at the Fisheries Breakwater and Sugar Berth.

By Ricardo Roberts

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Ministry monitoring breakfast numbers

Barbados’ new National Breakfast Programme is running without major delivery problems, with the Education Ministry saying demand will determine future staffing and catering needs. Officials say parents and school leaders have welcomed the free meals, which are meant to keep children from starting class hungry and support attendance and learning.

By Nation News

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

National Sneaker Day next Friday, September 25

Barbadians are being urged to wear sneakers on Friday, September 25, for National Sneaker Day 2026, a Ministry of Health and Wellness event tied to National Wellness Month. The “Lace Up. Get Moving” campaign encourages simple activity at work or school, while a social media challenge offers prizes for people who post their movement online.

By Barbados Today

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Woman denies assault, wounding charges

A 31-year-old checker, Kashama Rasheeda Squires of Gall Hill, St John, has been granted $7,000 bail after denying assault, wounding and criminal damage charges in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court. She is accused of injuring Trikelia Cumberbatch and wounding Darien Phillips on September 5, and will return to court on December 3.

By Jenique Belgrave

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Tent Bay assessment ‘underway’ as fishers await haul-out facility

Government technical teams are assessing what repairs and funding are needed to restore Tent Bay’s haul-out facility after fishers reported shoreline loss and repeated failures. Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw said the site is still under consideration, but other coastal works and post-Hurricane Beryl recovery are taking priority because public funds are limited.

By Shamar Blunt

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Police seek missing 73-year-old man

Barbados police are asking for help finding 73-year-old Robert Bynoe of My Lord’s Hill, St Michael, who was reported missing on September 17 after last being seen on Thursday. He is known to frequent the Ivy and My Lord’s Hill areas, and anyone with information is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

By Nation News

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Barbados ready for Netball World Cup Qualifier

Barbados will host the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 Regional Qualifier Americas from October 19 to 26, with eight teams competing at Wildey/ Garfield Sobers Gymnasium for two World Cup spots. Organisers say preparations are on track, and Barbados will field a home team aiming to finish first after months of training.

By Kurtis Hinds

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Farmers feel the heat as drought threat grows

A UNICEF-backed climate report warns Barbados could face moderate to severe drought for three to four months a year by mid-century, threatening food production and regional food security. Farmers say the damage is already happening, with heat stress, erratic rain and water shortages cutting yields, especially for vegetables and root crops, and pushing calls for urgent irrigation and catchment systems.

By Ricardo Roberts

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Amazon Warriors stun Red Force to claim CPL crown

Guyana Amazon Warriors won the Women’s Caribbean Premier League title at Kensington Oval, edging Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by two wickets with three balls left while chasing 146. Chedean Nation blasted 39 not out and Chloe Tryon made 32 to revive a collapse from 43 for one to 71 for six, before the pair sealed the victory.

By Kurtis Hinds

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Education chief issues stranger-danger warning

Barbados’ Education Ministry has told principals to strengthen stranger-danger lessons after social media posts showed schoolchildren being approached by unfamiliar adults. Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw said students should avoid extended conversations with strangers, not accept gifts or materials, and report any concerning approach while travelling to and from school.

By Lourianne Graham

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

Climate plans fail to track investment in children – study

A UNICEF study says climate plans in Barbados and five other Eastern Caribbean countries lack child-specific indicators, targets and tracking systems, making it hard to know whether climate spending is helping children. The report covers Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. It proposes 49 actions, including three priority measures on child-focused disaster financing, school continuity and psychosocial support.

By Shanna Moore

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026

ZR men to be sentenced for assault

Two route taxi workers, Dario Jamar Cheltenham and Jerad Ondre Brathwaite, will be sentenced next Wednesday after pleading guilty in District ‘A’ Traffic Court to assaulting Paul Rollins on Eagle Hall Main Road. Brathwaite also admitted damaging Rollins’ phone after the attack, which involved a confrontation over a taxi obstructing traffic.

By Jenique Belgrave

Retrieved Sep 18, 2026