The Senate comprises 21 members. These members are appointed by the following process:

12:- by the Prime Minister

07:- by the Governor-General at his discretion to represent various interests in the community such as religious, economic, social or other such interests as he thinks ought to be represented; and

02:- by the Leader of the Opposition.

Senators may also be appointed as Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries. The Senate meets chiefly when there is business from the House of Assembly.

The Presiding Officer of the Senate is the President. He sometimes performs the functions of the office of Governor-General where the Governor-General is away from his post.

The Senate is referred to as the Upper House

Highlights of the Senate

The Senate Chamber features a fine oval mahogany table which is part of the original furniture of the Chamber.

The stained-glass windows in the Senate feature the Coats-of-Arms of former Speakers of the House and Presidents of the Legislative Council which preceded the Senate.

The Chandeliers are made of Waterford Crystal and were a joint presentation by Lord Wedgwood of Barlston, England and Mr. Geoffrey Cave of Cave Shepherd, our main department store, to the people of Barbados for the 350th Anniversary of Parliament in 1989.

PRESIDENTS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL

• John Brathwaite
• 1813
• John S. Gaskin
• 1835
• Grant E. Thomas
• 1847
• Sir T. Graham Briggs. Bart.
• 1876
• Sir George C. Pile
• 1882
• W.P. Leacock
• 1906
• Sir W.K. Chandler
• 1912
• Sir J.R. Phillips, O.B.E.
• 1928
• Sir G.L. Pile, C.B.E
• 1938
• Sir John Hutson, O.B.E., V.D., M.B., C.M., D.H.P.
• 1942
• S.C. Thorne
• 1944
• Sir D.C. Leacock
• 1947
• Sir J.D. Chandler
• 1950
• Sir H.A. Cuke, C.B.E
• 1956
• Sir H.G. Masiah, C.B.E., M.B., C.M.
• 1956-1963

PRESIDENTS OF THE SENATE

• Sir H.G. Massiah, K.B.E., M.B., C.M.
• 1964-1966
• The Hon. Sir E. Stanley Robinson, C.B.E.
• 1966-1974
• The Hon. Sir J.E. Theodore Brancker, Q.C., F.Z.S.
• 1971-1976
• The Hon. Sir Arnott S. Cato, K.A., K.C.M.G.
• 1976-1986
• The Hon. Sir Frank L. Walcott, O.B.E., LL.D.
• 1986-1992
• The Hon. Marcus deL. Jordan
• 1992-1994
• His Hon. Senator Sir Fred Gollop, K.A.
• 1994-2008
• His Hon. Senator Dr. Branford M. Taitt.
• 2008- February 2012
• Her Hon. Senator Kerryann F. Ifill.
• March 2012 - 2018
• His Honour Senator Dr. Sir Richard L. Cheltenham, KA, Q.C. PhD., J.P. B.Sc. (Econ.)
• May 2018 - Present