A letter submitted to the editor of the Nation was hidden close to the footer of page 15. This letter, penned by retired judge Christopher Blackman, caught the eye of the blogmaster. The observation by the goodly gentleman accords with many.
Mourning loss of proud tradition
December 13, 2026, will be the 75th anniversary of Adult Suffrage in Barbados.
On December 13, 1951, all Barbadians over the age of 21 were able to vote for the first time, the property qualification having been abolished with the passage of the Representation of the People Act on June 6, 1950. The voting age was reduced to 18 in 1963.
In the ensuing 15 General Elections, the Federal Election of 1958 and the several by-elections which followed the 1951 epochal event, Barbados has done so without any outside observers.
Now, a proud tradition has been lost, which I deeply mourn and regret.
– The Most Honourable Christopher Blackman
Since ‘Adam was a lad’ Barbados has been regarded as a model country. Being a predominantly black country, it was an enviable reputation to have acquired. Without being psychoanalytical, it probably has contributed to Barbados being imbued with a confidence necessary to navigate the global landscape, despite our tiny size and lack of mineral resources..
Today, we find ourselves in a different place where Prime Minister Mottley feels compelled to invite international observers to monitor the 11 February 2026 general election. What use to separate us from the others is no more. Similar to the wanton boast that Barbados has never defaulted on debt payments to bondholders – both international and domestic.
According to the best research, when a country with a long and proud tradition of clean elections feels the need to invite international observers, it usually signals a shift in confidence. The shift can be either internal, external, or both. It doesn’t automatically mean the elections are no longer free or fair, but it does say something about the current state of the country.
What it says to the blogmaster is that we do not have confidence in the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC), AND, the representatives of the Board of the EBC, which is comprised of members of the two main political parties. Perhaps this lack of confidence has to do with the EBC still showing Chief Justice Leslie Haynes as the present Chairman of the EBC – see link to EBC website.
What is the reason Prime Minister Mottley made the call to invite international observers to monitor the upcoming general election? Is it a counter to the Opposition leader’s strident call that the EBC was not allowed to finish its preparation of culling the voters list?
Here is what we can logically conclude:
- Observers must be invited by us
- We want to reassure others that all is well.
- There is waning trust in local agencies
- How we do our politics has changed
- Government sees an opportunity to defend another overwhelming victory on the 12 February based on the accusations
If only there was the same haste to implement transparency legislation. Both parties have promised the full suite for over 50 years. Some of us are tired of the political theatrics and poppycock already.
The blogmaster invites you to join and add value to the discussion.