Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has sounded what he referred to as “an early warning” over the Business Barbados Bill, cautioning that its provisions risk creating “administrative confusion” and undermining Barbadian talent by prioritising external expertise.
Speaking during debate in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, he urged the government to ensure that leadership positions within the newly proposed entity are filled by capable individuals from either Barbados or the Caribbean.
Business Barbados is designed to streamline operations and address inefficiencies in the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO). It will integrate CAIPO’s responsibilities into a wider business facilitation network, allowing companies to interact with agencies like the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA), Customs, and Immigration through a single digital platform.
Drawing attention to the inclusion of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) within the structure of the entity, Thorne argued that the move could marginalise existing legal and administrative professionals.
“We have inserted into this department a chief executive officer, and that chief executive officer, within the organisational structure, is the boss of the person who used to head the legal department [of CAIPO],” he said.
Thorne questioned whether the government intended to promote local registrars or import external expertise, drawing parallels to past appointments at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), and other entities.
The opposition leader called for the CEO role to be filled by a qualified Barbadian national, emphasising the wealth of talent available locally.
“If you are going to name a CEO, find one of the 10 000 people who are well-qualified in Barbados. This is a recognition of our worth as a people, and we have spent too much time denying to our people their worth,” he said, noting what he described as the sacrifices made to educate Barbadians to the highest levels.
He also criticised the structure of the bill, particularly its provisions for the delegation of executive functions. Referring to Sections 8 and 9 of the legislation, Thorne argued that the bill assigns duties to the board, only to later allow them to be delegated to individuals such as the chairman or CEO.
“Let me accuse this government of creating confusion, of bringing legislation here which is saying to a chairman of a board that he can ask his board to delegate executive functions to him as chairman. That is dangerous. That is very dangerous,” he said.
Thorne went on to claim that such provisions reflect a pattern toward centralising authority.
He also accused the government of retaining undue ministerial control over the corporation’s operations, arguing that this undermines its supposed independence.
“You tell this country that you’re corporatising, You’re not corporatising, you are colonising. You are continuing to keep your long political tentacles deep within the organisation…,” he said, further urging transparency in the implementation of the bill.
Earlier, in piloting the bill, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Sandra Husbands said Business Barbados would reduce delays and improve services for local and international businesses.
The new structure separates CAIPO’s corporate registry and intellectual property units, allowing each to focus on specific responsibilities with new leadership and additional staff.
“We will now have dedicated service to our businesses, local and foreign, small and large,” Husbands said.
She further described Business Barbados as a small but powerful initiative that will energise the economy and improve the ease of doing business.
“This work that we are doing here today, in terms of the Business Barbados Bill, is going to make a tremendous difference in the lives of charities, small businesses, big businesses, to allow us to create an environment that is easier, more supportive, more friendly, to enable us to do business in Barbados,” the minister said.
She emphasised that the initiative is not just about creating a new entity but about building a more efficient, business-friendly environment that benefits all Barbadians.
“That is why every Barbadian must understand that Business Barbados is everybody’s business,” Husbands said.
