Barbados

Senate

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
No

About parliament

Basic information such as the official name of parliament and details of its structure and leadership. Also includes the current breakdown of MPs by sex and age, and provisions for quotas and reserved seats.

Parliament name
Parliament of Barbados (Parlement de Barbade)
Chamber name
Senate
Structure & status of parliament
Upper chamber
Parliamentary term (years)
5

IPU membership

Affiliation periods
Not applicable
IPU Geopolitical Group/s
No information available

Speaker

Official title
President of the Senate
Speaker
Reginald Farley (Male)
Date of birth: 26 Jun 1961
Term
15 Sep 2020
Additional information

Elected on 15 Sep. 2020.

Speaker terms

No information available

Secretary general

Official title
Clerk of Parliament
Secretary General
Pedro E. Eastmond (Male)
Term
No information available

Members

Statutory number of members
21

Notes:

The Senate comprises 21 appointed members as follows:

- 12 senators appointed by the Prime Minister;

- 7 by the President of the Republic*;

- 2 by the Leader of the Opposition.

* Instead of the Governor General, the President of the Republic appoints seven senators, following Parliament’s adoption of the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill in October 2021, under which the country became a republic.

Principal mode of designation of members
Appointed
Appointed members
21
Current number of members
21
Men
13
Women
8
Percentage of women
38.1%
Statutory number of members per country
51
Population (in thousands)
282
Inhabitants per parliamentarian
5,529

Age

Data on the age of parliamentarians is collected at the start of the legislature, following the most recent elections. This data is not updated during the legislature, except when parliament notifies the IPU of a change in the youngest or oldest member.

Average age of all members
No information available
Number of members, by age
Breakdown of members by age and gender
18 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 45 46 - 50 51 - 60 61 - 70 71 - 80 81 - 90 91 and over Totals per gender
Male No information available
Female
Total <= 45: - Total >= 46: -
Percentage of members, by age
Age at the last election or renewal Overall Male Female
Percentage of MPs 30 years of age or younger
- - -
Percentage of MPs 40 years of age or younger
- - -
Percentage of MPs 45 years of age or younger
- - -

Reserved seats and quotas

There are reserved seats in parliament for certain groups
Yes
Other groups
-

Notes: Seven senators shall be appointed by the Governor-General, acting in his discretion, by instrument under the Public Seal, to represent religious, economic or social interests or such other interests as the Governor-General considers ought to be represented.

Electoral quota for women
No

Sources: Constitution, article 36 §4

Youth quota
No

Links to additional information

Parliamentary website
List of members
Rules of procedure/Standing Orders
Constitution

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No