Police have confirmed a fatal accident last night at Lancaster, St James.
More details as they come.
Christmas Message: Bishop Neil Scantlebury
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, As we gather to celebrate the glorious birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, I greet you with warm wishes for a Holy and Peaceful Christmas. This sacred season reminds us that Christ came among us as the Prince of Peace, offering the world a love that transforms, heals, and restores. In giving us His Son, God shared with humanity His eternal message of peace — a peace the world cannot give, but one which our hearts deeply long for.
Just as in our own time, Jesus entered a world marked by conflict, uncertainty, and struggle. The conditions surrounding His birth were far from ideal — humble, challenging, and less than perfect. Yet it was into this very imperfection that God chose to reveal His perfect love. Jesus’ birth teaches us that hope shines brightest in the midst of difficulty, and that peace is always possible when God dwells in our hearts.
This Christmas, I invite each of you to open your heart to the Christ Child, the Prince of Peace. Allow Him to shape you into an instrument of His peace. We often speak of our desire for a peaceful world, yet peace begins not with grand gestures, but with our personal actions — the way we speak, forgive, listen, and show compassion.
In our daily interactions, let us choose kindness over judgment, reconciliation over resentment, and patience over anger. Too often we allow conflicts to grow instead of healing them. Let us remember the words so often sung at this time of year: “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” Family is the cornerstone of society. It is from the family that society develops. We must all create peace within our families and surely it will result in a peaceful society.
Here in Barbados, we are confronted with rising violence and troubling acts of cruelty — painful reminders of what happens when peace is absent from hearts and communities. We must not lose hope. Instead, we must give peace a chance by welcoming Christ into our lives and allowing Him to guide our thoughts, decisions, and relationships.
This Christmas, and in 2026 let peace be the gift you nurture within your heart. A peaceful heart builds peaceful families; peaceful families build peaceful communities; and peaceful communities strengthen our nation. As a people of peace, forgiveness will replace resentment, dialogue will overcome division, and hope will dispel fear.
May the joyous birth of Christ ignite within each of us an unquenchable spirit of peace — a peace that endures, heals, and renews. I wish you and your families a Holy, Joyful, and Peaceful Christmas and a Blessed New Year.
Christmas Message: Barbados Evangelical Association
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12 (KJV)
It would seem to many as if it were only a few months ago that we celebrated the season of Advent. There can be no doubt that for numerous people throughout the world, this is a very special time. For Christians in particular, it is a reminder that, despite the depravity of mankind, God’s love for all of us was demonstrated through the sending of His Son to bring about our redemption.
In verse Twelve of Chapter eight of the gospel of John, Jesus told His disciples that He was the light of the world. This message is still relevant today. It is He, that Light of the world, whose birth we celebrate at this time of the year. He came to be the light and to enlighten the darkness of humanity.
Undoubtedly, it is the darkness – that depraved state of humanity – that has the world in a commotion. Man seems to be as badly off spiritually as he can be. The challenges which we are facing with the climate crisis threaten the livelihood of small island developing states in the Caribbean and beyond; yet, there are some of the large industrial countries that appear to be less concerned about the potential impact of such a happenstance.
But it is the coming of that Light which should be a reminder to all, that we ought to be our neighbour’s keeper; that we need to take care of our planet, that we need to live in an environment of peace, and that we cannot pretend to love a God whom we have never seen while we hate or mistreat our neighbour whom we can see.
Just as the love of God for us was demonstrated through the sending of His Son, love for each other must leave the philosophical stage and be translated into acts of practicability. When love is practiced, the social media abuse, as well as the fake media contents we observe daily, becomes a thing of the past and criminals put down the guns.
Gun violence remains a grave concern in our country. It is the lack of love and concern for each other which cause the prevalence and use of guns in our society. This behavior presents a challenge to the livelihood of many. It hinders to some degree social activities, arrests other aspects of socialization and resuls in the use of many resources which could otherwise be redirected to more essential causes.
It is also remarkable how the lack of that ‘light-experience’ which the coming of Christ brings, has resulted in many who have enriched themselves, while the poor lingers and the middle class struggle. Customarily many families gather and spend the day together but there are still many who are without food, some who have lost loved ones, and others who cannot by reason of ill-health or hospitalization, embrace the sentiment which comes with the Christmas ambiance.
Christmas should be a reminder that the ‘Light of Love’ has brought with it a consciousness of the need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, and hence the need to live in a world where there is a more equitable distribution of resources, where peace among men can become a relatively better experience, and where concern and respect for each other is commonplace.
Christmas too, is a time which is used as a bench mark for giving attention to certain goals. Houses receive a general cleaning and reorganization, people select special clothing for the day and people who may not have attended a church service for the preceding months determine that – notwithstanding having to rise early for a Christmas church service – they would prepare themselves and attend.
While the attendance to a Christmas morning service may reflect a passive conscious awakening about His birth, and while this may be a good thing, the extent to which there is an experience of spiritual awakening and practical Christian living is more than intellectual assent.
Active awakening to the light is a function of our acceptance of the love of God which was demonstrated through the sending of the Light – Jesus, His Son. We need more than ever as a people to be more conscious of the need to be awakened spiritually.
The extent to which our mortality stares us daily in our face should raise our consciousness that dust we are, and to dust we will one day return. However, the coming of that Light as well as the acceptance of that light brings with it a hope that does not only remove the dark exploits of humanity, but also provides hope for our transformation at the personal national and spiritual levels
Certainly, Christmas is here again, and the Barbados Evangelical Association therefore extends season’s greetings to all Barbadians and visitors in our country. We challenge all of you to embrace that Light and allow love, peace and harmony to reign among you as we look towards the future.
May your experience be one of joy and happiness, but may you also be conscious that it was the Christ who came – that Light who came to take away the sin of the world. Our acceptance of that Light is needed more than ever, not only at Christmas, but also at this juncture in our nation’s history.
Fatal shooting at Chapel, St Philip
UPDATE:
The deceased was identified by a relative as Carlos Kerwin Jones, 46 years, of #6 Chapel Land, St Phillip.
***
One man was shot and killed around 10:22 p.m. on Christmas Eve at Chapel #3, St Philip.
Police say the victim, whose identity has not yet been made public, was sitting inside of a business establishment when an assailant approached and discharged a number of gunshots.
Ambulance personnel were summoned and they examined the body, but found no signs of life. A medical doctor subsequently visited the scene and pronounced death.
As investigations continue, police are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident or have any information that may assist, to please contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1800-8477, Police Emergency 211 or the District ‘C’ Police Station at 416-8200 or 416-8204. (PR/SAT)
Christmas Message: Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne
Barbadians need to recapture the old spirit of Christmas and the virtue of generosity, says Leader of the Opposition Ralph Thorne.
And this means extending the hand of Christian love in both spiritual and material ways.
“Maybe, if we feel that these are not the best of times, they can be made good again by the supremely generous effort of each person, regardless of his means. That was the spirit of those erstwhile times, when governments were wise and just; that was the spirit of Christmas,” Thorne said in his Christmas message.
“After our individual and collective generosity has brought happiness into the lives of our fellow citizens, the perennial problem of the violation of our peace continues to be a social dilemma. Something has happened in our national life that has rendered sacred times and spaces subject to almost daily violence.
“Governments should not renege from their responsibility to guarantee social systems of safety by blaming the citizens for erosion of the peace. Again, the citizens are taxed in order that these systems should work for the common good.”
Full Christmas message by Leader of the Opposition Ralph Thorne:
In Christian tradition we have always associated the words ‘peace’, ‘joy’ and ‘love’ with this Season, but those virtues have become threatened by a materialist culture that engulfs our lives.
Many, who are still alive, lived through the times when our prosperity was more spiritual than material and the Season of Christmas represented a bridge between that spiritual bounty and an impoverished material condition. The act of generosity would be built on that bridge of human values and everyone looked after each other.
The worth of our society now stands to be judged by the strength of those human values, which seem to exist in a place where lifestyles sometimes rage against financial reality. It must be an unfair thing when that harsh financial reality is imposed by forces that ought to have done otherwise.
Taxation by governments dates back to ancient and Biblical times. Its purpose has always been to guarantee and provide the common good. Governments have been the legitimate mediators of these fiscal systems at the centre of which are the virtues of wisdom and trust. A trustee does not have to be wise to be trusted, but that trust becomes eroded in the event of unwise wastage of the collective resource. Maybe then, the common good is guaranteed by a combination of wisdom and trust.
Our society now experiences a depressing reality in which hardship seems to visit the lives of many more than previously. These are credible reports that become more depressing at this sacred Season of Christmas.
We must now trust each other to make that greater effort to stand on that bridge of human values and recapture the virtue of generosity and that old spirit of Christmas, in extending the hand of Christian love in spiritual and material ways.
Maybe, if we feel that these are not the best of times, they can be made good again by the supremely generous effort of each person, regardless of his means. That was the spirit of those erstwhile times, when governments were wise and just. That was the spirit of Christmas.
After our individual and collective generosity has brought happiness into the lives of our fellow citizens, the perennial problem of the violation of our peace continues to be a social dilemma. Something has happened in our national life that has rendered sacred times and spaces subject to almost daily violence.
Governments should not renege from their responsibility to guarantee social systems of safety by blaming the citizens for erosion of the peace. Again, the citizens are taxed in order that these systems should work for the common good.
The time of Christmas must once again become a sacred time of peace for all humanity. The times of Christmas past did not know violence.
Those times of Christmas past were not of simple happiness, but it was an experience of that intense delight called joy. In this regard, the responsibility for joy is personal and springs from a desire deep within. And so, we must never abandon our personal responsibility.
Those who remain faithful within the Christian tradition, accept that love is the greatest of all the virtues. Paul, in his famous letter to the Corinthians, acknowledged the many facets of the expression of love. I commend most highly the facet of endurance. That endurance ought to stretch not only across time, but must also reach deep in a way that influences our actions, where we give beyond self interest.
Such is love, such is Christmas!
Let us then as a nation, re-discover that love that will endure even beyond good times and let us once again re-discover our humanity on that bridge of true peace, joy and love.
Let us truly celebrate the meaning of Christmas in a way that brings fulfilment to self and happiness to all.
Merry Christmas to all Barbadians here and within the Diaspora!
Christmas Message: Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is asking Barbadians to not only love the nation, but to visibly show that love of country and for each other.
“We need to show it; show it in how we demonstrate that we care deeply about the people who also call this place home. Show it in helping a neighbour that is in need. Show it in making room at the table. Show it when somebody bad drives you. Show it when somebody answers you in a way that they shouldn’t. Show it by simply checking in, yes, even when life is busy,” Mottley said in her Christmas Message.
She drove the point home later in the message, urging people to stay connected.
“Renew it, if you’ve lost it, practice it daily if you have it. If Barbados is to remain a place where we all feel safe, where we all feel valued, where we all feel at home, we cannot retreat behind walls, whether physical or emotional,” Mottley added.
Christmas Message by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley:
Good morning, everyone.
To those at home, to those abroad, to the residents and friends visiting our shores, a pleasant, a blessed and a merry, merry, merry Christmas to you all.
You know, there’s a feeling that settles over this island at Christmas time. It is quiet, but unmistakable. You feel it in the nip of the Christmas breeze coming off the Atlantic Ocean. You see it in the fresh coats of paint more and more that we’re seeing on our houses.
And yes, yes, yes. You smell it in the kitchen, where the ingredients of great cake have been fermenting for weeks, and in some cases months, and where the ham is about to be sliced, if you haven’t sliced it already, taking what you shouldn’t take before you took it.
But Barbados, my friends, at Christmas, breathes differently at this time of the year. Christmas invites us to slow down, to step out of the rush, at least most of us, to put down the weight we’ve been carrying and turning our attention back to what truly, truly matters, our faith, our family, our neighbours, our home.
For many, this is that time of year when we come together to recognise the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. For some, it is a time where we get a little boost of energy in the name of Christmas, cleaning, cooking, looking for gifts for loved ones. As I look across our nation this season, from the lights in Bridgetown to the laughter rising in our villages and our communities, one truth stands out – Barbados is held together by love; quiet love maybe, practical love maybe, but love, nevertheless; a love that shows up without needing applause.
Earlier this year, as we celebrated our 59th year of Independence and the fourth year of our Republic, I spoke with you of the need for us to renew that love, to fall in love with our country again. My friends and family, while there is no doubt that, yes, as I said, we love our nation, we love Barbados, we need to find a way to continuously renew that passion, and something that we haven’t necessarily been comfortable with, to visibly show that love for our nation and for each other.
We need to show it. Show it in how we demonstrate that we care deeply about the people who also call this place home. Show it in helping a neighbour that is in need. Show it in making room at the table. Show it when somebody bad drives you. Show it when somebody answers you in a way that they shouldn’t. Show it by simply checking in, yes, even when life is busy.
When we look back on this year, we have, my friends, made good progress, even as we have faced challenges; but that is life. That is what we do every day in our own lives and our country’s affairs are no different. But amidst it all, we have also, this year, become more aware of the need for the simple things that we control to be central to all that we do.
We’ve done well by the large metrics, it is how we treat to each other and how we live our lives that will carry us to the final post, to the goals that we need to be the best place to live, to be the best place to work with each other, to be the best place to visit.
Many of us are consciously making efforts in the small things that we speak about. More and more, we value and see others appreciate that patience, generosity of spirit and care must be daily acts that must define who we are and how we treat to and with others. We have been reminded that progress, my friends, is not only measured in tangible or monetary milestones, but in how we treat each other along the way. How many of us have healthy bank accounts but have lost the person that makes our life really stick together? How many of us recognise that it is truly in that smile or that hug that we really find a different purpose for us to continue in that day that everything else seems so heavy on us upon?
So, on this Christmas day, my message to you is simple, so simple.
Stay close, stay connected, stay loving. Renew it, if you’ve lost it, practice it daily if you have it. If Barbados is to remain a place where we all feel safe, where we all feel valued, where we all feel at home, we cannot retreat behind walls, whether physical or emotional. We must first love ourselves, and we must love ourselves enough to know that self-discipline is the first act of self-love. Love also asks us to be our brother’s and sister’s keeper. To care, not just when it is convenient, but when it is necessary.
To families, I say to you, hold our children close and guide them well. We know that that is the defining difference in the kind of adults that they will become. Teach them kindness, respect and, above all else, responsibility. Teach them to build their communities and to care for their elders, for they will be elderly one day. Encourage our young people in the things that they are passionate about, so long as they are wholesome. Correct them when needed, but always, always with love at the centre. Talk with them, not at, to, or about them.
And yes, for our great country, Barbados, our nation. Let us move into 2026, in the new year, committed to loving Barbados, not only in word, but in our actions, daily; in not littering, in treating each other with respect, in learning how to resolve arguments without being violent, in learning teamwork to build things of value for the benefit of as many people as possible. Yes, my friends, loving this country enough to know that it is the duty of each of us, each of us, to care for it, to protect it, and to keep building Barbados each day, together.
So, whether today finds you out enjoying the festivities or resting quietly at home, whether you are worshiping in church or giving thanks in the stillness of your heart, remember this, my friends, we may be small, but our love makes us strong. Our generosity of spirit keeps us wealthy. Let us in the spirit of Christmas and with the example of the life and words of Jesus Christ, commit to these small, but powerful things daily.
Let us make new habits and be better versions of ourselves and collectively allow our nation Barbados to be the best that it can be. On behalf of your government and from my own household to yours, I wish you a safe, blessed and peaceful Christmas, filled yes, with love and more love.
God bless you, and may God continue to bless our nation, Barbados. And may He allow the love that I spoke of, to envelop all of us, individually and as a nation in the spirit of Jesus.
Merry Christmas.
Christmas Message: The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic
President of Barbados, The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic, is calling on Barbadians to hold dear to the values that make this country special.
In his very first Christmas Message since becoming the Head of State, he identified them as hope, peace, family, faith and unity.
Bostic also lauded institutions and organisations like the Salvation Army that “demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas, not only during the yuletide season but throughout the year”.
Christmas Message by The Most Honourable Jeffrey Davidson Bostic, President Of Barbados:
Joy to the World! The Lord is come,
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
And Heaven and nature sing.
Warmest Christmas Greetings, Fellow Barbadians, residents and visitors to our shores.
As we gather with loved ones this Christmas Day, I am honoured to speak to you for the first time as your President, on this joyous and special occasion.
As we celebrate, let us acknowledge those struggling – those facing hardship, illness, the loss of loved ones and loneliness.
Whether it is the single parent working multiple jobs, the elderly living alone or the young person facing uncertainty, I want you to know that you are seen, you are valued, and you are not alone. Your struggles are felt, and your resilience inspires us all.
This Christmas, let us focus on the values that make Barbados special:
•HOPE – for a brighter future for our children, and for Barbados. Hope that together we can build a nation that is fair, prosperous and joyful for all.
•PEACE – in our homes, communities and most importantly, in our hearts.
•FAMILY – the bonds that make us who we are. Whether blood or chosen, let us strengthen those ties that bring us joy and much-needed support.
•FAITH – the values that guide us, the love that unites us. Let us draw strength from our faith, our culture and our traditions, as we have for the past three hundred years.
•UNITY – as one nation, with one spirit. We have weathered many storms over the years; let us now continue to build a brighter future together.
Today, I want to compliment those organisations and institutions that demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas, not only during the yuletide season but throughout the year. I especially acknowledge the incredible work of the Salvation Army. For decades, they have been serving the vulnerable, feeding the hungry and spreading joy across our fair land. From Christmas hampers and meals to disaster relief, their dedication is a beacon of hope in our nation. Thank you, Salvation Army, for embodying the true spirit of Christmas.
To every Barbadian near and far, all who reside here, and to our much-treasured visitors who chose to spend their Christmas among us, I wish you a Christmas that is filled with love, peace and joy. May the coming year be filled with hope, happiness and prosperity.
A very Merry Christmas to all of you!
Farewell to fearless journalist Brandford
Members of the media fraternity, the majority from the Nation Publishing Company, said a final farewell to veteran colleague Albert Brandford at his funeral service yesterday.
The morning service at St Mark Anglican Church, St John, drew a cross section of people whose lives were touched in some way by a man regarded as one of Barbados’ most outstanding journalists.
In his tribute, The Most Honourable Joel Garner spoke about his late friend who was “forthright in his opinions and was a true enough friend to respectfully tell you what he honestly believed”. “He was impressive with his incisive political commentaries, which were analytical and well argued. He remained unmoved by both criticism and praise, confident that his columns were grounded in deep research and never aimed at currying favour,” Garner said.
The cricket legend recalled how Brandford “honed his craft with passion” and on occasion “paid the price” for his fearlessness in his parliamentary reporting and political analyses, areas in which he excelled.
Mentor
Garner also reflected on Brandford the mentor.
“He hated wasting time and had little regard for those who he felt had cared little about uplifting journalism standards or were unwilling to spend the time honing their craft. In fact, he was unapologetically dismissive of them.
“For others, he was an eager mentor, gladly finding time to help them develop their skills and offering guidance.”
Garner concluded that Branford gave more to journalism than he was due, but pointed out rewards were not the goal of the journalist he knew.
Lodge School alumnus John Goddard shared examples of school day pranks shared with Brandford, one of the small group of Lodge boys who maintained lifetime friendships. He too referred to Brandford’s prowess.
For Marilyn Gittens of the Reliance Co-Operative Credit Union, that organisation’s late president was “deeply prudent with the credit union’s finances” and treated the credit union’s affairs “with care, caution and respect, guided by the belief that safeguarding members’ resources was not good governance but a moral obligation”. In his homily, Reverend E. Brian Thompson reminded the congregation that “death does not end love, nor silence a story”, though he acknowledged there were times when words failed to bring comfort to those mourning the loss of a dear one, as in this case.
However, he reminded the congregation that Brandford’s entire existence was intricately woven with the power of words, as the late journalist was someone who believed that words “could illuminate hidden truth . . . . offer solace in times of despair and could challenge the status quo, unlocking hidden truths”.
Brandford passed away at his Wotton, Christ Church home on December 8, at age 74, after a brief illness and was interred in the St Mark Cemetery. (GC)
Pictures by Jameel Springer
St Philip man fined $20 000
A St Philip man was fined $20 000 after pleading guilty to drug charges today in the District ‘B’ Magistrates’ Court.
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Ras Bajalous I’Kambo, 57 years, of Foursquare, was charged with possession, trafficking, importation and intent to supply cannabis.
The total estimated weight was 10.20 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of BDS $81 600.
I’Kambo pleaded guilty before Magistrate Douglas Frederick. He was given one month to pay the fine or spend nine months in Dodds Prison.
He is scheduled to reappear on Thursday, January 29, 2026. (PR/SAT)
Flow spreads Christmas cheer to wards in CCB care
More than 120 wards in state care received a festive boost yesterday as Flow staff delivered gifts through the company’s annual Adopt A Child For Christmas initiative.
The recipients, ranging from infants to 32-year-olds, received carefully selected presents at Flow’s Warrens Office, covering children from Nightingale Children’s Village and the Marina Brewster Centre at Farrs.
Six homes across the two institutions benefited, including Violet Gittens Centre, Carole’s Cottage, McManus & Ellen, Shelley’s Cottage, Marina Brewster, and Tys Cottage.
Desron Bynoe, Vice President and General Manager of Flow Barbados, praised the generosity and compassion of Flow staff.
“This initiative is powered entirely by the hearts and finances of our employees, and once again they have gone above and beyond demonstrating genuine care and generosity,” said Bynoe.
“At Flow, we believe that connection goes beyond the services we provide; it is fundamentally about people, purpose, and community. Being able to brighten the lives of these young people at Christmas is both humbling and deeply meaningful for us.”
He added that the overwhelming staff response has sparked deeper conversations with the Child Care Board.
“Because of the enthusiasm and commitment shown by our team, we are now in discussions with the CCB about adopting some of the wards on a more permanent basis. This momentum speaks volumes about the culture of care and giving back that exists within Flow. We thank the CCB for allowing and fostering this meaningful partnership.”
Sherriann Weir, Acting Senior Child Care Officer of the Barbados Child Care Board, expressed sincere appreciation for Flow’s continued partnership and support.
“Special thanks to Flow for once again remembering the wards of the state this Yuletide season. There are some homes within the communities who may not be able to provide a gift for the children within their communities or within their homes, so as a result Flow has continued to partner with us. It is a wonderful partnership. On behalf of the board, I say thank you to the Flow staff who worked closely with us. This invaluable gesture ensures that Christmas is a wonderful one for all the children,” Weir said.
Flow’s Adopt A Child For Christmas initiative has become a cherished tradition, reinforcing the company’s commitment to giving back and making a lasting impact on Barbados’ communities. (PR)