Mia Mottley has secured her third election victory as Prime Minister of Barbados, with her Barbados Labour Party (BLP) achieving a complete sweep of the House of Assembly. The BLP won all 30 available seats in the lower house of parliament, ousting opposition leader Ralph Thorne.
Mottley, who at 60 has cultivated one of the strongest global profiles among Caribbean leaders, gained the support of voters across the island country, CBC Barbados reported early on Thursday.
In her victory speech, the Prime Minister, surrounded by supporters in red, stated her core mission: “Our mission first and foremost is to stop poor people from being poor and to remove injustice wherever it exists to create opportunities for people.” She also announced that Friday would be a public bank holiday in Barbados.
Mottley pledged to protect Barbados’s democracy, following the country’s celebration last year of 75 years since property ownership ceased to be a requirement for the right to vote. The BLP has committed to maintaining its focus on the economy, the cost of living, and Barbados’s standing on the international stage.
Speaking at the Democratic Labour Party headquarters, Ralph Thorne acknowledged the result was disappointing but commended the campaign for being clean. The opposition had previously raised concerns over security and infrastructure, with Thorne advocating for policies centered on Barbadians’ domestic priorities.
Barbados, the easternmost country in the Caribbean, has a population of approximately 283,000 people.
