PM teases possibility of heading to the polls next year

Barbadians could be headed to the polls in 2026.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley created a buzz on Thursday night by hinting that elections could be on the horizon in the New Year, and called on her supporters to ready themselves.

While general elections in Barbados are not constitutionally due until 2027, speculation has been rife in recent weeks that Mottley might continue her trend of calling elections a year early.

And Mottley, who led the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to successive 30-0 victories in the 2018 and 2022 general elections, added fuel to that fire while speaking during her Christmas party at her official residence, Ilaro Court.

“Whilst there is work to be done, there is work for the Barbados Labour Party and its soldiers to do, and we are all turning up for work in 2026. We are all turning up for work in 2026, because if something can be done, it is this Barbados Labour Party that will do it, always, always, always.

“I want you, therefore, to have a restful Christmas, a Merry Christmas, because when I start to call on you I don’t want you to tell me that you are tired. And when I start to call on you I don’t want you to tell me anything other than ‘Prime Minister, we are ready. We are red and ready. We are red, red, red and ready, ready, ready,’” Mottley said to loud applause.

“Merry Christmas and Happy 2026 and may we take this country to newer and higher heights, because we committed as the BLP, always to do our best and to give our best.”

If Mottley does indeed call elections next year, it would be the second time she has done so with a year remaining in her term.

It would also follow a recent trend in the Caribbean, with Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, having done the same earlier this month.

Two days ago in an interview with Barbados TODAY, political scientist Peter Wickham said it was highly possible the Prime Minister would send Barbadians to the polls in 2026, citing her history of calling elections before they are due.

His comments came after Mottley announced that around 2 000 public servants were set to receive permanent appointments, along with the reinstatement of term vacation leave for teachers from as early as next year.

Back in October at the BLP’s 86th Annual Conference in Queen’s Park, Mottley signalled that she would ring the bell once the voters’ list from the Electoral Boundaries Commission was cleaned up.

Since then, longstanding Members of Parliament for St Joseph and St Thomas, Dale Marshall and Cynthia Forde, respectively, announced they would no longer be contesting the next elections.

The BLP hastily took steps to fill those voids with attorney-at-law, Senator Gregory Nicholls named as Forde’s replacement, while businessman Ryan Brathwaite took over from Marshall.

Several MPs and candidates for both the BLP and Opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) have also been spotted in various constituencies making their rounds.

Last month the EBC announced that more than 8 000 people were being removed from the voters list, with chairman Ramon Alleyne saying the Commission’s goal is to produce the cleanest and most accurate register in decades.

He said a clean register should be in place by January 31.

Of the names slated for removal, 4 923 belong to individuals who have been overseas for more than five years, while 3 368 are confirmed deceased.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister framed the Christmas gathering as an opportunity for unity and renewed commitment across the party, bringing together supporters from different constituencies and movements.

“It is my honour to be here and it is only right that we get together, that we gather… for each of us to be able to share fellowship across the ones that we normally see, across constituencies, across all kinds of movements,” Mottley told the audience.

“I want to thank you for your continued support, for your prayers, and for all that you continue to do to make our country and our constituencies as strong as they have been. You are the bedrock of this marvelous democracy.”

Mottley pointed to sustained economic progress as evidence of what she said was a shared national vision, while acknowledging that challenges remained.

“We have seen it come from the economic doldrums. We have had now 17 straight quarters of growth, we have the lowest unemployment ever in the history of our nation, we no longer go to sleep worrying about foreign reserves; our foreign reserves are the highest they’ve ever been,” she maintained.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb