Charles Griffith, the Barbados Labour Party candidate for St John, is confident his record could stand the test against Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne.
While at his Clifton Hall, St John constituency office yesterday, Griffith said the people of St John were not easily fooled.
“I feel absolutely no pressure. The truth is that I am not going to be complacent. I know that there is still work to be done, but you can’t just parachute into St John and believe that everything is well because you are representing the Democratic Labour Party.
“I think the majority, if not all, of the constituents have realised over a period of time that to just turn up in St John and say I am representing [cannot work]. My record speaks for itself in terms of the work done in the constituency, and for an individual to abandon people and then turn up in a different constituency and believe that all is well, I believe that the people of St John will speak to him in a definitive way on Election Day,” he said.
In defending his record, Griffith, who won the St John seat in the 2018 and 2022 General Elections, said he had done work both as an MP and a minister, addressing the “three-headed monster” of water, housing/land and employment. He said he had managed to get several roads fixed, which had not been repaired in decades; rectified water issues; replaced more than 30 pit toilets with waterborne toilets; secured jobs for many of his constituents and was close to turning Poole Woods into a national park.
The Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, also spoke about the controversial HOPE housing project at Poole, which had stalled. Currently, the area is being cleared of the grass.
“The clearing is two-fold; it is possible that a restart is coming, but the residents in Poole had some issues with cow itch, and I had asked that some of the area be cleared. This is the first step in terms of assisting those residents with the problem they have with cow itch at that location.
“In terms of the restart, I know that the government is doing everything through the Ministry of Housing to ensure that the problems that we face at the HOPE project will be rectified. There are 201 houses at that particular location, so I am really looking forward to it [being completed],” he said.
Griffith appealed to the people of St John to stay the course, adding: “This time more than ever, home drums must beat first because we have seen the work being done under my stewardship, and I am just asking for that third term now to complete a lot of the roadworks, a lot of the other infrastructure projects that are happening within this constituency.”
One man sustained stab wounds in a dispute with another man on a worksite at Gibbs, St Peter.
The victim was transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance, where he is currently receiving medical attention. A suspect is in police custody assisting with investigations.
The Barbados Police Service is appealing to the public for assistance in identifying and locating a person of interest wanted for questioning in connection with a serious criminal investigation.
Investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department (Hastings/Worthing) are urging anyone who can identify the individual or provide information on his whereabouts to come forward.
Members of the public with information are asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Department (Hastings/Worthing) at 430-7614 or 430-7219, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477), or Police Emergency at 211.
Police have also reminded the public that harbouring or assisting a wanted person is a serious offence and anyone found doing so can face prosecution.
Candidates of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) today paid the mandatory $250 election deposits at the Barbados Revenue Authority at Country Road, St Michael, marking another formal step toward the February 11 general election.
The exercise drew a visible show of support, with party supporters gathering outside the building, waving placards and cheering as candidates completed the brief process.
BLP General Secretary Jerome Walcott said the party was entering the campaign phase confident in its record, despite the challenges faced during its term in office.
“We are excited. We have done the hard work, and we have kept the vast majority of the promises that we made to Barbados back in 2018,” Walcott said, pointing to the impact of hurricanes, the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic pressures.
He stressed that the election was coming at a critical time for the country.
“This is a time when this country needs strong leadership – leadership that is committed and familiar with the issues. This is not time to take chances,” Walcott said, adding that the party would soon begin rolling out its campaign while meeting remaining requirements set by the Electoral and Boundaries Commission. (Colville Mounsey)
Personnel from the Barbados Fire Service were on the scene at Casuarina Estate, St Philip this afternoon after a man fell into a well.
The incident occurred shortly after 1 p.m., when the man reportedly fell into the 30-foot structure and sustained serious injuries. He was subsequently transported for medical attention.
With St Lucy’s long-running challenges – including persistent water problems – squarely in focus, veteran Barbados Labour Party (BLP) stalwart The Most Honourable Elizabeth Thompson joined a line-up of senior party figures torday to mount a robust defence of incumbent MP Peter Phillips, urging voters to stay the course with proven leadership.
Thompson was addressing a large, energetic crowd clad predominantly in red at Checker Hall, St Lucy, where she took the platform during the party’s celebrations on Errol Barrow Day, as the BLP moved to solidify support in a constituency that has faced significant infrastructural and social pressures.
Declaring Phillips a close friend, Thompson said her presence in St Lucy carried a simple, but urgent message: representation mattered most when times were difficult.
“Peter is a man who helps people. He is from the bosom of St Lucy and supports his constituency,” she told the cheering audience, noting that despite repeated personal losses within his family, Phillips had remained focused on serving residents and responding to their needs.
Acknowledging the seriousness of the constituency’s challenges – including water shortages that have frustrated residents for years – Thompson argued that progress should be judged by sustained effort rather than perfection.
“I admit that there are some challenges in St Lucy,” she said, adding that many of the problems residents now faced had their roots in previous administrations and were being addressed incrementally under the Barbados Labour Party.
Drawing sharp contrasts with Phillips’ challenger, Thompson told the red-clad crowd that effective representation depended on being part of a government with a record of delivery.
“We need somebody who is going to be part of a government,” she said. “We need somebody who is running with a leader who has a record of service, a record of achievement, a record of delivery in their constituency and in the country. Peter Phillips is running with such a person; the other person is not” .
Reflecting on her own career, Thompson reminded supporters that although she had not served as a Member of Parliament since 2008, she could still return to her former constituency and be welcomed by residents who remembered her interventions.
“When a person leaves their constituency and cannot walk back into it, that tells you a great deal about who they are,” she said, underscoring the link between credibility and service in public life .
Before the visibly engaged audience, Thompson cautioned against what she described as “sympathy voting” for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), warning that elections were not occasions for political experimentation.
“Politics is not a lucky dip,” she said. “An election is not a lucky dip where you give somebody a chance. The chances have to be for you.”
She credited Phillips with helping constituents secure jobs, addressing road and infrastructure concerns, and intervening on behalf of residents facing personal difficulties, repeatedly describing him as “a man who helps the living”.
“We are not dead,” she told supporters. “We want to deal with somebody who will help us live well, live better, live longer.”
Thompson closed with a direct appeal for votes, listing what she said were tangible benefits delivered under BLP administrations, including employment opportunities, road works, pension increases and gains for public servants.
“You know that you are safer with the Barbados Labour Party,” she said, as applause rolled across Checker Hall. “Vote for the living to help the living and reap the reward. Vote for the Barbados Labour Party on February 11.” (Colville Mounsey)
Defending Champions Mapp House retained their inter-house sports title yesterday when Elliot Belgrave Primary School hosted its annual sports meet at Boscobelle Pasture.
Mapp House (Blue) topped the final standings with 637 points, finishing ahead of Philips House (Orange), which ended the day on 570 points.
The Victor Ludorum award went to Under-13 athlete Schuylar Green of Mapp House, who amassed a meet-high 65 points. The Victrix Ludorum was claimed by Tre’shauna Philips, also of Mapp House, who finished with 57 points.
The divisional champions were led by Mapp House athletes C-Jai Boyce Marshall, who captured the Under-7 Girls’ title with 50 points, and Zy’aire Holloway, who topped the Under-7 Boys’ division with 33 points. Philips House found success in the Under-9 division through Taleah Blackman and Smyle Smith-Lowe, who secured the Girls’ and Boys’ titles respectively with 40 points each.
In the Under-11 category, Tre’shauna Philips of Mapp House dominated the girls’ division with 57 points, while Philips House’s Deshane Palmer claimed the boys’ title with 58 points. The senior divisions saw Mapp House’s Trinity Walrond winning the Under-13 Girls’ crown with 52 points, while her housemate Schuylar Green was the standout performer of the meet, capturing the Under-13 Boys’ title with a meethigh 65 points.
In the Under-7 Girls’ 25 metres, C-Jai Boyce Marshall (Mapp House) finished first ahead of Dream Jules and Arianna Lopez-Worrell, both of Philips House. Marshall also won the Under-7 Girls’ 50 metres, with Dream Jules second and Arianna Lopez-Worrell third. The Under-7 Boys’ 25 metres and 50 metres were dominated by Mapp House’s Zy’aire Holloway, with housemate Zaroy Hewitt finishing second in both races. Philips House’s Carlari McBean and Jamani Farrell placed third in the 25 and 50-metre sprints, respectively.
Philips House controlled the Under-9 Boys’ 150 metres, as Smyle Smith-Lowe took first ahead of Jalanni Rowe, with Mapp House’s Zamar Edwards-Nurse third. Smith-Lowe also won the Under-9 Boys’ 100 metres and 80 metres, with Philips teammates Jalanni Rouse and Kaiden Archer featuring among the placings. In the Under-9 Girls’ 150 metres, Taleah Blackman (Philips House) claimed victory ahead of Kamryn Chase (Mapp House) and Niyah Waterman (Philips). Blackman completed a sprint triple by also winning the 100 metres and 80 metres, ahead of Chase and Waterman.
The Under-11 Boys’ 300 metres was won by Deshane Palmer (Philips House), followed by Jaylan Greaves (Mapp House) and Rey Morris (Philips). Palmer also secured the Under-11 Boys’ 100 metres, with Greaves and Rakai Haynes, both of Mapp House, finishing second and third.
Tre’shauna Phillips led the Under-11 Girls’ events, winning both the 300m and 100m. Zamorah Boyce and Za’Niyah Yearwood from Philips House completed the podium finishes in second and third, respectively, in the 300 metres. Boyce was second again in the 100-metre sprint, but Neige Forde from Mapp House secured bronze.
In the senior division, Schuylar Green captured the Under-13 Boys’ 100 metres for Mapp House ahead of Keyandre Wickham (Philips House) and Kemani Edwards (Mapp House). Trinity Walrond won the Under-13 Girls’ 100 metres, leading a Mapp House one-two finish with Natalia Agard second, while Philips House’s Jadira Hinds placed third.
Mapp House is named in honour of former Elliot Belgrave Primary athlete Jamarion Mapp. He was an athlete with exciting potential and grandly announced himself in the Obadele Thompson Zone of the 2018 National Primary Schools’ Athletic Championships (NAPSAC) by winning the Under-13 Boys’ 400m in a record time of 1:06.27 minutes. The following year, he erased three records in the 800 metres, 400 metres and 200 metres, as he led his primary school to the boys’ title in the Obadele Thompson Zone.
He also joined his teammates to smash the Boys’ 800-metre sprint medley record, as well as the coveted 4×100 metres record in 56.25 seconds. (JC)
One person has died following a fatal collision this morning along Fitts Village, St James.
Inspector Ryan Brathwaite, police public affairs and communications officer, said the accident involved a public service vehicle.
“Police responded to the area and on arrival they saw the body of a male along the roadway,” he explained.
“Our initial investigations have shown that a public service vehicle was travelling from Bridgetown to Speightstown when a person on board collided with a pole while the vehicle was in motion; that person succumbed to injuries at the scene.”
A medical doctor subsequently pronounced the victim dead.
Brathwaite appealed to motorists and pedestrians to exercise caution.
“We ought to drive with caution. We ought to pay attention while on the roadway. We must be compliant with the traffic laws… This will save lives,” he said.
He also urged pedestrians travelling in low-light conditions to wear reflective or fluorescent clothing to ensure visibility.
This marks the seventh fatality on Barbadian roads this year.
The victim’s father, George Collymore, said he was at Massy getting medication from the pharmacy when he learned the news.
“My niece called me. She told me she got some bad news…,” he said.
The victim’s twin sister, Danielle Griffith, shared her grief at the scene. She said while people might be inclined to think her brother was a bad person because he worked on a minivan, that was not the case.
“Honestly, he’s not a van man… He’s not one of them fellas that you can think about. He stick to himself and has very few friends. That van only came back out last week Friday. He was home for a very long time, he was not working.”
Both of them were preparing to celebrate another birthday on January 31.
Police continue to investigate the collision and are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident to contact the Holetown Police Station at 419-1700. (AM)
Update: Police have identified the man fatally shot in Pegwell Boggs, Christ Church, as 44-year-old Dwayne Ryan Omar Ceasar of Callenders Gardens, Christ Church.
The incident occurred around 1:35 p.m on Wednesday, while a group of people were gathered in the area. Police say an occupant of a vehicle approached, exited, and fired several shots before fleeing. Ceasar collapsed a short distance away outside a residence and was pronounced dead by a medical doctor.
Authorities are appealing to anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information to contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1800-8477, Police Emergency at 211, or the Oistins Police Station at 418-2612 or 418-2608.
Acknowledging that not everything was delivered exactly as intended over the past seven years, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley yesterday told Barbadians that while the work of transformation was still unfinished, her Government remained firmly on course and deserved the country’s permission to continue.
Mottley was addressing a large, red-clad crowd at Checker Hall playing field, St Lucy, as she mounted the platform during the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) Errol Barrow Day celebrations, formally signalling the start of the party’s General Election campaign and throwing her full support behind incumbent for that constituency, Peter Phillips.
“This is the third time that I have started a campaign as leader of this great party but it is the first time that I am doing so on a day that is acclaimed to be special for one of our national heroes, the Father of Independence, Errol Walton Barrow,” Mottley said, explaining that the choice of St Lucy was deliberate – both as Barrow’s birthplace and as the constituency from which the campaign would be launched.
Reflecting on the condition of Barbados when the BLP first assumed office, the Prime Minister told supporters the country was in deep distress.
“When I first came to you two elections ago, Barbados was a very different place. Barbados was a place where people had lost hope, where sewage was running, where people’s pockets were completely empty and the country completely broke,” she said.
“You know when a patient is bleeding out, the first thing you’ve got to do is stop the bleeding and we told you that when we stopped the bleeding, we would work hard to resuscitate this country and to give you hope and opportunity again,” Mottley added.
She warned against historical amnesia, telling the crowd that forgetting where the country had come from risked repeating past failures.
“I stand here tonight not forgetting in any way the condition from which we have come, because the day you forget where you have come from is the day you are liable to repeat the mistakes of the past,” she said.
Pointing to widespread construction activity across the island, Mottley said Barbados was now visibly rebuilding.
“Anybody flying over Barbados will believe that this whole island is almost a construction site. Roads being done; water mains being dug up; houses being built; hotels being built – all kinds of activity,” she said.
However, she accepted that the scale of the task meant progress was uneven and incomplete.
“The mission which you gave us to transform this nation was so large that, in spite of everything else, we are still on course to get there but we are not quite there yet,” she told supporters.
“Therefore, at the beginning of this campaign, we come to you to report for duty and to ask you for the most sacred of things – your permission to continue the job.”
Mottley detailed a range of measures implemented under her administration, including three public sector wage increases in seven years, increases in the minimum wage to $10.50 an hour, pension increases, reductions in income and land taxes, expanded maternity leave, the introduction of paternity leave, free tertiary education and major investments in public transport, sanitation and health care.
“These are not promises. Promises are comforts to a fool. These are real things achieved,” she said, noting that the latest minimum wage increases alone amounted to more than $135 extra per week for the lowest-paid workers.
Turning to St Lucy’s long-standing water challenges, Mottley said the Government had deliberately chosen to shield residents while long-term solutions were being implemented.
“We told you that we would take care of you while we take care of the brown water,” she said, reminding residents that Government had covered the basic water rate for affected households.
“Since April 2025, you have seen water mains being dug up all over St Lucy and while it is nowhere near perfect, people are already saying that the water is no longer as brown and no longer as bad as it used to be.”
She described the water issue as an example of what governance looked like in practice – gradual, disruptive and sometimes inconvenient, but necessary.
“You can’t build without dust. You can’t build without disruption, but we know that when we reach the destination, there is enough for everybody in this country,” she said.
Placing the election in a broader context, Mottley warned that global instability – from climate shocks to war and geopolitical tension – posed serious risks for small, tourismdependent states like Barbados.
“This election campaign is not simply about the things we would normally talk about,” she said. “It is about your future and the future of this country to remain independent and capable of charting its own affairs” .
In sharp political contrast, Mottley criticised the Democratic Labour Party, arguing that it had drifted from the legacy and principles of Errol Barrow and was unprepared for the realities of modern governance.
“This Barbados Labour Party has never professed to be perfect, but we are good for Barbados and we are good for you.”
As she closed, the Prime Minister urged supporters not to take victory for granted, calling on them to verify their registration, mobilise voters and campaign actively over the next three weeks.
“This is a mission in progress,” she said.
“There will be disruption, there will be inconvenience but all we are asking for now is your permission to continue to take charge.” (CLM)
