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Newly Designed Passports Available

Barbadians started receiving newly designed passports bearing enhanced security features and aspects of the country’s historical and cultural landscape from today, Monday, December 12.

Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, made the announcement during a press conference flanked by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Deborah Payne; Chief Immigration Officer, Margaret Inniss, and members of her team.

“It is a top of the line, first-rate, first-class, very, very, secure passport, and I am pleased that we are putting it into operation from today,” Mr. Abrahams said.

He added that while the issuance of new passports takes immediate effect, old passports will remain valid until their expiration date.

“So, going forward, you are going to have two sets of passports until the old passports are renewed out of the system,” the Minister stated.

He noted that the businessman’s passport had been discontinued, and business persons would now receive an ordinary passport.

The Home Affairs Minister explained that previously passports were stamped at every port of entry, and business persons were issued with a thicker passport because of their travel.

However, Mr. Abrahams added that passports were not always stamped at ports of entry; they are swiped rather than stamped, allowing them to last longer, therefore reducing the need for business persons to have a separate passport.

“So, we took the decision to phase out the businessman’s passport because it makes more sense to have a standard book. So, you are not ordering different stock. You have one book that you can use for everybody,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ms. Inniss said this was the first time since the printing of passports in Barbados that there was a change in its design.

“It captures basically the landscape of Barbados, and certainly the cultural component of Barbados. Within that passport, you will definitely see the Parliament Building, the Pelican and you will see the rock at Bathsheba. You will see Kensington Oval, and a number of other features within this passport,” she said.

She explained that the Barbados passport was already recognised as number one in the Caribbean, and ranked globally at number 25.

Ms. Inniss added that the new passport boasted of enhanced security features which would maintain the high ranking worldwide and within the region.

Immigration Officer II, Kareem Carter, explained that the new passports featured intaglio printing, a different type of laminate, a chip, and were more tamper resistant. In addition, there were a number of features incorporated which could only be detected using a special UV light.

The lifespan of the ordinary passport is 10 years, while that of the official and diplomatic passports is five years. (PR/GIS)

From left to right- Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Information, Deborah Payne; Chief Immigration Officer, Margaret Inniss; and Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, display the new passports.

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SPECIAL POLLING DAY NOTICE

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FundAccess To Host Legal Clinic Workshop from May 13th

Entrepreneurs will soon get another opportunity to learn about critical legal matters that are key to the operation of their businesses.

FundAccess will be hosting The Legal Clinic Workshop, which will commence on Tuesday, May 13, and continue each Tuesday, until May 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The workshop will be facilitated by Attorney-at-law Ondene Kirton and participants will discuss Understanding Business Legal Structures; Contracts & Agreements; Employment Law & Compliance; and Examination of the Various Laws Relating to Small Business.

During those sessions, the participants will be exposed to sole proprietorship, partnerships, corporations – pro and cons; how to choose the right legal structure for a business; the importance of contracts in business operations; avoiding common contract pitfalls; and employee rights & employer responsibilities, among others. Some of the pieces of legislation to be examined include the Employment Rights Act and National Insurance and Social Security Act.

Interested persons may attend the workshop in person at FundAccess’ Pinfold Street, Bridgetown location, or online via the Zoom Platform. To register, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/3Fu09Jv.

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Centenarian Built On Firm Foundation Set By Grandmother

“Trust God first” is the mantra of one of Barbados’ newest centenarians, Athelstan Browne, who celebrated his 100th birthday on April 29, 2025, at his home in Montrose, Christ Church, surrounded by family and friends.

One of his specially invited guests was President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason.

Mr. Browne shared that he grew up “not knowing a mummy” as his mother passed away at age 23, when he was two years old, and his brother was only one year old.

Crediting his grandmother for his upbringing, Mr. Brown remarked: “I had a real good, good grandmother that raised two of us, and everything we learn before we went to school, she taught us.”

Pointing to a humble yet deeply religious upbringing, Mr. Browne said: “I and my brother slept on the floor. Our grandmother spread things down there, and she just put the pillow under our head.”

He recalled that they had to sing the hymn “Under the Blood” before going to bed, and first thing in the morning before they had breakfast, which usually consisted of “a cup of tea and two biscuits”. Adding that the hymn was “our song”, Mr. Browne sang the hymn from memory.

Stressing that his grandmother was a great provider, he noted: “My grandmother had land, and she would work the land…. We would eat raw potato, raw okras, (green) peas, cucumbers…. The only thing we did not eat was raw yams and eddoes.”

Mr. Browne continues to enjoy his ground provisions “with a little rice”, as he likes his rice with green peas, and if available, chicken boiled with the rice. “I am a fish man,” he remarked, eating it either fried or with a “stew sauce”.

Continuing to nurture his Christian beliefs, he joined the Mount Ararat United Holy Church (currently in Dayrell’s Road, Christ Church) in 1967, at age 33, and has continued there ever since.

Once the Superintendent of the Sunday School at the church, Mr. Browne is still instrumental in providing leadership to the youth there. “I have a crowd of young people at church that love me…especially when I have to talk to them…. It is what they should hear and what they should have,” he said.

The centenarian was raised in Montrose, Christ Church, and attended the Christ Church Boys’ School (now Milton Lynch Primary School). After leaving school, Mr. Browne initially took to agriculture but then worked cutting soft stone in two quarries in Christ Church.

In 1947, at the age of 22, he decided to join the US Farm Labour Programme and took the first Pan American Airlines flight out of Barbados. Over 10 years later, Mr. Browne returned to Barbados and married Monica Browne (deceased). Together, they built the house where he currently resides.

Returning to his roots in agriculture, the centenarian worked at the Ridge Plantation, Christ Church, until retirement. He also planted and reaped ground produce at home, as well as planted and cut canes.

Mr. Browne, who is generally in good health and has a sharp memory, still works around the home and enjoys reading, which he does without glasses. He also keeps in touch with his family in New York and North Carolina, and will do some travelling, but he is always ready to return home.

After toasting the centenarian, Her Excellency remarked: “You are in the midst of a lot of love, and I am sure you are going to enjoy the rest of your birthday. I am really happy to have met you. I am grateful for the work that you still continue to do with our young people because a lot of them lack direction, and we, nowadays, don’t take enough time to sit down and speak with them…. We don’t remind them that they are important, that they are somebody.”

Mr. Browne responded: “You got to make them understand what … the Lord expects of them… We have to acknowledge the Lord.”

Mr. Browne has two children, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. (PR/GIS)

Caption: President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, and Barbados’ newest centenarian Athelstan Browne take a walk outside during his birthday celebrations in Montrose, Christ Church