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DLP wants closer scrutiny of two bills

Nationnews Desk
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DLP wants closer scrutiny of two bills

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is calling for rigorous scrutiny of the Citizenship Bill, 2026, and Immigration Bill, 2026, warning that Barbados must safeguard the integrity of its passport against growing international exploitation.

Its stance follows the exclusive story in the last SUNDAY SUN detailing organised overseas operations marketing Barbados as a prime destination for expectant African mothers and promoting the island’s passport as a gateway to visa-free travel to more than 150 countries as well as other significant benefits.

In a press release, DLP spokesperson on legal affairs Corey Greenidge warned Government of the need to preserve the integrity of Barbados’ passport.

“The DLP wishes to make clear that the issue is not whether any laws are being broken.

The issue is that the report provides tangible evidence of something that many Barbadians may not have fully appreciated: Barbadian citizenship and the Barbados passport possess significant value internationally,” he said.

The DLP has been highly critical of the two bills in appearances before Parliament’s Joint Select Committee.

Greenidge reiterated that the party’s fundamental issue with the legislation was its underlying philosophy.

“Throughout its submission . . . the Democratic Labour Party has consistently argued that citizenship should not be viewed merely as an administrative status or an economic tool,” the attorney stated.

“Citizenship represents membership in the Barbadian nation. It carries legal, political and constitutional consequences, and the decisions made today will have implications for decades to come.”

He said the SUNDAY SUN report served as a wake-up call, proving that foreign nationals were already successfully navigating Barbados’ existing legal framework to extract value from Barbadian nationality.

He argued that this makes the proposed bills, which potentially introduce new pathways to citizenship, even more dangerous without robust safeguards.

The DLP called on Government to slow down the legislative process to ensure the “generational value” of the Barbados passport was protected from international exploitation.

Only last week, the United States State Department revealed it had dismantled several “birth tourism” rings operating out of Europe, West Africa and North Africa, which were helping foreign nationals travel to the US specifically to secure American citizenship for their children. (MB)

Exports from Latin America and the Caribbean increase by more than 15 per cent

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Exports from Latin America and the Caribbean increase by more than 15 per cent

The value of goods exported from Latin America and the Caribbean grew by 15.7 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, building on the 7.8 per cent growth last year, The Inter American Development Bank (IDB) has reported.

In the latest edition of “Trade Trends Estimates-Latin America and the Caribbean,”  the IDB said  that the increase reflects faster growth in both export volumes and prices.

It said regional export growth was driven primarily by mining products, particularly gold and copper, and strong performance in agribusiness products such as soybeans, coffee, and meat. Oil exports also contributed significantly.

“The region continues to strengthen its export performance and is demonstrating a growing capacity to adapt, even amid an uncertain, volatile global trade environment,” said Paolo Giordano, principal economist in the IDB’s Productivity, Trade, and Innovation Sector and coordinator of the report.

This export momentum creates an opportunity to advance reforms that boost productivity and competitiveness, diversify participation in international markets, and strengthen resilience to external shocks.

The region’s trade outlook remains positive despite a highly uncertain environment. Changes in global prices could place additional pressure on countries that import energy and food, while benefiting commodity exporters.

However, higher fertilizer and transportation prices could impact production and marketing costs, creating both opportunities and risks for the region’s export performance in the coming months.

Total imports in Latin America and the Caribbean grew by an estimated 6.7 per cent in 2025 and 9.7 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026. This acceleration was driven mainly by purchases from outside the region, while intraregional trade expanded more moderately.

Commodity prices followed divergent trends in 2026, reflecting growing fragmentation and shifts in global supply and demand.

According to the document, Barbados recorded a figure of 0.1 per cent increase for  the first quarter of this year as compared with minus 6.5 per cent for the corresponding period last year, Belize registered a minus 9.1 per cent this year down from minus 15.2 per cent last year, while Guyana’s trade increased by 37 per cent as compared with 20.8 per cent in 2025.

While the other Caribbean countries, namely Bahamas, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago had produced figures for the first quarter last year, the report showed that they did not provide figures for this year. (CMC)

Residents foil attempted robbery in Black Rock

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Residents foil attempted robbery in Black Rock

There are reports that men attempting a robbery in Black Rock, St Michael, were foiled by residents last night.

Video circulating on social media showed the men lying on the ground. One of them had his wrists tied together with what appeared to be insulated wire.

Police said they were still gathering information on the incident.

More details as they come. (Nation News)

IMF $128m in the bag

Shawn Cumberbatch
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IMF $128m in the bag

Barbados can immediately draw down US$64 million (BDS$128 million) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but the international financial institution says local authorities have indicated that they will not be requesting one cent of it at this time.

Government’s ability to access that amount of new loan funding now was revealed by the IMF when it announced that its executive board approved a three-year, US$257 million precautionary StandBy Arrangement (SBA) for Barbados yesterday. The IMF also concluded the country’s 2026 Article IV Consultation.

Senior IMF officials shared the information while voicing agreement that Barbados needed more structural reforms to boost potential growth over the medium-term, including “tackling infrastructure bottlenecks, improving the business environment and closing skills gaps”.

“The IMF executive board approved a new 36-month precautionary SBA for Barbados . . . equivalent to US$257 million,” the IMF announced.

“The executive board’s decision allows the authorities access to . . . equivalent to US$64 million. The Barbadian authorities have indicated that they will treat the SBA as precautionary.”

The IMF said the precautionary SBA “will provide critical insurance in the event shocks generate balance of payments needs, while continuing to help anchor macroeconomic stability and support reform implementation under the homegrown Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan 2026 (BERT 2026)”.

Key pillars

Barbados, the IMF added, has agreed to the following “key pillars” as part of the SBA arrangement: Sustaining strong fiscal accounts, balancing debt sustainability with development needs.

Maintaining ample international reserves to support the exchange rate peg.

Implementing structural reforms to continue building fiscal policy and institutional credibility and bolster financial stability.

Supporting the authorities’ efforts to boost productivity and competitiveness, and build resilience to natural disasters.

In a statement following the executive board’s discussion, Dr Nigel Clarke, IMF deputy managing director and acting chair of the board, said Government’s “strong implementation of the homegrown BERT 2022, supported by IMF arrangements, has reinforced macroeconomic stability and facilitated structural reforms.

“Public debt is on a firm downward path, international reserves have been rebuilt, access to capital markets has been restored, and important structural reforms have been completed to help boost growth and strengthen resilience,” said Clarke, who is Jamaica’s immediate-past minister of finance.

“While the economic outlook remains stable, it is subject to downside risks, amidst an external environment impacted by geopolitical tensions and global policy uncertainty.

“The authorities are committed to maintaining strong fiscal surpluses to keep debt on a declining path and achieve the public debt target of 60 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) by fiscal year 2035/36,” he added.

Strenghten frameworks

Clarke also said Barbados’ fiscal reforms sought to further build policy credibility and strengthen policy frameworks and institutions.

“Efforts to support revenue mobilisation and improve public financial management remain priorities. Developing domestic debt markets will also be key to reducing rollover risks and mobilising domestic savings,” he stated.

“The exchange rate peg remains a critical anchor for macroeconomic stability, supported by ample international reserves. The financial system is stable and the authorities are pursuing important reforms to bolster resilience, including improvements to banking supervision and further enhancements to the anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism framework.”

Clarke also said that “reforms to boost productivity, competitiveness and resilience will be critical to support economic transformation and deliver more sustainable and inclusive growth”.

The executive board’s assessment agreed with the “thrust of the staff appraisal”, which was shared by IMF Barbados mission chief Michael Perks as he spoke alongside Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley when the precautionary SBA was announced at Ilaro Court last month.

The directors concurred with the need for the fiscal insurance amidst an uncertain external environment and vulnerability to natural disasters, while “stressing the importance of contingency planning and agile policymaking”. (SC)

Countdown for end of 11-Plus begins

Colville Mounsey
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Countdown for end of 11-Plus begins

The countdown has officially begun for the end of the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (BSSEE), with the Ministry of Education Transformation confirming that next year’s sitting will be the last.

Speaking during yesterday’s release of the 2026 BSSEE results, Minister of Education Transformation Chad Blackman outlined details of the new student transition system that will replace the decades-old exam, also referred to as the Common Entrance or 11-Plus, beginning in 2028.

Under the new model, students entering Class 3 in September this year will become the first cohort to experience the reformed system.

“The last examination for the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination will be written in 2027 by the children who will proceed into Class 4 this coming September,” Blackman said.

Two-year assessment

The new approach will move away from a single examination day and instead assess students over a two-year period through a combination of continuous assessment and standardised testing.

Continuous assessment will account for 50 per cent of a student’s final score. It will include projects and classroom assessments completed during Classes 3 and 4 under teacher supervision. The remaining 50 per cent will come from nationally administered standardised tests.

Students will sit English and science assessments during the final term of Class 3, while mathematics, social studies and civics exams will be completed in the final term of Class 4.

Blackman said the changes were designed to create a fairer and more inclusive process that reflected the realities of modern education.

“This new approach is beneficial to the students because it allows teachers to teach and evaluate and provide feedback to students at every level of their learning period.”

Excessive pressure

He added that the current oneoff examination placed excessive pressure on children and failed to fully capture their abilities.

“It will allow students to have a more balanced evaluation rather than the one-shot, highstakes pressure exam and spread it across a two-year period,” the minister said.

The new model will also allow students greater opportunities to demonstrate creativity, collaboration and a broader range of competencies beyond traditional academic testing.

Parents will continue to select their preferred secondary schools, while placements will be determined using students’ performance across both assessment components.

To prepare for the transition, the ministry has already begun training educators. Blackman disclosed that the 184 teachers expected to teach Class 3 students were currently receiving specialised training in continuous assessment through partnerships involving the ministry, Erdiston Teachers’ Training College and Columbia University. Training for principals and education officers is scheduled to begin next month.

He said the reforms were part of the wider education transformation programme aimed at creating a more equitable and future-ready education system.

“As we move forward, we must ensure that people have access to a fair transition model, one that allows and sees their competencies over a much larger period of time,” he said.

Blackman also pledged that the ministry would continue engaging the public through traditional and digital media, as well as a series of town hall meetings to explain the changes ahead of the 2028 roll-out.

He said the ultimate goal was to ensure every child, regardless of the school he or she attends, receives a world-class education that equips them with the skills needed to navigate an increasingly uncertain and rapidly changing world. (CLM)

Missing girl found safe

Nationnews Desk
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Missing girl found safe

Kalicia Ariana Layne, 12, of Vauxhall, Christ Church, who was reported missing on Monday, June 22, 2026, has been traced and is safe.

The Barbados Police Service confirmed that the child has been located and thanked the public and the media for their assistance in the matter.

Dip in overall maths, English

Colville Mounsey
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Dip in overall maths, English

St Gabriel’s Primary School dominated this year’s Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination (BSSEE), producing both the top boy and girl performers, even as national results showed a decline in overall English and mathematics scores compared to last year.

Benjamin Enzo Lucien secured the top overall position with a converted score of 245.13 and a B in composition. He will be going to Harrison College. Xiomara Alexis Lascaris emerged was the highestperforming girl with a score of 244.60 C. She too earned a place at Harrison College.

The results released yesterday by the Ministry of Education showed that 2 764 students sat the exam, also known as the Common Entrance or 11-Plus, 63 fewer than the 2 827 candidates who wrote the test in 2025.

Among the top performers were Paul Anthony Gibson of Hilda Skeene Primary and Kaden Orett Ward of St Cyprian’s Boys’ School, who both scored 244.88. Both are headed to Harrison College.

Peyton Michael Garnes of Blackman and Gollop Primary School and Lascaris tied on 244.60, while Danielle Shayla Benn of The Rock Christian School placed sixth with 244.36.

St Gabriel’s accounted for four of the top 12 students nationally.

Minister of Education Transformation Chad Blackman congratulated the students, teachers and parents while reminding Barbadians that the exam represented only one stage in a child’s educational journey.

“You will have many other opportunities to achieve on this road of success,” he said.

Blackman also urged the public not to define children solely by their examination performance.

“I understand the historical significance the Common Entrance has played within Barbados and this is no different today, but it must not determine how people are viewed. It must not determine a person’s self-worth. It must determine, however, your ability to move forward and to help build and shape this nation.”

The minister said this year’s BSSEE was administered to students from 67 public primary schools, 28 private primary schools and seven homeschooled candidates.

He reported that the ministry received 240 special requests for accommodations, up from 194 last year. These included requests for readers, scribes and enlarged examination papers for students with particular learning needs or challenges.

Fifteen students were also granted permission to sit early.

An analysis of the results presented by acting Chief Education Officer Julia Beckles showed that the national mean in English fell to 64.2, down from 72.5 last year. The score was also lower than the 66.3 recorded in 2023 and 65.2 achieved in 2024.

The national mean in maths stood at 58.04 compared with 60.2 last year, but above the 54.6 recorded in 2024.

Beckles said the results pointed to average levels of competency in both subject areas, but highlighted areas where improvement was needed.

“The analysis reveals that there has been no significant difference in the performance of the students this year when compared to previous years. Students continue to demonstrate average knowledge of basic mathematical concepts. Several students continue to experience extreme difficulty in applying knowledge and skills to new situations,” she said.

Females on top

She added that while female students continued to outperform boys across all sections of both examinations, significant challenges remained in literacy development.

“The analysis reveals that overall student competency in grammar, vocabulary and comprehension is rated as average. Female students achieved higher scores than male students in all sections of the paper. Significant deficits persist in English language usage and expository text comprehension among the student population,” Beckles said.

She reported that 23 students achieved perfect scores in maths this year – 13 boys and ten girls. However, no student attained full marks in English.

There were six with zero in maths, compared with two students last year.

Despite the decline in national averages, Beckles said the ministry would continue to strengthen foundational skills through literacy and numeracy initiatives.

She noted that the National Literacy Programme had already supported 6 421 children and would continue this summer through specialised learning pods targeting students aged 11 to 13. Ten literacy coaches are also expected to join the programme in September.

As students prepare to enter secondary school in September, Blackman said the ministry remained committed to ensuring every child receives the support needed to thrive regardless of the institution to which they have been assigned.

“This year’s examination is only one step along the journey. Every child has gifts and talents and it is our responsibility as a country to ensure that those gifts are nurtured and developed,” he said. (CLM)

Messi breaks World Cup’s all-time scoring record with 18 goals

Nationnews Desk
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Messi breaks World Cup’s all-time scoring record with 18 goals

Lionel Messi has broken the record for the highest number of goals in the history of the FIFA World Cup after scoring his team’s opening goal in their Group J match against Austria, taking his tally to 18 goals in six tournaments.

The Argentinian captain reached the top of the charts on Monday when he swept home after 38 minutes in his team’s second group game, to deafening roars at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas in the United States.

He added another deep into stoppage time to become the leading scorer in both men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups, surpassing Brazilian great Marta, who has 17 goals in FIFA Women’s World Cups.

Messi had equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time mark of 16 World Cup goals by hitting a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria to open the South American nation’s title defence in North America last week.

The 38-year-old had missed a penalty earlier in the game.

Messi is playing at his sixth World Cup, his first coming in 2006, and he now has 121 goals in 201 games for his country.

He is the third player to score in six successive World Cups for his country.

His enduring quality augurs well for Argentina’s hopes of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cup titles.

Messi was tearful after his first goal against Algeria, and it later emerged that his father is recovering from an unspecified health issue.

Despite his personal travails and a troubled build-up because of a hamstring niggle, Messi’s mere presence inspires his teammates.

“If anyone thought this group was better off without Leo, today it became clear that Leo is the most important of them all,” said midfielder Alexis Mac Allister after the win against Algeria.

Inter Miami attacker Messi had not even committed to playing the tournament in North America until the last moment.

But nobody realistically expected him to be absent from spearheading Argentina’s title defence.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain wizard dragged his country to World Cup glory four years ago.

Argentina can qualify for the next round with a victory over Austria and would be assured of finishing top of Group J if Jordan fail to beat Algeria later on Monday.

After former Germany forward Klose, next on the all-time list is Brazilian great Ronaldo, with 15 goals, one ahead of Gerd Muller and current France star Kylian Mbappe. (AL Jazeers)

Police seek help locating missing 12-year-old girl

Nationnews Desk
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Police seek help locating missing 12-year-old girl

The Barbados Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 12-year-old Kalicia Ariana Layne of Vauxhall, Christ Church, who has been reported missing.

Police said Layne was last seen on Sunday, June 21, 2026.

She is described as being about 5 feet 7 inches tall, slimly built, and of brown complexion. She has full eyes, a medium-sized nose and a pointed chin. Her hair is braided in cornrows to the front with singles at the back.

At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a black shirt and long brown pants.

Police said Layne is known to frequent the areas of Vauxhall Gardens, Adams Castle in Christ Church, and Bayville, St Michael.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Kalicia Ariana Layne is asked to contact the Oistins Police Station at 418-2612 or 418-2604, Police Emergency at 211, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477), or the nearest police station.

Clive Davis, music mogul behind Whitney Houston and Bruce Springsteen, dies aged 94

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Clive Davis, music mogul behind Whitney Houston and Bruce Springsteen, dies aged 94

Clive Davis, one of the most influential music executives in the history of rock and pop, has died at the age of 94.

A former head of Columbia and Arista Records, he signed and shaped the careers of artists including Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Whitney Houston, Santana, Janis Joplin, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys and many others.

He had recently been in hospital with respiratory problems and was recovering at home in Manhattan, New York, when he died, his family said.

“To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives,” they said in a statement.

“He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations.

“To his family, Clive was Dad and Granddaddy, the steady presence at the centre of our lives, the source of wisdom, strength, encouragement, and unconditional love.”

Among those paying tribute was rock iconoclast Patti Smith.

“Thanking Clive Davis for transforming music, and on a very personal note, for believing in me, shepherding my efforts and a half century of your love and support,” she posted on Instagram following news of his death.

Born in Brooklyn on 4 April, 1932, he grew up in the Crown Heights neighbourhood.

He graduated from Harvard Law School and had no knowledge of the music industry when he took a job at Columbia Records at the age of 28 – but he took night classes to educate himself on copyright law, contracts and litigation.

Davis used that knowledge to help defeat a federal antitrust suit over Columbia’s mail-order record club; and successfully persuaded Bob Dylan to remain with the label, after his original deal became void when the singer turned 21.

He was promoted to vice president of the record label in 1965 and shortly after became president. Among the acts he signed were Santana, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd and Springsteen, giving the label a new lease of life.

“I didn’t necessarily have an ear, but I think I developed one,” he later said.

“Whether there was a natural ear that was triggered, I don’t know the answer to that. But when you see a Joplin or a Springsteen, you know.”

Davis had a reputation for supporting artists, but his decisions could sometimes ruffle feathers.

After a playback for Simon and Garfunkel’s fifth album in 1970, he told the “aghast” artists that Cecilia shouldn’t be the first single.

“I felt Cecilia would be a hit but Bridge [Over Troubled Water] was something more,” he later told Simon’s biographer Robert Hilburn.

“Yes, it was a ballad; yes, it was lengthy,” he added, in a separate interview with the New York Times.

“But you’ve got to know when you have a home run. You can’t play everything by the rules.”

Two years later, he provided invaluable career advice to Bruce Springsteen, who had recently signed to Columbia for the princely sum of $25,000.

Watching the musician perform an early showcase, Davis noted that he rarely stepped away from the microphone, and offered a suggestion.

“I said, ‘Don’t do it if it’s not natural for you, but I know that the potential of the songs would lend itself to more physical movement on your part,'” Davis later recalled to People magazine.

A couple of weeks later, he went back to watch Springsteen at a club in Greenwhich.

“I was flabbergasted,” he said. “He jumped on every table… He was a whirling dervish.

“It was not just the movement, it was the spirit of it. It was electrifying.”

Afterwards, Davis went to speak to Springsteen backstage.

“I got to the dressing room. I remember opening the door and him looking up saying, ‘Clive, did I move around enough for you tonight?'”

Despite the success, he was ousted from Columbia when the company accused him of using company funds to pay for personal expenses, including his son’s bar mitzvah.

Davis was charged with six counts of tax evasion. He pleaded guilty on one count and was otherwise exonerated.

Within months, Davis had set up his own label, Arista. He immediately achieved commercial success by signing Barry Manilow; and critical acclaim for releasing Patti Smith’s influential debut album, Horses. (BBC News)

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