One hundred and eight candidates have been nominated to contest the January 19 snap election in Barbados, with the island’s two major political parties – the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) – putting up 60 candidates for the 30 seats in play. 

According to Angela Taylor, the supervisor of elections, candidates representing five other political parties and nine independents will take part in the elections called last week by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

Nomination Day was yesterday (January 3).   

In the last general election, held May 2018, the BLP won all 30 seats to unseat the then governing DLP.

BLP member, Bishop Joseph Atherley, would later cross the floor to become leader of the opposition and is now leading the coalition Alliance Party for Progress (APP) which is contesting 20 seats. 

While Atherley has declared there was need for change, both Mottley and DLP Leader Verla De Peiza have declared confidence that they will be victorious.