Freedom in the World 2004 - Barbados

Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1
Status: Free
Population: 300,000
GNI/Capita: $9,750
Life Expectancy: 73
Religious Groups: Protestant (67 percent), Roman Catholic (4 percent), none (17 percent) other (12 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Black (90 percent), white (4 percent), other (6 percent)
Capital: Bridgetown

Overview

The ruling Barbados Labor Party (BLP) retained its legislative majority following May 2003 parliamentary elections. The economy continued to face pressure from the dual onslaught of a fall in tourism following the terrorist attacks of September 2001 in the United States and a reduced demand of its traditional export of sugar due to the downturn of the global economy.

Barbados became independent in 1966 and is a member of the Commonwealth. By 1994, after a recession, the economy appeared to be improving, but unemployment was still at nearly 25 percent. Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford's popularity suffered, and he was increasingly criticized for his authoritarian style of government. He lost a no-confidence vote in parliament when nine BLP legislators were joined by four backbenchers from the opposition Democratic Labor Party (DLP) and one independent legislator who had quit the DLP. David Thompson, the young finance minister, replaced Sandiford.

In the 1994 elections, the BLP won 19 seats; the DLP, 8 seats; and the New Democratic Party (NDP), a splinter of the DLP established in 1989, 1 seat. Prime Minister Owen Seymour Arthur, an economist elected in 1993 to head the BLP, promised to build "a modern, technologically dynamic economy," create jobs, and restore investor confidence. The BLP retained power in 1999 by winning 26 parliamentary seats, leaving Arthur firmly in control of his country.

In the May 23, 2003 elections, the BLP won 23 seats in the House of Assembly, ratifying Prime Minister Arthur's administration. Meanwhile, the DLP has been strengthened under the uncontested leadership of Clyde Mascoll. In June, the Public Accounts Committee's independent oversight of government accounts was strengthened, giving the DLP the ability to better monitor official expenditures.

The Arthur government has made efforts to reduce dependence on tourism – a sector that was badly hurt after the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States – and sugar through diversification into the financial and computer services industries. Barbados has not escaped the increase in crime experienced by much of the Caribbean region. Joint patrols of the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) and the all-volunteer Barbados Defense Force have been initiated to patrol the island as violent crimes, many linked to narcotics trafficking, have increased.

Political Rights and Civil Liberties

The government is a parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislature and a party system with universal suffrage. The May 2003 parliamentary elections were free and fair. The 30-member House of Assembly is elected for a five-year term. The 21-member Senate is appointed by the governor-general: 12 on the advice of the prime minister, 2 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and the remaining 7 at the discretion of the governor-general. The prime minister is the leader of the political party with a majority in the House. Power has alternated between two centrist parties – the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) and the Barbados Labor Party (BLP).

Political parties are free to organize. Apart from the parties holding parliamentary seats, there are other political organizations, including the small, left-wing Workers' Party of Barbados.

Freedom of expression and academic freedom are fully respected. Public opinion expressed through the news media, which are free of censorship and government control, has a powerful influence on policy. Newspapers are privately owned, and there are two major dailies. Four private and two government radio stations operate. The single television station, operated by the government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, presents a wide range of political viewpoints. There is free access to the Internet.

The constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The right to organize labor unions, and civic organizations is respected. There are two major labor unions, and various smaller ones are active.

The judicial system is independent, and the Supreme Court includes a high court and a court of appeals. Lower-court officials are appointed on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission. The prison system is overcrowded and outdated, with more than 800 inmates held in a building built for 350. There are separate facilities for female prisoners and children. The government allows private groups to visit prisons. Although the government has made significant efforts to discharge prison personnel alleged to have beaten inmates, their prosecution has not made significant progress.

In October 2002, Attorney-General Mia Mottley announced that a National Commission on Law and Order would be set up to reduce lawlessness. In dealing with issues that have threatened the island's vital tourism industry, the Commission will address legislative reform, law enforcement, the administration of justice, and penal reform. As part of an effort to reduce the backlog of several thousand legal cases, four judges and two magistrates will also be appointed. Mottley also strongly voiced reservations about the Inter-American Convention on Corruption, claiming that it did not sufficiently regulate private sector corruption. Prime Minister Owen Arthur appointed Mottley, the first woman and youngest person in the post, in 2001.

The high crime rate, fueled by an increase in drug abuse and narcotics trafficking, has given rise to human rights concerns. The number of murders has remained constant. A constitutional change allows convicts to be hanged as soon as possible after their appeals are exhausted. There are occasional reports and complaints of excessive force used by the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) to extract confessions, along with reports that police do not always seek warrants before searching homes. The Caribbean Human Rights Network was disbanded because of a lack of funds.

Barbados has refused to agree to the immunity of U.S. military personnel from proceedings in the International Criminal Court. The U.S. responded by suspending military education programs and military equipment sales. The impasse has dampened efforts to control drug trafficking in the region. Barbados is likely to continue to remain a strong supporter of Trinidad and Tobago, whose former president helped to set up the court.

Women make up roughly half of the workforce. A domestic violence law was passed in 1992 to give police and judges greater power to protect women. Violence and abuse of women and children continue to be major social problems.