The ultramarine represents the ocean; the golden middle band represents the sand.
The trident symbol was taken from Barbados's colonial badge, where the trident of Poseidon is held by Britannia. The absence of the staff symbolises the country's break from its colonial past. The three points of the trident are said to represent the three principles of democracy, as set out by Lincoln at Gettysburg: government of the people, by the people, for the people.
Similarly to that of the Bahamas, the official description of the flag refers to 'ultramarine' and 'gold' rather than blue and yellow.
© Haydn Thompson 2017