BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Prime Minister Mia Mottley says Governor General Dame Sandra Mason will on Saturday issue a writ for a by-election to be held here on May 21 following the formal resignation of government backbencher Edmund Hinkson, that took effect on Friday.
In a brief broadcast, Mottley said that she had held talks with the Governor General, who had informed her of the correspondence she had received from Parliament confirming Hinkson’s resignation as the parliamentary representative for the St. James North constituency.
“I visited Her Excellency today and indicated that the write should be issued tomorrow, Saturday, April 26, 2025. Similarly, I indicated that Nomination Day should be Tuesday, May 6, 2025, and the polling date for the election of a member of the House of Assembly for the constituency of St. James North shall be Wednesday, May 27, 2025,” Mottley said.
She said that the by-election would be a “quick election,” adding, “As we approach this important date, let us all show the best of who we are: respectful, responsible, and proud.”
“Let us exercise our rights peacefully, uphold the dignity of the process, and set a positive example for all future generations. Every word we speak, and action we take reflects not just on ourselves but also on this community we cherish. Let us make this a by-election of which we can all be proud,” she added.
Earlier, the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) said it had officially named Educational Transformation Minister Chad Blackman as its candidate, with Mottley indicating that the BLP’s National Council had given its unanimous backing to the 42-year-old Blackman.
Blackman, who previously served as Barbados’ ambassador to Geneva and held a senior consultancy role with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), will be required to resign from his positions in the Senate and the Cabinet to contest the poll.
The governing BLP has won all 30 seats in the past two general elections. Still, one of its members, Ralph Thorne KC, resigned to join the main opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP), becoming the Opposition Leader in the Parliament.
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