Analysts: Fix ‘missing pieces’ in integrity system as advocacy figures enter politics

The political integrity system is “missing pieces” as a growing number of candidates from civil society and advocacy groups step into electoral politics ahead of the next general election, widely anticipated to be imminent, political analysts warned on Friday.

While Devaron Bruce and Peter Wickham differed on the level of risk involved, both agreed that clarity in rules and strong institutions are central to maintaining confidence in the political system.

The integrity and transparency framework is lagging behind a widening pool of political candidates — with new entrants testing the limits of existing accountability rules, Bruce told Barbados TODAY.

While drawing candidates from nongovernment organisations brings valuable expertise into lawmaking, stronger accountability systems are needed to manage potential conflicts of interest, he suggested.

“There are some benefits when it comes to drawing from individuals within civil society, NGOs and non-national organisations because they bring a different type of knowledge and perspective to the political and legislative arena,” Bruce said.

“But there are reasonable concerns about conflicts of interest and whether individuals act in the interests of those organisations or in the interests of the people they are elected to serve.”

He said this is where integrity legislation and oversight mechanisms become critical, pointing to the slow implementation of key governance reforms.

“We’ve passed integrity legislation, but we’re not actually instituting the things that would make it work,” Bruce said, referring to the long-delayed establishment of the Integrity Commission. He also cited the absence of a freedom of information regime and a contractor general as gaps in Barbados’ accountability framework.

“These pieces are missing from Barbados’ integrity framework, and with an election approaching, we’ve not been hearing much about them,” he added, arguing that safeguards must operate alongside broader participation in public life.

Bruce acknowledged that in a small society, Barbados cannot afford to exclude large sections of its human resource base from public service or political leadership. However, he stressed that participation must be matched by systems that ensure transparency and accountability.

“The two have to go hand in hand. You draw on the expertise, but you also need checks and balances that actually work,” he said.

Fellow analyst Wickham offered a different perspective, noting that Barbados’ political culture has long drawn leaders from teaching, statutory bodies and civil society, and that legal distinctions matter.

Wickham said that under the Westminster tradition, civil servants have historically been restricted from political involvement, but public officers attached to statutory bodies and stateowned entities are often allowed to participate in politics.

He pointed to past examples, including former prime minister Erskine Sandiford, who entered politics while contracted as a lecturer at the Barbados Community College.

“The classification depends on how the entity is created,” Wickham said, adding that not all public sector workers fall under the same rules as civil servants.

He also noted that courts have upheld the right of teachers and other public officers to seek elected office, ruling that preventing them from doing so would breach fundamental rights.

A similar issue arose in Antigua and Barbuda in recent years, where the eligibility of a teacher who contested and won a seat was challenged, highlighting how interpretations can vary across jurisdictions.

“In a small Caribbean society, we don’t really have the resources to shut off large parts of the public service from political participation,” Wickham said. “When you do that, you immediately remove a lot of experience from the political space.”

Wickham further distinguished nongovernment organisations and advocacy groups from the machinery of government, noting that while some receive public funding, they are not part of the state apparatus and are therefore not subject to the same restrictions as civil servants.

In his view, the issue is less about prohibiting participation and more about recognising the realities of small-state governance and constitutional rights.

The discussion comes as Barbados prepares for the next general election, constitutionally due next year, amid widespread speculation of an early poll, with renewed focus on governance standards and transparency. shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb