CARICOM sends Election Observers ahead of Barbados Polls

Barbados: With one day left for the general elections and as citizens prepare to head to the polls, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has sent a three-member CARICOM Election Observation Mission (CEOM) to oversee the elections of Barbados scheduled to take place on February 11, 2026. 

The CEOM members and the secretariat staff have been holding meetings since their arrival. They met with the Commissioner of Police and other senior officials, members of the Barbados Christian Council, and the media.

They also  plan to visit the Prime Minister and Leader of the Barbados Labour Party, Mia Amor Mottley; Leader of the Opposition and Democratic Labour Party Head, Ralph Thorne; Chair of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission Ramon Alleyne; members of the Commission and Chief Electoral Officer, Sherland Turton.

They were invited via a letter from the Government of Barbados, which was sent to CARICOM on January 27, 2026. The Mission will stay in the country from February 5 to 13. The Chief and Deputy Chief of Mission along with CARICOM Secretariat staff arrived in Barbados on February 5, with the remaining team arriving on February 7. 

The CEOM is composed of senior electoral officers from Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and Jamaica. It is headed by Supervisor of Elections Ian S Hughes of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission. It also includes Deputy Chief of Mission Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer in Belize and Regional Manager Andrew Smith from the Jamaica’s Electoral Commission.

Three CARICOM Secretariat staff will also  be present to provide administrative and logistical assistance. These are - Shae-Alicia Lewis of the Program Management team in Community Relations; Irvin Brown of the Project Officer team in Foreign and Community Relations; and Denise Morgan in the role of Senior Secretary of Foreign and Community Relations.

The CEOM will observe all the aspects of the electoral process, which will also include opening of polling stations, the act of voting, closing of polls, ballot counting, and the announcement of results. They will also monitor the immediate post-election environment. 

A Preliminary Statement of the Mission’s initial assessment will be issued after Election Day and before their departure from Barbados on February 13. It will be followed by an in-depth Final Report, which will be sent to CARICOM Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett and will be issued to the public.