Hard times for Bajans, says report

A significant percentage of Barbadians surveyed are complaining about the continued disruptions that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on their livelihoods.

The Caribbean COVID-19 Food Security & Livelihoods Impact Survey Report on Barbados, said that its surveys which were conducted twice last year and again in 2021 by the World Food Programme, showed that the overwhelming majority of low-income respondents faced difficulties.

According to the report, “impacts on livelihoods remain widespread” as nearly half of those in Barbados said their ability to pursue their livelihood was affected in the twoweeks preceding the survey. “When considering the different characteristics of people responding to the survey (such as age, sex, perceived income, household composition) the most marked differences found related to people’s sources and level of income, as well as age of the respondents.

“Of those who described their income as well below average, 65 per cent reported livelihood disruptions, compared to 25-32 per cent of respondents, who consider their income levels as above or well above average,” the report revealed. When the results were broken down by industry, it was those whose livelihoods were connected to the tourism sector that reported the greatest disruptions to their ability to make a living.

According to the report: “Between 58 per cent and 69 per cent of respondents with less stable household income sources (e.g., informal labour, petty trade, support from friends and family) reported their livelihoods being affected compared to 43 per cent of those in households with salaried income. “Livelihood disruptions are also most widespread among respondents aged 25 or younger and the difference with other age groups seems more pronounced in Barbados compared to the region.

There are some differences based on the household composition of respondents. “Livelihood disruptions seem more widespread among people living in ‘mixed’ households with extended family, and non-family members, compared to those who live alone. The averages differed only slightly by gender, with 52 per cent of men reporting disruptions compared to 46 per cent of women.

Asked about the main reasons for the disruptions, the respondents in Barbados identified restrictions in their movement as the main cause. “Movement restrictions, reported by about half of respondents who faced disruptions to livelihoods, remain the main reason behind the disruptions, though these are less of a driver compared to the early stages of the pandemic when restrictions were more widespread.

“Nearly the same percentage of people cited concerns about leaving the house as the main reason, which has gained in importance with each survey round. Respondents who rely on salaried work or government assistance are most likely to cite movement restrictions as a main reason for livelihood disruptions, compared to respondents with other income sources,” the report stated. (IMC1)