Barbados’ current governance reality leads to a predictable conclusion: the constitutional system is no longer capable of delivering the checks, balances, or institutional independence that a functioning parliamentary democracy requires. When the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) wins three consecutive general elections, each producing a 30–0 sweep, and then adds two by‑election victories to the mix, the problem is not electoral popularity. The problem is that the system has no structural safeguards to prevent the total consolidation of political power – a de facto dictatorship. A Westminster democracy assumes the existence of an Opposition, independent oversight bodies, a Senate capable of scrutiny; a formal structure to accommodate a dissenting voice. Barbados now operates without any of these checks and balances. This cannot be denied.
The vacancy of the Auditor General (AG) since April 2025 is one of the most alarming indicators. The Auditor General is our primary independent watchdog over public spending, procurement, state‑owned enterprises (SOEs), and compliance with financial rules. When the AG office remains vacant for more than a year, it means the government is effectively spending public money without the constitutionally required independent audit. It means no timely annual reports. It means parliament, and the public, cannot see how millions of dollars are being utilised. In a democracy this should be a governance crisis. In a small state with a long record of SOE losses, procurement weaknesses, and fiscal vulnerabilities, it is a direct threat to accountability and a fragile democracy that requires unwavering vigilance..
Compounding this is the fact that the President is a former BLP party Cabinet minister responsible for appointing independent senators. Barbados’ Constitution expects the President to act as a non partisan actor. The perception by the public of his independent role is opened to question. Even if he acts with complete integrity, the optics undermines public trust. To compound the issue, when “independent” senators consistently vote with the government, the Senate ceases to function as a reviewing chamber.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the body meant to scrutinise government spending, cannot function under the current arrangement. The PAC must be chaired by the Leader of the Opposition, but when the government holds all 30 seats, there is no Opposition and therefore no PAC. This means Barbados has no parliamentary oversight of public expenditure. No questioning of ministries. No examination of SOEs. No accountability for cost overruns, procurement failures, or fiscal risks. A democracy without a functioning PAC is a democracy without brakes. Some will say that even when we had elected Oppositions there were no checks and balances. When we had a working Leigh Trotman, he was described as a toothless tiger, so what!.
All of this is happening while the country’s new Constitution remains unimplemented. Barbados declared itself a republic in 2021 with the promise of constitutional reform – five years later, the old constitutional framework is being stretched beyond limits.
Barbados’ governance system is structurally incapable of protecting the public interest under conditions of one party dominance. The Constitution was designed for a competitive two party era that no longer exists. The institutions meant to provide oversight like the Auditor General, Senate, PAC are vacant, compromised, or powerless.
A reminder: democracy rarely collapses in a dramatic moment. It erodes quietly when watchdogs fall silent, when oversight bodies go unfilled, and when those in power become comfortable.
Are we there yet?
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