In Barbados, Mia Mottley Earns a Historic Third Term

With her party capturing every seat in the House of Assembly, Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Mottley has achieved an unprecedented third straight election victory. For the third time, her party, the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), took home all 30 seats in Parliament. In the history of the island nation, the triumph represents a significant political turning point.Results of the Election 30/30 seats were won by BLP. Ralph Thorne, the leader of the opposition, was removed.

Mottley is only the second leader to hold office for more than two terms in a row. During her speech of victory, Mottley promised to: Cut down on poverty Boost the infrastructure Boost medical care Boost traffic safetyPolitical Background The election brought to light two opposing strategies: Mottley's diplomacy with a global perspective, including climate activism Opposition emphasizes issues related to the domestic economy. Mottley has advocated debt-for-climate swaps and been a prominent global voice on debt reform for countries at risk from climate change. Barbados made a substantial improvement last year by bringing its debt-to-GDP ratio down to just about 100% from bond defaults in 2018.Global Response In addition to congratulating Mottley on her "clear electoral victory," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated interest in enhancing collaboration on: Control of crime Prevention of drug trafficking Security in the region Barbados continues to play a significant strategic role in the Caribbean.