Election observers from the Commonwealth arrived in the country on Thursday.
The Commonwealth mission, led by Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, former Speaker of the Saint Lucia House of Assembly, will comprise six observers drawn from across the Commonwealth and supported by its secretariat staff.
Representatives from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) also arrived on Thursday.
According to the Barbados Government Information Service, the hosting of both delegations follows a formal invitation from Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who said the move reaffirmed Barbados’ commitment to democratic practice, transparency and the rule of law.
During their stay, the observer missions will monitor the conduct of the election campaign, administrative preparations and the overall pre-election environment.
On polling day, the teams are expected to observe the opening of polling stations, the casting of ballots, and the counting and tabulation of results.
The observers are also expected to meet with key stakeholders, including the Electoral and Boundaries Commission, political parties, media representatives and civil society organisations.
Following the conclusion of the election, the missions will issue preliminary statements on their findings before submitting final, comprehensive reports.
The deployment comes amid criticism from opposition parties over the timing of the election and concerns about discrepancies on the voters’ list.
Democratic Labour Party leader Ralph Thorne has called for the election to be postponed, citing alleged irregularities on the electoral roll and arguing that more time was needed for corrections.
Prime Minister Mottley has said, however, that the election date could not be altered under Section 18 of the Representation of the People Act.
Defending the unprecedented move to invite observers, Mottley said the presence of independent missions would allow the public to assess the integrity of the process for themselves.