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Key Points: Budget 2026-27

Sherrylyn Clarke
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Key Points: Budget 2026-27

Key Points of the 2026-27 Budgetary Proposals and Financial Statement as delivered by Minister of Finance Ryan Straughn on March 16, 2026.

  • This is the first Budget being presented by this Government while not in an IMF programme. Barbados has regained control of its economic future. The country is on a stronger economic footing.
  • Barbados remains in a stand-by arrangement with the IMF.
  • Debt to GDP ratio was at 99.8% at October 2025; at January 2026 now 93.3%.
  • Barbados is now off everybody’s lists – it meets international standards for transparency and financial regulation.
  • Adjustments were made to Budget to respond to current global challenges – for example, corporation tax assumptions reduced by $200 million.
  • Unemployment rate at all-time low of 6.1% at end of December 2025.
  • Central Bank expected to report next month 19th consecutive quarters of growth.
  • $728.5 million spent in fuel imported last year.
  • In past two weeks Brent crude has risen from US$64 per barrel to just under US$106.
  • Over next 3 months, hedge for Bajans with oil price locked in at US$92 per barrel – 80 000 barrels per month.
  • From April 1, Government will absorb 50% of increase in Fuel Clause Adjustment for next 3 months. It will cost Government $7.9 million.
  • Government cutting VAT and excise tax caps on fuel. From April 1, cumulative reduction of 15 cents per litre at the pump.
  • They are not permanent but to deal with the current crisis.
  • To businesses: Identify your energy wastage and fix it.
  • During COVID-19 in 2020, country imported $519m in fuel. Last year it imported $728.5m.
    • From April 1 to March 31, 2027:
  • To extend Excise and CAT holiday on electric vehicles
  • Cost of replacement batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles will be eligible for the five-year personal income tax deduction
    • Shipping bunker surcharges:
  • For 20-foot containers – from US$200 per container to US$700
  • For 40-foot containers – from US$400 per container to US$1400
  • From April 1, Customs and Excise Department to cap value of 20-foot container at US$3000 and US$6000 for 40-foot container.
  • Reverse tax credit to increase from $1300 to $1700 from April 1 for those earning up to $25000 per year.
  • Eligibility threshold to increase to $35000 and those beneficiaries will receive $750 in reverse tax credit.
  • Two dedicated Gun Courts coming – one dealing with offences committed in the last year and the other with the backlog of cases.
  • All purchases of GPS and dashcams systems for vehicles to be duty- and VAT-free on importation to Barbados for one year.
  • Customs duties and VAT to be removed for one year from importation of CCTV/security systems.
    • Goods imported for personal use through registered couriers:
  • • Tax-free amount raised from $60 to $150
  • • From $150.01 to $199.99, duty-free and only VAT payable
  • • Anything over $200 in value, Customs duty and VAT apply
  • Excludes items like alcohol, cannabis products, cigars and cigarettes
  • A $500 fine for false declarations or under-invoicing
  • Government announced the launch of the Green Industrial Gateway Advantage (GIGA) – to create thousands of new, high-value jobs.
  • This is projected to raise the country’s foreign earnings from US$700m to between US$4-6 billion annually within a decade.
    • Multi-birth cash grant:
  • • $300 per month for twins (up to age five)
  • • $600 per month for triplets and more (up to age five)
    • Barbados Republic Child Wealth Fund
  • • $5000 in trust per child born after November 30, 2021.
  • • The just-concluded Estimates have set aside $52.1m to cover current amounts. It is estimated to cost $10m-$12m per year going forward

DLP General Council suspends Steve Blackett

Sherrylyn Clarke
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DLP General Council suspends Steve Blackett

The General Council of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) tonight voted unanimously to suspend general secretary Steve Blackett.

The announcement was made by assistant general secretary, Pedro Shepherd, whose elevation to fill the post, was also confirmed at the same meeting.

In a statement issued from the George Street, St Michael headquarters, Shepherd said the General Council “unanimously moved and adopted a motion to refer complaints regarding the general secretary Mr Steve Blackett to the Disciplinary Committee of the party. Mr Blackett has been suspended from his office of General Secretary, pending the conclusion of the investigation”.

A call to political leader, Ralph Thorne, who is also Opposition Leader, was unanswered. 

On April 21, Blackett moved a motion of no-confidence in Thorne and one of confidence in president Dr Ronnie Yearwood.

“This party existed and was making good way for the past six years and we did not have a political leader. This party can exist without a political leader but it can’t exist without a president, or I dare say, a general secretary,” Blackett said at the time.

“I will not stand idly by and allow Mister Ralph Anthony Thorne to continue to drag our party down. His presence here has brought nothing positive to this party. All it has brought to this party is confusion, destruction, turmoil and conflict.”

The Nation understands Blackett did not attend the meeting, while Yearwood reportedly left and it was suspended without completion of the other items on the agenda. Yearwood also did not answer a call after

Ralph Thorne crosses the floor and is new Opposition Leader

Sherrylyn Clarke
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Ralph Thorne crosses the floor and is new Opposition Leader

Government backbencher Ralph Thorne has crossed the floor to become Leader of the Opposition in a stunning move.

The Christ Church South Member of Parliament visited the President of Barbados yesterday and declared his intention in a development that comes two years after the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) was returned to office in another clean sweep of the 30 parliamentary seats.

Reacting to questions from this newspaper on the development, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, who was at the helm of the BLP’s historic wins in 2018 and 2022, simply stated: “Easy come, easy go.”

She confirmed what reliable sources had told the Saturday Sun, saying that the President had written her indicating that Thorne visited her and informed her he was no longer sitting with the Government and would become the Opposition Leader. (AC)

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Rowe removed as Deputy Speaker

Sherrylyn Clarke
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Rowe removed as Deputy Speaker

Member of Parliament for St Michael North West, Neil Rowe, has been removed as Deputy Speaker.

Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business, Santia Bradshaw, moved the motion moments ago in the House of Assembly.

It was passed and he was replaced by MP for St Thomas, Cynthia Forde.

MP for St Philip North, Dr Sonia Browne, rose to query the motion, saying they had “all of 0.2 seconds to respond”.

However, Speaker Arthur Holder said the only thing up for consideration was the selection of Forde.

Rowe is before the courts, charged with rape. He has been committed to stand trial. (SAT)

Court reprimands father who left son on Mount Fuji

Sherrylyn Clarke
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Court reprimands father who left son on Mount Fuji

A father has been reprimanded by police after leaving his son on Japan’s highest mountain for several hours with just a soft drink and snack.

The seven-year-old was spotted sitting on a bench on Mount Fuji in foggy and rainy conditions, at a point situated at over 2 000m (6 500ft).

His father, 48, reportedly told him to “wait here” after the boy complained he was tired – and continued the climb with his elder son.

Staff at a mountain hut found the child near the sixth station of a hiking route towards the summit and alerted police. His father was tracked down between the route’s seventh and eighth stations – said to be a three-hour hike away.

The boy was found on his own at 7:30 a.m. local time on Thursday.

Officers castigated his father when he returned from the higher station and reunited with his son, who is said to have been “tired and fussy” after eight hours of waiting.

“Even if it means having to give up on climbing the mountain together, leaving a child behind is unacceptable,” one told him, according to Japan Today. He is said to have apologised for the “rash” decision.

The family was reported to have been on the Fujinomiya route, which starts from the fifth station on the mountain, a spot which is accessible by public transport.

From there it takes around five hours to reach the peak and a further three hours to get down, climbing guides suggest.

Mount Fuji, which stands at a height of 3 776m (12 389ft), has been the site of a number of climbing mishaps in recent years.

In July, a 99-year-old woman had to be rescued attempting the route after falling and hurting her hip and back.

And last year, a 27-year-old university student who went outside o

Mount Fuji, an active volcano located south-west of Tokyo, was granted World Heritage status in 2013.

It is also one of three traditional “Holy Mountains” together with Mount Tate and Mount Haku.

Around 200 000 people climb it each year, but there are daily caps on some routes to avoid overcrowding. (BBC)

St Lucia staging national exhibit for underwater sculpture park

Sherrylyn Clarke
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St Lucia staging national exhibit for underwater sculpture park

Castries – St Lucia is set to unveil its first National Exhibition for the development of one out of three Underwater Sculpture Parks, offering the public a unique opportunity to view the sculptures that will soon become part of the island’s underwater attractions.

“Most importantly, this is a project about ownership. We asked St Lucians to help tell the story of St Lucia and our artists and community creatives contributed the ideas from which these sculptures were developed,” said Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage Minister, Ernest Hilaire.

“We are therefore not simply presenting St Lucia to the world; we are allowing St. Lucians to define how our history and heritage are presented to the world. My hope is that when people dive into this park, they will not only discover our history, but leave with a deeper appreciation for the resilience of our people, the richness of our culture and the responsibility we all share to protect our heritage for generations to come,” he added.

The Ministry of Tourism said as part of the development of dive tourism, a sculpture park corridor consisting of three is being implemented – Dive Park, Snorkel Park and Conservation Park, celebrating the nation’s history, culture and heritage.

The exhibition for the Dive Park will be open for public viewing for two days from August 29 showcasing the collection of sculptures before they are installed in Anse La Verdure, Canaries on the island’s west coast. (CMC)

Matthew Forde to the fore with five-for in Kings’ victory over Kingsmen

Sherrylyn Clarke
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Matthew Forde to the fore with five-for in Kings’ victory over Kingsmen

Matthew Forde delivered the best bowling display of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) so far this season as he singlehandedly wrecked the Jamaica Kingsmen batting to hand Saint Lucia Kings a vital victory at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground on Friday night.

The 24-year-old Barbadian had figures of 4-0-23-5, the best of his career. This gave Kings the upperhand as they limited the Kingsmen to 169-9 off their 20 overs on a good pitch for batting. The Kings then made 171-4 off 18.1 overs to win comfortably by six wickets with 10 balls to spare.

Kamil Pooran topscored with 81 not out off 49 balls which included six boundaries and five sixes.

Forde’s fifth wicket was crucial as he dismissed Keacy Carty for 50 with the last ball of the final over. Earlier Forde, now the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, also took the big wicket of skipper Rovman Powell for a first-ball “duck”. Friday night’s performance bettered the 4-29 he took earlier against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons and he now has 13 wickets in six innings at an average of 17 runs apiece.

The result took the Saint Lucians to the top of the table with six points from six matches while the Jamaicans are fifth with four points from six matches.

Barbados Tridents are unbeaten and sit third with four points from two matches. Their next match is on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. (PS)

All eyes on Bulldoze

Nationnews Desk
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All eyes on Bulldoze

By Lindon Yarde

Can the rampaging Bulldoze defy 135 pounds and close off with a beaver-trick as he goes in pursuit of more success? On what is effectively the final day of the Barbados Turf Club’s second season of racing, the answer beckons just after 6:20 p.m. today at the Garrison Savannah at the Barbados Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Raceday.

Rolling off today from 12:30 p.m., the action-packed 11-race card will see 79 horses vying for stardom.

Chief executive officer of the Barbados Turf Club Rosette Pierce indicated that as a result of the Suarez Brothers circus being relocated to the Garrison Savannah and thereby obscuring the view of the track from the stands, entry to the stands today will be free for patrons.

Around 6:20 p.m., Bulldoze lines up as odds-on favourite for the Final Handicap, the curtain closer on the day’s action, carrying top weight of 135 pounds over 1 800 metres for horses rated 140-117.

Trained by William Clarke and ridden by Delano Lopez, Bulldoze arrives off the back of a third place finish behind Public Sector in this year’s Gold Cup, followed by two wins at 1 570 metres and one at 1 100 metres.

His only defeat in Barbados came over today’s 1 800-metre trip and while he has carried 135 pounds to victory before, that was over a sprint.

Doing it again at this distance is a different challenge entirely. (LY)

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MISSING: Hubert Macdonald Cumberbatch

Sherrylyn Clarke
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MISSING: Hubert Macdonald Cumberbatch

Police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating missing man Hubert Macdonald Cumberbatch, 65 years, of Roebuck, St Peter who was last seen on Friday, August 21, 2026.

He suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and was last seen driving a grey Subaru Impreza bearing the registration number E3647. He is known to frequent the Four Hill, Indian Ground and Speightstown areas in St Peter.

Cumberbatch is about 6’1” in height with a dark complexion. He has a scar over his left eyebrow and wears black glasses. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt, dark blue jeans and a pair of grey slippers.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Hubert Macdonald Cumberbatch, is asked to contact the District ‘E’ Police Station at 430-1730 or 430-1731, Police Emergency at 211, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477), or any police station. (PR/SAT)

Public officer charged

Sherrylyn Clarke
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Public officer charged

Acting Comptroller of Customs, Sonea Anita Jordan was granted bail to the sum of $3 000 when she appeared in the District ‘A’ Criminal Court this morning.

The Barbados Police Service’s Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Anti-Corruption & Anti-Terrorism Unit (ACAT) charged the 64 year old of Plum Grove, Lodge Road, Christ Church with failing to disclose a conflict of interest and misconduct in public office.

The offences are alleged to have been committed between September 1, 2024 and November 25, 2025.

Jordan appeared before Magistrate Gayle Scott in the District ‘A’ Criminal Court, on Saturday morning. She was not required to plead to the offences and was granted bail to reappear on Tuesday November 17, 2026. (PR/SAT)

No extension to Circus stay

Diara Springer
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No extension to Circus stay

The Suárez Brothers Circus has reopened, but it will not be extending its stay in Barbados.

Manager Reuben Suárez confirmed this as the circus welcomed patrons yesterday evening at the Garrison Savannah, St Michael.

The reopening brought to an end a series of setbacks and controversies after the show was shut down by Government authorities at its original site in The Belle, St Michael.

Suárez told the Saturday Sun they will only run until September 27 as they already have shows scheduled in the Dominican Republic.

“We are now really happy, but the time that we’re supposed to be here is going to be shorter, because we’ve already scheduled the circus to go to the Dominican Republic after here. So it’s going to be a short period, but it will be around a month, and we’re going to have shows every day,” he added.

The circus opened at The Belle on August 7, but was shut down just two days later amid concerns over whether it had secured all the approvals required to operate there. (DDS)

Two injured in chopping incident in The City

Nationnews Desk
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Two injured in chopping incident in The City

Police are on the scene at Baxter’s Road, The City, where two people were injured in a chopping incident.

It is understood that the man and woman were in an altercation.

More details as they come.

Man charged after 13.6kg of cannabis seized

Nationnews Desk
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Man charged after 13.6kg of cannabis seized

A 27-year-old Christ Church man has been charged with trafficking and importing cannabis after police seized 13.6 kilograms of the drug with an estimated street value of $108,000.

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BCA hails Matthews, Greaves

Philip Spooner
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BCA hails Matthews, Greaves

The recent international awards won by Barbadians Justin Greaves and Hayley Matthews are justifiable reasons for Bajan cricket fans to be super proud.

That is according to Calvin Hope, president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), who yesterday showered the two all-rounders with praise.

Hope issued a glowing media statement as he joined the cricket world in congratulating the duo on winning the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Player of the Month awards for July 2026.

This was the fifth time Matthews won the award while it was the first time for Greaves.

This the first time two West Indian players won the awards in the same month.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, membership, and the entire cricketing community of Barbados, I take this opportunity to congratulate you both for your outstanding performances and well-deserved international recognition. This is an extraordinary achievement and a moment of immense pride for Barbados and the wider West Indies cricket family. For the first time since the ICC Player of the Month awards were introduced, players from Barbados and the West Indies have captured both the men’s and women’s awards for the same month. This remarkable accomplishment is a powerful reflection of the quality, resilience and excellence of our cricket,” Hope said.

“Hayley, your fifth ICC Women’s Player of the Month award is a truly outstanding achievement. Your performances during the West Indies Women’s 3-0 ODI series victory over Ireland were exceptional. With 265 runs at an average of 132.50, including centuries in the first two matches, together with seven wickets across the series, you demonstrated once again the extraordinary allround ability that has established you among the premier players in the world.”

The 28-year-old Matthews was a stand-out while at Harrison College and plays on the men’s team for Pickwick Club.

She is the leading performer in the world and one of the greatest West Indies women’s players of all time.

She is ranked in the top 20 in all categories on the ICC charts – eighth in batting in ODIs, fourth in batting in T20Is, second in all-rounders in ODIs, first in all-rounders in T20Is, fourth in bowling in ODIs and 14th in bowling in T20Is.

Greaves, 31, is a graduate of Combermere, plays for the Empire Club locally and for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in regional tournaments.

He has been the leading Test cricketer for the West Indies in the last seven Test matches and was magnificent in the last month.

He made a monumental unbeaten century in New Zealand last November to a memorable draw in the first Test. In the Test series against Sri Lanka he made 180 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. He then took a superb five-wicket haul

to win the first Test against Pakistan at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.

He climbed up the ICC rankings in Test cricket to 51st in Test batting and 53rd in bowling. He is ninth among all-rounders – the highest position by a West Indian since Jason Holder was number one between 2019 and 2021.

“Justin, we extend our warmest congratulations to you on winning your maiden ICC Men’s Player of the Month award. Your performances were nothing short of exceptional and demonstrated the impact of a genuine all-rounder at the highest level. Your magnificent 180 against Sri Lanka helped the West Indies secure a draw and ultimately a 1-0 series victory. You then produced a match-winning bowling performance against Pakistan, claiming five for 27 in the first innings and two for 12 in the second as the West Indies secured a memorable 90-run victory. This is an outstanding testament to your contribution with both bat and ball,” Hope said.

“Your recognition alongside Hayley Matthews means that two of our own have played leading roles in creating a historic moment for West Indies cricket. We are immensely proud of you. Your success provides lessons that hard work will reap dividends and provides inspiration for the next generation of Barbadian cricketers. May you continue to strive for excellence, represent the West Indies with distinction, and achieve even greater success in the months and years ahead.” (PS)

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