Editing Barbados (section)

== Government and politics ==

{{Main|Government of Barbados|Politics of Barbados}}
[[File:Bridgetown barbados parliament building.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Parliament Buildings (Barbados)|Barbados parliament building]] in Bridgetown]]
Barbados has been an independent country since 30 November 1966.<ref>{{cite book |title=Fransman's British Nationality Law |first=Laurie |last=Fransman |page=848 |publisher=A&C Black |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-84592-095-1}}</ref> It functions as a [[parliamentary republic]] modelled on the British [[Westminster system]]. The [[head of state]] is the [[President of Barbados]] – presently [[Sandra Mason]] – elected by the [[Parliament of Barbados]] for a term of four years, and advised on matters of the Barbadian state by the [[Prime Minister of Barbados]], who is [[head of government]]. There are 30 representatives within the [[Barbados House of Assembly|House of Assembly]], the lower chamber of Parliament. In the [[Senate of Barbados|Senate]], the upper chamber of Parliament, there are 21 senators.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Parliament |url=https://www.gov.bb/Government/parliament |access-date=20 January 2024 |website=Official Website of the Barbaros Government |archive-date=3 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403054759/https://www.gov.bb/Government/parliament |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Constitution of Barbados]] is the supreme law of the country.<ref>[http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Barbados/barbados66.html The official Constitution of Barbados] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121215130425/http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Barbados/barbados66.html |date=15 December 2012 }} (1966) version.</ref> Legislation is passed by the Parliament of Barbados but does not have the force of law unless the President grants her assent to that law. The right to withhold assent is absolute and cannot be overridden by Parliament.<ref>Pursuant to section 58 of the [http://www.oas.org/dil/the_constitution_of_barbados.pdf Constitution of Barbados] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202231431/https://www.oas.org/dil/The_Constitution_of_Barbados.pdf |date=2 December 2021 }}<br>As amended by section 26 of the [https://www.barbadosparliament.com/uploads/bill_resolution/56f53e308108b4b315d1b367c2914f7a.pdf Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2021] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019153950/https://www.barbadosparliament.com/uploads/bill_resolution/56f53e308108b4b315d1b367c2914f7a.pdf |date=19 October 2021 }}</ref> The Attorney General heads [[Judiciary of Barbados|the independent judiciary]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

During the 1990s, at the suggestion of [[Trinidad and Tobago]]'s [[Patrick Manning]], Barbados attempted a [[political union]] with Trinidad and Tobago and [[Guyana]]. The project stalled after the then prime minister of Barbados, [[Lloyd Erskine Sandiford]], became ill and his [[Democratic Labour Party (Barbados)|Democratic Labour Party]] lost the next general election.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20030720T080000-0500_46578_OBS_CHASING_AFTER_AN_ELUSIVE_UNION.asp |title=Chasing after an elusive union |access-date=14 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624141705/http://jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20030720T080000-0500_46578_OBS_CHASING_AFTER_AN_ELUSIVE_UNION.asp |archive-date=24 June 2009 |work=Jamaica Observer |date=20 July 2003}}</ref><ref>[https://groups.yahoo.com/group/derumshoplime/message/18746 "Former PM: Caribbean doing/un-doing everything again and again"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219042747/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/derumshoplime/message/18746 |date=19 February 2012 }}. NationNews.com. 14 July 2003</ref> Barbados continues to share close ties with Trinidad and Tobago and with Guyana, claiming the highest number of Guyanese immigrants after the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Barbados is a party to the [[Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://asp.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/asp/states%20parties/latin%20american%20and%20caribbean%20states/Pages/latin%20american%20and%20caribbean%20states.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809030312/https://asp.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/asp/states%20parties/latin%20american%20and%20caribbean%20states/Pages/latin%20american%20and%20caribbean%20states.aspx |url-status=live |title=Latin American and Caribbean State Parties to the Rome Statute|publisher= International Criminal Court|access-date=10 July 2021 |archive-date=9 August 2021}}</ref>

=== Political culture ===

{{Main|Elections in Barbados}}
Barbados functions as a [[two-party system]]. The dominant political parties are the [[Democratic Labour Party (Barbados)|Democratic Labour Party]] and the incumbent [[Barbados Labour Party]]. Since independence on 30 November 1966, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has governed from 1966 to 1976; 1986 to 1994; and from 2008 to 2018; and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) has governed from 1976 to 1986; 1994 to 2008; and from 2018 to present.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2024 |title=Barbados country profile |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18723928 |access-date=5 March 2025 |website=BBC}}</ref>

=== Foreign relations ===

{{Main|Foreign relations of Barbados}}
Barbados follows a policy of [[Non-Aligned Movement|nonalignment]] and seeks cooperative relations with all friendly states. Barbados is a full and participating member of the [[Caribbean Community]] (CARICOM), [[CARICOM Single Market and Economy]] (CSME), the [[Association of Caribbean States]] (ACS),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060228195122/http://www.barbadosbusiness.gov.bb/miib/Barbados/regional_links.cfm BarbadosBusiness.gov.bb], The Barbados government's Regional and International affiliations</ref> the [[Organization of American States]] (OAS), the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], and the [[Caribbean Court of Justice]] (CCJ). In 2005, Barbados replaced the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] with the [[Caribbean Court of Justice]] as its final court of appeal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2003 |url=https://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Barbados/amendment03.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Barbados/amendment03.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Barbados has been a member of [[The Forum of Small States (FOSS)]] since the group's founding in 1992.<ref name="singaporebook">{{Cite book|title=50 Years of Singapore and the United Nations |publisher=World Scientific |isbn=978-981-4713-03-0 |year=2015 }}access-date=28 March 2024</ref>

==== World Trade Organization, European Commission, CARIFORUM ====

Barbados is an original member (1995) of the [[World Trade Organization]] (WTO) and participates actively in its work. It grants at least MFN treatment to all its trading partners. [[European Union]] relations and cooperation with Barbados are carried out both on a bilateral and a regional basis. Barbados is party to the [[Cotonou Agreement]], through which, {{as of|2007|December}}, it is linked by an [[Economic Partnership Agreement]] with the [[European Commission]]. The pact involves the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) subgroup of the [[African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States]] (ACP). CARIFORUM is the only part of the wider ACP-bloc that has concluded the full regional trade-pact with the [[European Union]]. There are also ongoing EU-[[Community of Latin American and Caribbean States]] (CELAC) and EU-[[CARIFORUM]] dialogues.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eeas.europa.eu/barbados/ |title=European Union – EEAS (European External Action Service) &#124; EU Relations with Barbados |publisher=Europa (web portal) |date=19 June 2014 |access-date=10 November 2018 |archive-date=30 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130080648/https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/barbados_en |url-status=live }}</ref>

Trade policy has also sought to protect a small number of domestic activities, mostly food production, from foreign competition, while recognising that most domestic needs are best met by imports.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TRADE POLICY REVIEW BARBADOS |url=https://www.foreign.gov.bb/?jet_download=1121 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603180500/https://www.foreign.gov.bb/?jet_download=1121 |archive-date=3 June 2023 |page=7 |quote=Trade policy has also sought to protect a small number of domestic activities, mostly food production, from foreign competition, while recognizing that most domestic needs are best met by imports.}}</ref>

=== Military and law enforcement ===

The [[Barbados Defence Force]] has roughly 800 members. Within it, service members aged 14 to 18 years make up the Barbados Cadet Corps. The defence preparations of the island nation are closely tied to defence treaties with the United Kingdom, the United States, the People's Republic of China,<ref>{{cite news |title=Barbados turns to China for military assistance |url=http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/10902.html |publisher=Caribbean360.com |date=7 August 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917012432/http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/10902.html |archive-date=17 September 2013}}</ref> and [[Regional Security System|other eastern Caribbean countries]].

The [[Barbados Police Service]] is the sole law enforcement agency on the island of Barbados.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GOV.BB |url=https://www.gov.bb/Departments/police-department |access-date=9 December 2023 |website=gov.bb |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609035738/https://www.gov.bb/Departments/police-department |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Administrative divisions ===

{{Main|Parishes of Barbados}}
Barbados is [[Administrative division|divided]] into 11 parishes:
{|
|
# [[Christ Church, Barbados|Christ Church]]
# [[Saint Andrew, Barbados|Saint Andrew]]
# [[Saint George, Barbados|Saint George]]
# [[Saint James, Barbados|Saint James]]
# [[Saint John, Barbados|Saint John]]
# [[Saint Joseph, Barbados|Saint Joseph]]
# [[Saint Lucy, Barbados|Saint Lucy]]
# [[Saint Michael, Barbados|Saint Michael]]
# [[Saint Peter, Barbados|Saint Peter]]
# [[Saint Philip, Barbados|Saint Philip]]
# [[Saint Thomas, Barbados|Saint Thomas]]
| style="width:400px;"|
{{Map of Barbados}}
|}