Expression
IACHR hearing highlights concerns on Cybercrime Bill
On 11th November 2024, civil society organisations presented their concerns before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) regarding Barbados’ Cybercrime Bill, highlighting its potential impact on freedom of expression. The bill, passed by the House of Assembly in February 2024 and pending Senate approval, introduces broad and ambiguous restrictions on online expressions.
Articles 19 and 20 penalise online expressions that may cause “annoyance, embarrassment, humiliation, intimidation, or anxiety,” raising legal certainty and proportionality issues. For instance, Article 19.3 criminalises the intentional use of a computer system to disseminate any image or words, regardless of their truthfulness, if they are likely to subject an individual to ridicule or embarrassment. Violations carry penalties of up to seven years’ imprisonment or fines of BBD 70,000 (USD 35,000). Article 20 further criminalises the transmission of data deemed offensive or of a menacing nature, imposing similar penalties.
Civil society representatives argued that such provisions could be misused to suppress dissent and stifle legitimate criticism, particularly among journalists, activists and artists. Despite government assertions that the bill is necessary to combat cybercrime, including online harassment and financial fraud, critics maintained that its scope extends beyond legitimate regulation and risks fostering self-censorship.
If enacted without further safeguards, the proposed legislation may contravene Barbados’ constitutional and international obligations to protect freedom of expression. The IACHR’s engagement signals the need for additional scrutiny and potential legislative amendments to ensure compliance with international human rights standards.
Peaceful Assembly
Teachers’ sick-out at a primary school
On 11th October 2024, half of the teaching staff at St Alban’s Primary School in St James called in sick to protest staffing shortages caused by teachers reverting to jobs outside the teaching service. Chief Education Officer Ramona Archer-Bradshaw confirmed the absences early in the day, acknowledging the impact on both students and faculty. In an emergency meeting convened with the school’s principal and staff, education authorities sought to address immediate concerns and discuss long-term solutions.
The incident has reignited concerns about teacher retention and recruitment within the education sector. While authorities work to stabilise operations at St Alban’s Primary, questions remain about the adequacy of current staffing.
Unpaid allowances trigger sick-out at Queen Elizabeth Hospital
On 27th October 2024, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) employees staged a sick-out in protest over delayed hazard allowance payments, disrupting operations in the Accident and Emergency Department (AED). The action, reportedly involving nurses, emergency room technicians and hospital attendants, highlighted long-standing grievances regarding unpaid allowances, some of which have been outstanding for up to six months.
The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) confirmed the sick-out and attributed it to mounting frustration among staff. General Secretary Richard Greene stated that the union had previously raised concerns with QEH’s Human Resources and Accounts departments, seeking confirmation on the outstanding payments and a timeline for disbursement. However, no concrete response had been provided.
In response to the industrial action, QEH Communications Specialist Shane Sealy acknowledged the staff absences and described the situation as a result of “confusion surrounding COVID Hazard Payments.” He asserted that payments were being processed according to policy but had been delayed due to incorrect submissions. Sealy also noted that hospital management had not received formal grievances before the protest.
The NUPW announced plans to meet with its stewards to address the hazard allowance issue and other unresolved grievances. Greene emphasised the need for urgent dialogue with hospital management to prevent further disruptions that could compromise patient care.
Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) walkout
On 16th November 2024, weekly paid workers of the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) staged a brief walkout after delayed wages—caused by a government IT system failure—left them unpaid. The disruption, which affected multiple government ministries and services, exposed significant vulnerabilities in the state’s digital infrastructure.
The Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST) attributed the failure to damage to a critical piece of infrastructure, which led to the shutdown of government email systems and several online services. The outage impacted payroll processing, delaying wage payments for SSA employees and potentially other public officers.
Richard Greene, General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), confirmed that SSA wages were eventually processed manually and uploaded to bank accounts. However, he raised concerns over the broader implications of the IT failure, particularly regarding cybersecurity risks and the protection of workers’ confidential data.