Peaceful Assembly
Community protests lead to removal of cell tower over health concerns
Residents in Olive Lodge staged several protests from January to March 2024 to demand the immediate removal of a newly installed Digicel cell tower near their community. They raised concerns about potential health risks from wireless signals, referencing international guidelines, and expressed discontent over the lack of consultation and a possible violation of planning regulations.
A formal petition was submitted to the Telecommunications Unit, gaining support from the Environmental Health Trust (EHT), a US-based organisation. In response, Digicel stated it was “looking for solutions” and removed the tower in March 2024.
Environmental issues at Barbados schools lead to protests and closures
Environmental issues have impacted several schools in Barbados, prompting teacher protests and temporary school closures. Grantley Prescod Memorial faced sanitation issues caused by bats, while mould problems forced The Lodge School to switch to online classes for a week. Mount Tabor Primary closed briefly after a janitor fell through a damaged floor, now repaired.
On 23rd January, Deighton Griffith Secondary and Lester Vaughan School experienced teacher sick-outs over working conditions. On 7th February, at St. George and St. Giles Primary, teachers engaged in sick-outs due to environmental violations. Similarly, on 8th and 9th February, at least 25 teachers staged sick-outs amid ongoing complaints about environmental conditions.
“There are a number of concerns that the staff have raised and […] we are not going to share the concerns with the public before we share them with the ministry. It would not be proper industrial relations practice. The ministry should not be hearing about the concerns through the media but directly from the union. We are still compiling the information as we only got to meet with the staff for an hour. Next week after meeting with them again, we would put in writing what the issues are to the ministry,” said Rudy Lovell, Barbados Union of Teachers’ (BUT) president.
Sick-outs to demand labour rights
On 24th January, Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS) officers staged a sick-out to protest a proposed merger with the Public Affairs Department. The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) urgently called for discussions with the public service and information ministries regarding the merger of BGIS and the Public Affairs Department.
NUPW Deputy General Secretary Wayne Walrond stated that BGIS employees have been under strain due to a lack of clear communication about the merger, including concerns about job descriptions, organisational structure and potential job losses. Despite prior announcements about the merger, the union reported it had not been engaged in meaningful dialogue with the government on these critical issues. The NUPW plans to seek urgent consultations to address staff concerns and clarify details regarding the merger process.
On 30th January, several key departments at Inchcape Barbados, including Mercedes Benz pre-delivery inspections and workshops, experienced a sudden absence of staff due to employees calling in sick. This action followed an impasse between management and workers during ongoing pay negotiations, which include claims for back pay dating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to media reports, the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), representing the employees, clarified that it had not initiated industrial action and confirmed that discussions with management continue. Efforts to obtain a response from Inchcape’s management remain unsuccessful.
Staff of University West Indies (UWI) strikes over unpaid increases and lump sum payments
On 31st January, over 200 UWI staff members at the Barbados Cave Hill campus went on strike, demanding payment of outstanding increases and lump sums. The BWU General Secretary noted that the payments had been delayed for nine months. The strike ended the next day after the university agreed to pay the lump sum immediately and provide the retroactive funds by the end of the month.
Barbados government to launch citizen services contact centre
On 19th January 2024, the government announced plans to launch a Citizen Services Contact Centre aimed at enhancing the accessibility of public services. This initiative, which will integrate modern technology, seeks to provide citizens with a centralised platform for interacting with various government departments. The service is designed to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of public sector operations.
According to media reports, the Citizen Services Contact Centre (CSCC) in Barbados will be staffed by trained agents to provide prompt and professional support. It will handle phone, email and WhatsApp communications, addressing service quality complaints, critical service inquiries, requests for information on government programmes, and feedback. The CSCC complements existing government call centres, allowing citizens the choice to contact either the centre or specific government departments directly. It aims to improve public service efficiency and responsiveness without replacing existing contact channels in ministries and agencies.