Dave, it is true that even on the south ramp away from the big stuff on the north side they do treat any aircraft movement as if one were a 747 - not a bad thing though as being in contact all the time eliminates some runway incursion risk.
The oddest thing I find about Barbados is that one files a flight plan even if remaining in the pattern.
On my Saturday afternoon anti-clockwise circuits of the island I believe that with some powerful binoculars the tower (one stays on the tower frequency, one is never far enough to be handled by approach) could keep me in sight for the whole flight if I'm above 3,000ft and the cloud cooperates.
On the licences - one can get a Barbados licence, there is an air law exam - the air nav order is B$100 - gets one a copy of the acts to read as prep, none of the US/EU computer prep stuff. So not practical to get a Barbados licence if only over of a couple of weeks, getting a US licence based on a JAR one and flying one of the N reg to other islands is probably the best option. I believe that, subject to check out, one can fly 8P aircraft within the Barbados Class D solo on a JAA licence.