Business executive Debra Debbie Hughes has been appointed to chair Barbados’ Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) and has pledged to prioritise electoral reform when the board convenes for the first time since February’s general election.
Hughes, the Chief Executive Officer of Needhams Point Development Holdings Inc. (NPDH), the state-owned enterprise that owns Hilton Barbados Resort, replaces Senior Counsel Ramon Alleyne as EBC chair.
When the commission meets next week for the first time since the February 11 general election, one of the main areas for discussion will be proposals to overhaul the electoral process, Hughes told Barbados TODAY in an exclusive interview.
“Our first meeting is scheduled for next week where the commission will obviously review the last election; and from there, the commission will determine the agenda for the coming term. But as you know, the prime minister had announced that she is going to be forming an electoral reform commission. I don’t know the exact name, but I know she had announced something to that effect. And our commission will naturally be able to make recommendations to that commission. So, that would certainly be one of the things that we will be looking at, once we do all of our reviews and so on. That will be one of the things I am sure that will be on our agenda.
“As to the specifics, I can’t give you those at the moment because the commission needs to meet formally.”
The recommendations of the CARICOM Observer Mission, which oversaw the poll, would also be discussed, she said.
“That is something that we will also be looking at, obviously. They are things that will be taken into consideration, I am sure,” stated the EBC chair, whose appointment took effect earlier this month and runs for three years.
Hughes, who has extensive experience working in elections across several Caribbean countries, sees her appointment as a major responsibility to which she is committed.
“It’s a big responsibility. It’s one of the areas where, as the prime minister had indicated, there is need for reform; and I am happy to have the opportunity to make a contribution in that regard,” said Hughes, who is also Chile’s honorary consul here.
Soon after her swearing-in at State House following this year’s election victory, Prime Minister Mia Mottley acknowledged there had been missteps in the poll and said Barbados needed electoral reform.
She noted that legislation governing elections was more than 30 years old.
In June last year, she unveiled a series of significant proposals before the House of Assembly aimed at overhauling Barbados’ electoral and parliamentary system, including increasing the number of constituencies and revising boundary rules, as outlined in the 2024 Parliamentary Reform Commission report.
As she laid the long-awaited report in the House, Mottley outlined several far-reaching proposals contained in it, along with her own views on what should come next for the country’s democratic evolution.
Among the PRC’s key recommendations is an increase in the number of seats in the House of Assembly and ensuring that the number of parliamentary seats is always an odd number to avoid ties, particularly in cases where the Speaker of the House is appointed and does not vote.
“The Electoral and Boundaries Commission is due to review the seats and their composition,” Mottley said.
She highlighted concerns raised by the Leader of the Opposition about community disruption caused by boundary lines cutting through neighbourhoods.
“I agree with that,” she noted. “But I also agree that the continuous evolution of boundaries will always cause problems and disruption.”
The Electoral and Boundaries Commission is dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. It is responsible for national and electoral registration and for ensuring every citizen’s right to vote is protected. The EBC’s mission is to facilitate free and fair elections, supported by its commitment to transparency and accountability.
The post New EBC chair to mull election mission report appeared first on Barbados Today.
