A new locally developed mobile application – “Pearly” – promises to change how Barbadians report problems and access public services, offering a single, streamlined channel to connect directly with government agencies and track responses in real time.
Developed by the technology company TouchStar Group, “Pearly” was launched on Tuesday, with the firm’s founder and CEO, Ramon Drummett, demonstrating the platform’s capabilities and showing how it simplifies interactions with the more than 150 government entities currently operating on the island.
The app also includes real-time Transport Board bus location information to help travellers plan their commute.
CEO Touch Star Group of Companies addresses gathering how the app would be used. (Photo credit: Ricardo Roberts/Barbados TODAY)
Drummett demonstrated how the “Tell Pearly” feature works by walking the audience through a real-world scenario involving a road hazard, such as a pothole.
In under 30 seconds, the app utilised location data and image uploads to route the complaint to the correct authority, eliminating the confusion of having to manually determine which office to contact.
“Citizens should not have to figure out which ministry, department or agency is responsible for a particular issue,” Drummett explained. “With Pearly, users simply describe the problem, add their location and upload photos if necessary. The platform automatically sends the report to the correct government department.”
Drummett also showcased the platform’s public transport utility. By leveraging a substantial dataset — consisting of over 61 000 traffic points — the app provides users with real-time visibility of bus locations and island-wide traffic congestion.
He noted that future iterations will include predictive traffic alerts, giving commuters the information needed to make better decisions about their journeys and avoid significant delays.
Perhaps the most critical feature demonstrated was the “emergency mode”. Drummett illustrated how, during severe weather events such as hurricanes, the app transforms into a simplified interface.
This ensures rapid reporting is possible even when connectivity is compromised, with reports saved locally and automatically transmitted once a connection is restored.
He also unveiled a “war room” dashboard for decision-makers, which uses a centralised, interactive map to track active incidents, flood zones and the location of vulnerable populations — allowing for faster and more informed emergency responses.
The platform is not merely a reporting tool; it also functions as an information hub through the “Ask Pearly” service. “Instead of calling an office and waiting on hold, citizens can simply ask Pearly a question,” Drummett noted. The app provides verified information on operating hours, required documentation and direct links to necessary government services.
The platform’s development, led by Barbadian software engineers, prioritises security and privacy. Nakira, the software engineer and data compliance officer, confirmed that the platform employs end-to-end encryption.
“When a citizen submits a report, it is only visible to authorised personnel who need to deal with that issue,” she said.
For the government, Pearly serves as a tool for accountability. The system tracks each report from submission to resolution. If a department fails to meet a deadline, the platform automatically escalates the issue to management, ensuring that leadership maintains full visibility over service delivery.
While the app is now live and available for public use, Drummett said the team is committed to continuous refinement. He encouraged both citizens and public servants to provide feedback through the app’s internal tools.
“Pearly is not perfect, and we do not expect it to be,” he said. “We want citizens and public servants to tell us what works and what can be improved so we can continue building a platform that truly serves Barbados.”
(RR)
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