Barbados is one of the most peaceful, least crime-ridden English-speaking Caribbean countries, with a stable yet growing economy in the region.

Its people are very educated, friendly for the most part, law-abiding citizens, and it has been a tourism province for many decades.

So it comes as a major surprise that the UK would place a travel advisory on Barbados, a Caribbean island known as “Little England”.

The UK Government has declared that Barbados, of all places, could be subject to terrorist attacks and that it could be a place where British citizens could be harmed. 

Barbados has never had terrorist attacks. That kind of incident is an anathema to life in Barbados. There are never young men losing their minds and going on a killing spree every few weeks.

Last week, the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)  put out an advisory on Barbados, which read :

“There is a high threat of terrorist attacks globally affecting the UK’s interests and British nationals, including groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.

Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Barbados, attacks cannot be ruled out.

There have been incidents of violent crime, including:

• Armed robbery
• Sexual assault
• Gang-related shootings
• Carjacking

“There has been an increase in gang-related murders involving guns. Some incidents have taken place in populated and public areas. Take sensible precautions to protect your personal safety.”

This advisory will cause alarm, particularly as many Brits visit Barbados. Last year saw over 700,000 stay-over visitors come to Barbados, of which around 240,000 came from the UK.

Tourism’s total contribution to the Barbadian economy is estimated to be over 40 per cent. 

Knowing this, why would the UK look to harm it this way? Is this politically motivated? Did Barbados do something which caused the ire of the British Government? Does it feel that Prime Minister Mia Mottley is getting too big for her britches?

Mottley is undoubtedly the most outstanding leader in the Caribbean and has carved a favourable reputation on the world stage. She is paid attention to, and some say could one day be a Secretary-General of the United Nations. She is eloquent as she is very intelligent and has down a good job managing the economy of Barbados  which is reporting growth of 2.7 per cent a year, for 2025.

To place Barbados in the frame as a country where terrorism is likely is a stab in ihe heart of a benign country where there is practically no chaos and very little social upheaval.

Prominent businessmen, Dermot Desmond and J.P. McManus, who own the Sandy Lane luxury hotel, would attest to the stability of Barbados. So too would Dizzy Williams and Kyffn Simpson, men who have built fortunes from Barbados, where turmoil, uncertainty,and political unrest do not bedevil the country. Barbados is a place where you can raise families, do business and live in peace and harmony. It is not a tinder box ready to explode.

So why this depiction? 

Barbados’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kerrie Symmonds, made an astute observation that should be pondered. In an interview, he said: “I don’t see any basis for even mentioning the issue of terrorism with respect to Barbados because it is obviously a nonexistent threat and highly improbable.

“But I imagine that, as with many countries in the North Atlantic, where in recent times, right-wing public policy has alienated and offended both migrant populations and the dignity and self-respect of citizens of developing countries, there will be a concern about the potential backlash which such hateful and diverse policy making can cause.

“Perhaps that is the reason why the issue has been raised. But in the report itself concedes there is no recent history of such incidents in this country.”

The UK’s stance on this matter is at variance with that of the United States who earlier this year said in its travel advisory on Barbados, that the highest risk to visitors is petty theft and that Barbados poses a” low threat’ when it comes to terrorism.

Barbados travel advisory from the United States 

The current US Department of State travel advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travellers should exercise normal precautions in Barbados. 

Crime

The US Department of State has assessed Bridgetown as being a HIGH-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official US government interests. The Department of State has not included a crime “C” indicator on the travel advisory for Barbados.

There was a general increase in murders in 2024, when compared to 2023, with 50 murders (a rate of 17.7 per 100,000). Despite the increase, Barbados boasts a comparatively lower violent crime rate when compared to other nations in the region.

Most violent crime occurs between members of rival crime groups and does not target tourists or spill over into tourist areas. There is no serious risk to travellers from violent crime. 

Crimes of opportunity, such as petty larceny, burglary, automobile break-ins, as well as incidents of violent crime, such as murder, sexual assault, robbery, shootings, and drug-related crimes do occasionally occur. 

The highest risk to foreign travellers is that of petty theft; while travellers should always exercise caution and guard their belongings, criminals do not specifically target US travellers visiting Barbados.

Tourism 

 Tourism is a major contributor to regional economies. U.S. nationals residing in Barbados do not always enjoy the same level of police protection that regional governments provide to tourist areas. 

 ​Exercise vigilance at night in the downtown area. Undertake travel outside of tourist areas with caution, especially at night, due to the prevalence of unmarked and unlighted roads. Avoid walking alone, especially at night, on beaches, and in isolated or poorly lighted locations. Be vigilant when using public ATMs, especially those located in secluded areas. 

Kidnapping Threat The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Barbados.   Kidnapping is a rare phenomenon in Barbados, consistently ranking near the bottom of reported crimes. 

 Terrorism

 ​ The U.S. Department of State has assessed Bridgetown as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The U.S. Department of State has not included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Barbados. Though specific terrorism incident reporting from the Eastern Caribbean remains relatively low, the region has several vulnerabilities that terrorist elements could exploit, such as porous borders, established narcotic and alien smuggling routes, and limited counter-terrorism capabilities. The exploitation of one of these vulnerabilities could have serious implications for U.S. organizations based in Barbados, and the Caribbean tourism trade in general. 

Political violence and civil unrest

The Department of State has assessed Bridgetown as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The Department of State has not included a civil unrest “U” Indicator on the travel advisory for Barbados. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent. 

Elections/political stability

The islands of the Eastern Caribbean are peaceful and have experienced little political violence or revolution. The political climates are stable, with little threat of political violence. Labour riots in the 1930s were the last major event to transcend the region.