Barbados Passport

[Country Name] Barbados

[Area] 431 square kilometers.

[Population] 290000 (2022), of which over 90% are descendants of black people and 2% are descendants of European immigrants. English is the official language and lingua franca. Many residents believe in Christianity.

【 Capital 】 Bridgetown.

【 Head of State 】 Sandra Prunella MASON, female, was sworn in as the first President of Pakistan on November 30, 2021.

Independence Day: November 30th.

【 Overview 】 Located at the easternmost point of the Lesser Antilles in the Eastern Caribbean Sea. The coastline is 97 kilometers long. Tropical rainforest climate with an average annual temperature of 23 to 30 ° C.

Before the 16th century, it was the residence of the Arawak and Caribbean indigenous peoples. In 1518, the Spanish landed on the island, and more than 10 years later, Portugal invaded. In 1624, it was occupied by Britain, and in 1627, it was governed by a governor general. Joined the West India Federation in 1958. Internal autonomy was achieved in October 1961. It gained independence on November 30, 1966 and is now a member of the Commonwealth. The Republic was established on November 30, 2021.

After independence, the Democratic Labour Party and the Labour Party alternated in power, and the political situation remained stable. On May 24, 2018, Barbados held a general election, in which the opposition Labour Party won all 30 seats in the House of Representatives and came to power with an absolute advantage. The party's leader, Mia MOTTLEY, became the first female Prime Minister in Barbados' history. In January 2022, Motley led the ruling Labour Party to once again win 30 seats in the House of Representatives and remain in power. At present, the political situation in Pakistan is stable.

The current Constitution came into effect upon independence in 1966. The Constitution stipulates that the President appoints the majority leader of the House of Representatives as the Prime Minister and appoints ministers based on the Prime Minister's nomination. The Cabinet is composed of the Prime Minister and no less than 5 ministers, and is accountable to the Parliament. The leader of the opposition party is also appointed by the president.

The parliament is divided into two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives, with a term of 5 years each. The Senate has 21 seats, appointed by the President, of which 12 seats are nominated by the Prime Minister, 2 seats are nominated by opposition leaders, and the remaining 7 seats are selected by the Governor from among prominent figures in society. 30 seats in the House of Representatives, elected by universal suffrage. In the January 2022 general election, the Labour Party won all 30 seats. Senate President Reginald Farley and House Speaker Arthur Holder were both re elected in January 2022.

The current government will be adjusted in January 2024, with the main cabinet members including Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Civil Affairs Mia Motley, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Engineering and Water Resources Santia Bradshaw (female, Santia Bradshaw), Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Dale Marshall, Minister of Health and Health Jerome WALCOTT, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kerrie SYMMONDS, Senior Minister of the Prime Minister's Office William DUGuid, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian GOODING-EDGHILL, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Food and Nutritional Security Indar WEIR, Minister of Education, Technology and Vocational Training Kay MCCONNEY (female), Adrian FORDE, Minister of Environment and National Beautification, Kirk HUMPHREY, Minister of People's Empowerment and Aging Affairs, Colin JORDAN, Minister of Labor and Social Partnership, Dwight Sutherland, Minister of Housing, Land and Maintenance, Wilfred ABRAHAMS, Minister of Interior and Information, Lisa CUMMINS, Minister of Energy and Business Development, Charles GRIFFITH, Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Marsha CADDLE, Minister of Industry, Innovation and Technology, and Rui, Minister of Finance and Economy. Ryan Stronghn, Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment Chad BLACKMAN, and others.

The judicial system consists of appellate courts, high courts, and local courts. Chief Justice Leslie Francis HAYNES assumed office in May 2024. The final court is the Caribbean Court of Justice.

The main political parties are:

(1) Barbados Labour Party: The ruling party. Established in 1938, it has been in power from 1976 to 1986 and from 1994 to 2008. He has been in power again since May 2018. Party leader Mia Motley.

(2) Democratic Labour Party: The opposition party. Founded by former members of the Labour Party in 1955. He was in power from 1961 to 1976, 1986 to 1994, and 2008 to 2018. He returned to power in January 2008 and was re elected in February 2013. In 2018, he lost the election and stepped down. Opposition leader Ralph Thorne (male, Ralph THORNE).

(3) People's Party for Democracy and Development: Established in 2019, led by Joseph ATHERLEY.

(4) The People's Empowerment Party: Established in 2006, formerly known as the Clement Payne Movement founded in 1988. Party Chairman David COMISSIONG.

Sandra Prunella Mason: President. Female. Born on January 17, 1949. Graduated from the University of the West Indies, the Royal College of Public Administration in London, and the University of Windsor in Canada with a Bachelor's degree in Law. Practicing lawyer. In 1978, he served as a judge of the Brazilian Youth and Family Court. From 1991 to 1999, he was a member, vice chairman, and chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. From 1992 to 1994, he served as the Pakistani Ambassador to Venezuela. In 1994, he served as the highest local judge in Pakistan. From 1997 to 2005, he served as a clerk of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Since 2008, he has been a judge of the Brazilian Court of Appeal and a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitration Tribunal. Appointed as Governor on January 8, 2018. I was sworn in as the first President of Barbados on November 30, 2021.

Mia Motley: Prime Minister. Female. Born on October 1st, 1965. Graduated from the London School of Economics with a Bachelor's degree in Law. From 1994 to 2001, he served as the Minister of Education, Youth Affairs, and Culture. From 2001 to 2003, he served as the Attorney General and Minister of the Interior. From 2003 to 2006, he served as the Deputy Prime Minister, and from 2006 to 2008, he served as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs and Development. Appointed as Prime Minister in May 2018. Re elected in January 2022 until now.

The traditional industry in the economy is the sugar industry. Since the 1980s, the promotion of economic diversification has led to rapid development in tourism, offshore finance, light manufacturing, and information services, making it a globally renowned offshore financial center. Since 2020, the COVID-19 has once had a serious impact on the economy of Barbados, and the tourism industry has suffered a heavy blow. In the past two years, the Pakistani economy has shown signs of recovery, with the following main economic data:

The main economic data for 2023 are as follows:

Gross Domestic Product: 6.277 billion US dollars

Per capita Gross Domestic Product: 21636 US dollars

Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate: 5.0%

Inflation rate: 8.2%

Unemployment rate: 8.5%

Currency Name: Barbadian Dollar

Exchange rate: 1 US dollar=2 Brazilian dollars

(Source: Barbados Central Bank, International Monetary Fund)

【 Resources 】 The oil reserves are about 2 million barrels, and the natural gas reserves are 110 million cubic meters. The limestone reserves are about 30 billion tons. Floating stone reserves are 1.32 billion tons.

65% of the country's land is arable land. In recent years, the production of raw sugar has significantly decreased. The government encourages the development of vegetable and fruit cultivation to alleviate the pressure of food imports.

The manufacturing industry mainly includes sugar production, beverages, rum and beer brewing, chemicals, electronic components, clothing, furniture, and food processing.

The construction of tourism infrastructure has developed rapidly in recent years and has become one of the main drivers of economic growth. Ba's large construction company also undertakes the construction of roads, airports, and industrial facilities in other Caribbean countries.

Tourism is one of the main economic pillars. Tourists mainly come from Europe, the United States, and Canada. Since 2020, the COVID-19 has once had a serious impact on Pakistan's economy, and the tourism industry has suffered a heavy blow. In the past two years, the tourism industry has gradually recovered.

Air transportation: an important shipping center in the Eastern Caribbean region. Grantley Adams Airport, located 18 kilometers from the capital city of Bridgetown, is one of the most modern international airports in the Caribbean region, operating 24 hours a day with 17 parking spaces and direct flights to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, South America, and multiple Caribbean countries.

Water transportation: The capital city of Bridgetown is an all-weather deep-water port that can accommodate tens of thousands of tons of ocean going passenger and cargo ships. There are 8 berths that can provide fuel supply for 5 ships simultaneously.

Highway: The total length is about 1793 kilometers.

In the fiscal year 2022/2023, Pakistan's fiscal revenue was 3.756 billion Pakistani dollars and expenditure was 3.861 billion Pakistani dollars (source: International Monetary Fund). Affected by the sluggish international economy, the debt ratio of Pakistan remains high.

In 2023, Barbados' total commodity trade was 2.578 billion US dollars, including imports of 2.092 billion US dollars and exports of 486 million US dollars. The main export commodities include rum, processed foods, chemicals, and building materials, while the main import commodities include fuel, food and beverages, building materials, etc.

The main economic groups are:

(1) The Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry was established in 1825. Address: Braemar Court，Deighton Road，St. Michael，Barbados。 Phone: 1-246-4344750, Fax: 1-246-2282907.

(2) Barbados National Oil Co Ltd: Established in 1982, primarily engaged in the extraction of crude oil and natural gas. Address: Woodbourne，St Philip。 Phone: 1-246-4201800.

In 2021, the average life expectancy of Ba people was 76 years, with a population growth rate of 0.29%.

The National Defense Force was founded in 1978 and includes the Standing Army, Reserve Army, and Student Training Corps. The Coast Guard, established in 1974, became its maritime force after the establishment of the National Defense Force. The Air Force was established in 1981.

Implement free compulsory education for primary, secondary, and tertiary schools. The primary school enrollment rate is 100%, the secondary school enrollment rate is 89%, and the national adult literacy rate is 99.7%. There is a Kafhill campus of the University of the West Indies.

The main newspapers and magazines include the Ethnic Daily, founded in 1973 with a circulation of 25000 copies; Barbados Today ", a comprehensive online media platform founded in 2010, has a monthly view count of approximately 2 million for electronic newspapers; Advocate Magazine, an emerging online media founded in 2022, has active users in over 40 countries including Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.

The main media include: Caribbean Media Company, established in 2000 through the merger of Caribbean News Agency and Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, with business covering radio, television, and internet services; Ba State Television began broadcasting black and white television programs in 1964 and premiered color television programs in the Caribbean region in November 1971.

We adhere to an independent and non aligned foreign policy, advocate for diversified diplomacy, and use diplomacy to serve economic development. Actively promote integration in the Caribbean region. While consolidating traditional friendly relations with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, actively exploring the development of equal and mutually beneficial relations with countries such as Brazil, China, India, and Japan. In the first half of 2020, Barbados served as the rotating chair of the Caribbean Community and hosted the 31st Inter Ministerial Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in March.