“It’s a sacrament. It’s sacred. It’s how we communicate with our ancestors. Genesis 1:29 says the earth brought forth grass and herb-bearing seed, and the Lord saw that it was good. I don’t see how men could see that it is not,” said Ras I’an, a Rastafarian Priest.

He drapes a hand-crochet prayer scarf, clutches a Rastafarian flag bearing the lion of Judah and enters the Mount Carmel Tabernacle, tucked in the Barbadian parish of St. John.

This Tabernacle is different. It has no doors or window...

Bridgetown, Barbados – The popular Barbadian dancehall and soca artiste ‘Lil Rick stares into the camera, warning all “informers” while gunfire and images of firearms punctuate the beat.

The over sixteen-minute popular “Trojan Riddim” video features several popular Barbadian chanters, dancehall artists, and rappers. Their explicit lyrics, though fictitious, often become actual newspaper headlines leaving several Barbadians demanding answers on how illegal firearms end up in Barbados in the firs...

In Barbados, starting school means having your uniform, school supplies and up-to-date vaccination book. This scenario is so routine that many parents and children view it as a regular part of growing up.

This tradition aided in the elimination of smallpox, measles, mumps and rubella. Despite this norm, some parents are going against the zeitgeist and delaying or opting out of vaccinating their children. This small shift is creating fear among doctors that once-eradicated diseases can resurge....

Do you remember when you were a young person?  What were your dreams? How did you view yourself?

Try to imagine yourself going through all the hormonal changes at a time when everyone is experiencing forced isolation caused by pandemic lockdowns and disruptions to work, school and friendships.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus came onto the world stage in December 2019, creating a paradigm shift and turning their worlds upside down.

Countries rushed to limit its spread by issuing lockdowns. In Barbados, t...

1. The COVID-19 Reset: Is it Barbados' Paradigm Shift - Sept 9/22
2. Climbing Out of the Abyss: Plans for Recovery - June 7/22
3. In the Storm: The Other Side of COVID-19 - Feb 20/22

Sargassum seaweed in the waters of the Consett Bay Fishing Facility in the parish of St. John. (photos by Esther Jones)

Jutting out of the ocean as if a battle-weathered warrior is the island nation of Barbados, one of the many Small Island Developing States holding the frontline against the effects of climate change.

Despite Barbados’ position on the battlefield, they did not start this war and did not set the rules of engagement. Instead, Barbados has to wage a campaign at international clim...

An estimated seven out of every 10 deaths in Barbados are linked to a non-communicable disease (NCD).

The connection between NCDs and complications associated with COVID-19 is also well established as this opportunistic virus thrives on NCDs, weakening an already compromised system.

Although the high incidence of non-communicable diseases in Barbados did not start with COVID-19, the pandemic has revealed holes in the system to address them. The situation also puts to the test traditions and be...

A Media Analysis of the Coverage of Youth Involvement in Crime and Violence and Trafficking in Persons (June 2021 to June 2023) in the Eastern Caribbean

This report was produced by the Media Institute of the Caribbean for the UNDP as part of the CariSecure 2.0 initiative by USAID. The Lead Researchers were Kiran Maharaj and Brian Schmidt. The Research team included journalists and data gatherers across the Eastern Caribbean. www.mediainstituteofthecaribbean.com CariSECURE 2.0 is made possible...

There is evidence that the ageing population of Barbados is being disproportionately affected by climate-related illnesses such as dengue fever, respiratory infections, asthma, and heat exhaustion.

Informed, strategic interventions are however stymied by the fact that there has been little systematic employment of data and targeted research.

According to the experts interviewed for this investigation, an increase in adverse climate events is both worsening health conditions and affecting the d...

Meanwhile, the situation report carried out an analysis of MIL, disinformation, and trust in news across the Caribbean. It covered eight countries: The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Among the major findings noted by Ms. Maharaj and Ms. Raghubir were the need for cross-sector and regional collaboration and regulation of media organisations, both through legislation and professional media bodies. The full report will be...