BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (GIS) – Property owners are advised that government has reviewed the Health Services Regulations pertaining to public health nuisances in Barbados and amended the Health Services Act, in an effort to preserve the health of Barbadians and visitors to the island.
The purpose of the legislation is to encourage property owners to maintain their properties in a manner that would not create a public health nuisance or would not be aesthetically pleasing to the public.
To this end, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MHW) wishes to advise the public of the changes in the legislation and their likely impact.
Under the provisions of the Health Services (Nuisances) Regulations, 2024, any contravention of the provisions of any regulations made under the Health Services Act, CAP 44 is subject to an administrative penalty of $300 and an additional penalty of $10 for every day, or part thereof, for which the contravention continues.
- Where a person contravenes a regulation, a contravention notice is first served giving up to 21 days to remedy the contravention. Where the person fails to remedy the contravention within the specified period, the administrative penalty will be imposed.
- Where a person fails to complete works necessary to remedy a contravention, the ministry of health and wellness may cause those works to be performed, and the associated costs due to the State shall be a charge on that property and be added to the land tax imposed under section 5(2)of the Land Tax Act, Cap. 78A.
Additionally, the public should note that the ministry is actively collaborating with the ministry of the environment and National Beautification’s National Debushing Programme, which will commence on November 1, 2025.
This is to ensure that overgrown lots and properties that would be in contravention of the Health Services (Nuisances) Regulations, 2024, are debushed in a timely manner, thus alleviating the discomfort that may be attributed to these conditions.
Unkempt or untidy lots have the potential to encourage harbourage of pests, and water settlements leading to mosquito breeding. Therefore, the ministry looks forward to the full cooperation of the public in keeping Barbados clean.