No reports of a 1997 national election call in Barbados were found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. The last three parliamentary elections in Barbados occurred in 1994, 1999 and 2003 (Freedom in the World 2004 9 Sept. 2004; AP 22 May 2003). The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) won all three by a majority (ibid.; Freedom House 9 Sept. 2004). The remaining parliamentary seats were all secured by the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), with the exception of one seat in 1994 that was won by the New Democratic Party (NDP), a splinter of the DLP (ibid.).

According to one source, in a 1997 by-election, the DLP increased its strength by taking a seat from the BLP (Fortune City n.d.). Around the same time, "a former BLP cabinet minister defected to [the DLP] and two NDP MPs rejoined the DLP" (ibid.).

No reports of politically motivated violence preceding or following the 1994, 1999 and 2003 elections, or the 1997 by-election, were found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. According to a 21 May 2003 article in the Jamaica Observer, Barbados has a "stout performance record" of free and fair election. Similarly, the Barbados Advocate described the Barbados election process as a "model for the rest of the Caribbean" (20 May 2003). Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003 and Freedom House both described the May 2003 elections as "free and fair" (25 Feb. 2004; 9 Sept. 2004).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Associated Press (AP). 22 May 2003. Eric Nurse. "Governing Barbados Labor Party Wins Elections by Landslide." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/05/22/international0551EDT0495.DTL [Accessed 8 Mar. 2005]

Barbados Advocate. 20 May 2003. Stephen Alleyne. "Keep It Violence-Free." http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/NewViewNewsleft.cfm?Record=13400 [Accessed 8 Mar. 2005]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003. 25 February 2004. "Barbados." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27885.htm [Accessed 8 Mar. 2005]

Fortune City. n.d. "Recent Events". http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/newton/568/revents.htm [Accessed 11 Mar. 2005]

Freedom House. 9 September 2004. Freedom in the World 2004. "Barbados." http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2004/countryratings/barbados.htm [Accessed 10 Mar. 2005]

Jamaica Observer [Kingston]. 21 May 2003. Rickey Singh. "Barbadians Vote Today." http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20030520T210000-0500_44040_OBS_BARBADIANS_VOTE_TODAY.asp [Accessed 8 Mar. 2005]

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004, EINnews.com; Human Wrights Watch, World News Connection (WNC).