BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley says Governor-General Dame Sandra Mason will on Saturday issue a writ for a by-election to be held here on May 21 following the formal resignation of government backbencher, Edmund Hinkson, that took effect on Friday.

Mottley in a brief broadcast, said that she had held talks with the governor-general, who had informed here of the correspondence she had received from Parliament confirming Hinkson’s resignation as the parliamentary representative for the St James North constituency.

“I visited her excellency today and indicated that the write should be issued tomorrow, Saturday the 26th of April, 2025. Similarly, I indicated that Nomination Day should be Tuesday, the sixth of May 2025, and the polling date for the election of a member of the House of Assembly for the constituency of St James North shall be Wednesday 27th of May 2025,” Mottley said.

She said that the by-election will be “quick election” adding “as we approach this important date, let us all show the best of who we are, respectful, responsible and proud.

“Let us exercise our rights peacefully, uphold the dignity of the process and set a positive example for all future generations. Every word that we speak, every action that we take, reflects not just on ourselves, but on this community which we cherish. Together, let us make this a by-election of which we can all be proud,” she added.

Earlier, the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) said it had officially named Educational Transformation Minister Chad Blackman as its candidate, with Mottley indicating that the BLP’s National Council had given its unanimous backing to the 42-year-old Blackman.

Blackman, who previously served as Barbados’ ambassador to Geneva and held a senior consultancy role with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), will be required to resign from his position in the Senate and the Cabinet in order to contest the poll.

The governing BLP has won all 30 seats in the past two general elections, but one of its members, Ralph Thorne KC, resigned to join the main opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP), becoming the Opposition Leader in the Parliament.