Let Barbadian diaspora vote

Barbadian citizens living overseas want to be able to vote in the country’s elections, without having to come to the island to do it.

And they are suggesting constitutional changes should be made for this to be facilitated.

That was one of the recommendations to the Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC), which as part of its broad consultations, has been hearing from the Barbadian diaspora regarding the fashioning of a new Constitution.

In their efforts to hear from Barbadians abroad, some Commissioners have so far visited three UK cities hosting sessions. However, similar plans for North America have been rescheduled to next month, after bad weather interrupted the original schedule.

Chair of the CRC’s Stakeholder Committee, Adriel Brathwaite, who attended the meetings in the UK, says many people wanted to see changes with regard to citizenship rights for their descendants, as well as amendments to voting laws.

Mr Brathwaite was speaking this afternoon during a press conference called by the Commission at Parliament.