Sack off commuting for lazy days on the white sand beaches of Barbados – and maybe a little bit of work…
Most of you are probably pretty used to working from home by now, right? You’ve mastered Zoom calls from bed, spreadsheets from the sofa, and the odd personal development meeting from the kitchen – which means you’re ready to embark on the next level of working from home: working from paradise. The ‘Barbados Welcome Stamp’ was teased by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley last week, and would see overseas visitors invited to set up their home office in Barbados for a year-long stay.
Now, before you get too excited, it’s important to note that the project is currently still only in the works, with the concept being refined by the Barbadian government. Still, this is more than enough to get us wildly excited, with Mottley revealing that the Barbados Welcome Stamp would allow “persons to come and work from here overseas, digitally so, so that persons don’t need to remain in the countries in which they are”.
As the rain falls and the wind blows outside my window – in July, lest we forget – the idea of WFB (Working From Barbados) becomes ever more attractive. It’s a canny move for a nation in which tourism makes a significant contribution to the economy; as short-term trips can be completely upended by the arrival of, oh I don’t know, let’s say a global pandemic, a twelve month stay encourages “slow travel”, and lets one really explore the destination you’re visiting. With Barbados reopening to tourists from July 12, the need to welcome back visitors and encourage them to spend has become even more pressing. Plus, you can have Zoom meetings on the beach, which is sure to make your colleagues green with envy.
We will of course keep you updated on the development of this scheme – which I can foresee being wildly popular if it does come to fruition – with only a slight vested interest in doing so. I mean, it’s the chance to explore the food, culture, history, and breathtaking beauty of Barbados on your lunch hour (if the antiquated notion of a lunch hour even still exists in your new island lifestyle). See you there?