CARICOM Deploys Election Observation Team Ahead of Barbados Elections

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has deployed a three-member Election Observation Mission (CEOM) to monitor the upcoming General Election of Barbados, scheduled for 11 February 2026. The mission, responding to an invitation from the Government of Barbados dated 27 January 2026, will be in the country from 5 to 13 February.

The team is headed by Chief of Mission Mr. Ian S. Hughes, Supervisor of Elections, Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission. The Deputy Chief of Mission is Ms. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer of Belize, and Mr. Andrew Smith, Regional Manager of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, completes the team. They are supported by three CARICOM Secretariat staff providing administrative and logistical assistance: Ms. Shae-Alicia Lewis, Mr. Irvin Brown, and Ms. Denise Morgan. The Chief, Deputy Chief, and Secretariat staff arrived on 5 February, with Mr. Smith expected on 7 February.

To date, the CEOM has held discussions with the Commissioner of Police and senior officers, the Barbados Christian Council, and members of the media. In the coming days, the mission plans to meet with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley (Barbados Labour Party), Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne (Democratic Labour Party), the Chair and members of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Chief Electoral Officer Sherland Turton, other political parties, and civil society groups. According to the CEOM, these meetings will provide insight into the pre-election environment and the country’s preparedness for the polls.

On Election Day, the mission will observe all stages of the electoral process, including polling station openings, voting, ballot counting, and result declarations, as well as the immediate post-election atmosphere. Following the elections, a Preliminary Statement outlining initial assessments will be issued prior to the mission’s departure on 13 February. A detailed Final Report summarising findings and recommendations will later be submitted to CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett and made public.

Chief of Mission Ian S. Hughes expressed gratitude for the cooperation received, saying the CEOM “values this opportunity to support the democratic process in Barbados” and extended “best wishes to the electorate as they prepare to go to the polls.”