manifesto

"Growth - the Pathway to Wealth Creation"

Constitution of Barbados - section (d)

Now therefore the people of Barbados

"resolve that the operation of the economic system shall promote the general welfare by the equitable distribution of the material resources of the community, by the human conditions under which all men shall labour and by the undeviating recognition of ability, integrity and merit:"

Pillar 1: National Integrity & Civic Excellence

Reform Barbados believes National Integrity means our country is anchored in honesty, fairness...

A Vision of the Future of Community

“…without a vision the people perish!”

DESIRED OUTCOMES – NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL

Sustainable growth must come from developing our Citizens. Barbadian communities need a practical vision far more than a political one. They want to promote their own futures and stabilise their own economies. They want to wake up in the morning and, in an otherwise bright and sunny land, feel bright and sunny in their spirits. They want to feel immensely proud of their country, their lives, and their achievements.

Administrative Reform - Being better at doing better

The ease of doing anything in Barbados has become a daily struggle for ordinary people — slow systems, long queues, and broken processes that drain time, energy, and dignity. Somewhere along the way, we drifted from the spirit of Pride and Industry that once defined who we were as a nation. Administrative Reform is about restoring that spirit — doing better at being better, and being better at doing better. Reform Barbados believes that a modern country deserves a modern State, built on National Integrity, Civic Excellence, and a renewed commitment to serving the people.

Local Councils for Civic Engagement

Reform Barbados believes that as a nation we have always had an enviable disposition - caring, passionate about our homeland, polite, law abiding and patient. We believe in National Integrity and Civic Excellence. That is Pillar 1 of our policy eco-system - PRIDE.

Political Reform - Politics Ruins Policy & Hurts People

We believe that over, at least, the last 2 deades, politics has become more about personal interest. The political voice speaks so loudly and eloquently about building Barbados, whilst paying lip service to our national anthem, and yet the lives of Barbadians have become poorer for it. So much so, that the obligation of acting in the national interest is hidden under an opaque glass ceiling.

Office of Regulatory Responsibility

Reform Barbados on the Office of Regulatory Responsibility (ORR)

A Free Market Enterprise economy cannot function without trust, fairness, and accountability. That is why Reform Barbados will establish the Office of Regulatory Responsibility (ORR).

Barbados a Centre of Excellence

It is our purpose and our intention to transform how Barbados does governance—to build inertia with innovation, and politics with performance.

Reform Barbados will establish the Barbados Centre of Excellence (BCE), a new business-model unit at the heart of government designed to deliver results, not rhetoric.

Office of Budget Responsibility and Economic Analysis

Office for Budget Responsibility & Economic Analysis - We will take Politics out of Policy and ensure government finances are used properly.

Pillar 2: Industrial Growth & Economic Strength

Bajans building Barbados - a future crafted by our own hands!

In 1966 we became independent; but only politically. We have not realised true economic independence. For around 5 decades Barbados has grown at an average rate of 1% per year. The Central Bank projects 2.7% growth, and we are told we are doing well — but in truth, that is not success. Not only is it decline on previous years but it's GDP growth with an illusion of progress.

Economic Reform - Growth is the Pathway to Wealth Creation

Hear me on this - for too long money and opportunity has been skewed towards those that have it and not to those who are striving for it.

Barbados cannot build its future on a 60-year-old tax-and-spend model that has delivered slow growth, rising costs, massive borrowing and shrinking opportunity. Reform Barbados believes that true economic independence begins when a nation shifts from dependency to productivity — when the economy grows not by taxing consumers more, but by enabling people to create more.

Free Market Enterprise vs the Tax & Spend Trap

For over 60 years, Barbados has been governed by the same failed formula: tax and spend. It is a shortsighted policy that has held back generations. Like our forefathers who were denied the chance to advance, today’s working people are trapped in a different kind of slavery - Economic slavery.

Decentralisation, Regulation, Enterprise - A Barbados that truly works for all.

Industrial Policy

The Reform Barbados Industrial Policy is the blueprint for that belief — transforming Pride and Industry into production, self-sufficiency, and national prosperity, built by Barbadians for Barbados.

Pride and Industry is not a motto printed on the coat of arms — it is a motivation written in the Barbadian spirit.
It is the quiet determination that says better will come because we will build it ourselves.
It is the spirit that turns struggle into progress, and labour into legacy.
It is who we are, and who we are yet to become — a people of purpose, creation, and pride.

Entrepreneur Business Unit

Reform Barbados on Enterpreneur Busines Unit

Barbados cannot thrive without entrepreneurs. Yet today, the costs and red tape of starting a business hold too many back. Reform Barbados will change that by making it easier, cheaper, and faster to build new businesses.

Our plan is bold:

Agriculture & Food Security

Of all our essential sectors, agriculture is the most neglected—with barely 3,000 workers striving to feed an entire nation. This must change.

Globajan - The Diasporian Aspiration & Nation building

Nation building is not confined by borders. Our Diaspora are part of our national family—and we believe Barbadians abroad love their country as deeply as those who live here. Reform Barbados will ensure they are not only connected by birth, but by opportunity, investment, and belonging.

We will establish...

2 Entertainment Cities - North & South

Tourists don't want to buy trinklets and bracelets; they want to have FUN! We want Tourists to spend more - so here's the plan. Give them something to spend their holiday money on - beyond accommodation and regular meals. Theme park style entertainment...

The Billion Dollar Plan

We do not earn enough as a country. Revenues don't fluctuate much between $2.5bn and $3.5bn annually. GDP over 5 decades is 1% annually. Approximately 70% of revenues comes from direct & indirect taxes. Approximately 75% of the workforce earn less than $1000pw. The CBB say GDP growth will be 2.7% for 2025 - as if that's a mark of success. But Barbadians are still fighting against the cost of living. We haven't really diversified our economy. We've allowed sugar to decline whilst we focus on tourism - which itself isn't operating at full capacity. No right tinking Barbadian truly believes Barbados is doing well. Why?

Economic Revival - A Cost of Living Reduction Plan

No Government over the last 4 decades has come close to producing a long-term Cost of Living reduction plan for the people of Barbados. That is going to change.

Barbadians are paying twice for survival — once from their paycheque, and again at the checkout. Latest records show Government collected around $505m in import & excise duties, $490m in personal income tax (at 2024 prices). This means families are paying nearly the same amount at the supermarket as they do through taxation..... but why?

Education Transformation

We believe in true equality of opportunity in education. We don't believe the Common Entrance Exam (CEE) achieves this—it divides children instead of empowering them. Our transformation begins with one simple principle: every child deserves the same high standard of teaching, learning, and infrastructure, no matter which school they attend.

Special Educational Needs

Never leave a child behind.

For too long, children with Special Educational Needs in Barbados have been underserved, underfunded, and left behind by a system without cohesion or accountability. There is no unified national framework, no consistent standards of support, and inadequate investment in specialist resources. We must change that.

Skills Gap 2050

Skills for now. Skills for life.

We believe, as Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

For decades, education has been treated as a phase of life — not a lifelong journey.

Apprenticeships 1828

Youth unemployment is staggeringly high and not conducive to building a successful and fair economy. Too many are in jobs or unemployed who are looking for a career option.

Reform Barbados believes in Apprenticeships—because every Barbadian aged 18 - 28 deserves a pathway to success.

The Caribbean Academy of Applied Digial Knowledge

In honour of Alan Emtage — Barbadian innovation shaping the world.

In recognition of Alan Emtage, the Barbadian pioneer who created the world’s first search engine, Reform Barbados will establish the Caribbean Centre of Applied Digital Knowledge (CAADK) — a national and international hub for digital education, training, research, and innovation.

Transport & Travel

Barbados is paralysed by inefficiency on its roads.

Poorly regulated public transport, reckless driving, endless congestion, and wasted hours have eroded national productivity and tries the patience of the travelling public.

Through a highly regulated enforcement regime Reform Barbados will rebuild the nation’s transport system from the ground up — restoring order, safety, and reliability. This means ensure that waiting times for buses will fall significantly, congestion on our routes is eased significantly.

Reform Barbados on Caricom, the CET and Tariff Reform

For fifty years, Barbados has operated under the CARICOM Common External Tariff (CET) — a framework designed in the 1970s, but was never fit for purpose. not the 21st century. It was built to protect regional manufacturers, not to protect Barbadian households. We believe this was a national decision that has bound Barbadians to a trading policy which cripples Barbadians daily. The future of all Bajans depends on undoing that legacy.

Ground Provisions Plan

Land is Money - Land is Survival.

We import what it can grow, and every year we send nearly $30 million overseas for ground provisions that our own land can produce. This makes no sense for a nation with thousands of idle acres, a rich farming heritage, and a pressing cost-of-living crisis. Land is not just soil — it is money, opportunity, food security, and national survival, especially for a small island dependent on foreign supply chains. For too long, Barbados has allowed its agricultural capacity to shrink, leaving families vulnerable to high supermarket prices.

Concorde Revival

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Barbados International School of Music

The Barbados Community College presented an amazing cadre of talented musicians. I loved their performance at Mosaic. They are such a credit to Barbados... yet there opportunites are slim and the challenge to make a living in Barbados more so.