Prison officers receive long-overdue back pay 

The government has confirmed that prison officers have now received long-outstanding back pay for extended duties performed during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing closure to an issue that had fuelled discontent within the protective services for several years.

In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that by the close of business, all prison officers should have received payment for hours worked beyond the standard workday while they were classified as essential workers during the pandemic.

“This payment is not merely a financial transaction; it is a long-overdue act of recognition and fairness,” the ministry said, acknowledging the prolonged delay.

During the COVID-19 period, prison officers were required to work 12-hour shifts, far exceeding the normal seven- to eight-hour workday, while reporting for duty daily under what the ministry described as “immense pressure and personal risk”.

The issue of unpaid pandemic allowances for prison officers and other protective service personnel has been a source of ongoing concern, with Barbados TODAY previously reporting that hundreds of officers remained unpaid as delays stretched into a fourth year.

In August 2025, Superintendent of Prisons DeCarlo Payne disclosed that prison officers alone were owed more than half a million dollars in outstanding payments for extended duties carried out during the pandemic, dating back to 2021. He said at the time that prison administrators had completed all required calculations and submissions, and that the release of funds rested with the Ministry of the Public Service.

The warders had accused authorities of neglecting their sacrifices despite repeated appeals, while Payne publicly called for the matter to be resolved “as soon as possible”.

In its latest statement, the government said the Ministries of Finance and Public Service worked alongside the Ministry of Home Affairs to resolve the issue, noting that payments were processed manually as part of wider efforts to modernise the government’s digital financial systems.

“Their sacrifice was quiet, consistent, and essential,” the ministry stated, adding that prison officers played a critical role in safeguarding not only the prison population but also the safety and stability of wider Barbadian society during the pandemic.

Apologising for the delay, the Ministry of Home Affairs added: “We recognise the frustration and hardship that this postponement may have caused, especially given the immense sacrifices the officers made when the nation needed them most.”

The government said it remains committed to recognising the contribution of prison officers to national security and to improving administrative systems to prevent similar delays in the future, particularly in cases involving extraordinary service. (SM)