The House of Assembly has postponed further debate on the Appropriations Bill until Friday.
Immediately following the announcement that Barbados had recorded its first two cases of the COVID-19 virus, Leader of Government Business Santia Bradshaw announced Parliament would sit on March 20.
Making reference to the announcement she said: “I believe honourable members would have heard the address by the Minister of Health a few minutes ago announcing to the country that Barbados has had its first two cases of COVID-19 and preparations have therefore been put in place for us to move as a country to stage 1.” 
Pointing out that the House was in the middle of the Appropriations Bill she said: “We have therefore as a Government decided that we would move to postpone further consideration of the Appropriations Bill at this stage until Friday at 1 0a.m.”
Bradshaw appealed to Barbadians not to panic pointing out that Government had activated the national emergency operations centre and the isolation centre.
“All of the facilities are in a state of readiness,” she assured.
Opposition Leader, Joseph Atherley also appealed for calm, saying the development was not unanticipated. (MB)