The Social Partnership of Barbados

The document describes Barbados' tripartite governance model, based on voluntary cooperation between the government, employers and workers.

Created in the 1990s during a severe economic crisis, this mechanism—which has no formal legal framework—has maintained the country's economic and social stability through dialogue and consensus-building. Over more than three decades, the partnership has been consolidated through six successive protocols, which expanded its scope from wage policy to issues of productivity, decent work, public health and regional integration.

Its structure includes a plenary session chaired by the Prime Minister and a tripartite technical subcommittee, coordinated by the Ministry of Labour.

The document concludes that this model demonstrates the effectiveness of social dialogue as a governance tool in small island states, although it recommends strengthening and institutionalising its mechanisms to ensure its future sustainability.