The free movement of CARICOM nationals within the single market and economy; free to work, free to live, free to visit: it's been promised for years, and planners say that the reality is finally upon us.
Today they held a session to explain to immigration officers and others stake holders how to process the regional nationals.
Steven McAndrew, CARICOM
"The training that is being held today is a training for a immigration officers because our heads of government recognize that we need to train specific groups, specific persons with regards the service elements of the CSME: The CARICOM Single Market & Economy. One of the most important groups are immigration officers because if you allow people to move, you will need to train your immigration officers in order to enable them to deal with other CARICOM nationals who are seeking to enter Belize or other member states."
"The free movement is currently limited. Only a number of categories have now the right to move namely: artists, musicians, university graduates, media workers, and self-employed persons who are either moving to provide a service or establish a business. In order to move the first five categories (artists, musicians, graduates, media workers) will need to obtain what we call a certificate of CARICOM skills recognition, which will prove that they are what they say they are for e.g. it will prove that a university is really a university graduate."
Col. Peter Parchue, Dir. Immigration Department
"It is important not only to train the officers but all the stakeholders that have to do with the movement of skilled persons in the Caribbean Community. We wouldn't want to disenfranchise any member of the Caribbean Community to what they are entitled. The free movement of people has already embarked upon us and we have been managing it so far. The critical part now is to give these people the recognition and part of that recognition is awarding them the appropriate certificate in the respective skill or profession they have acquired in their home country."
"There is a area that people believe they will be a massive flood of people at our ports of entries from all the Caribbean countries - that is an argument but if you look at it, people are already moving and we have been managing. So if we are expecting that there will be a flood of people waiting at our gates to come in because of this free movement of persons, I beg to differ."
Presently the movement of CARICOM nationals is being allowed in a phased basis where only skilled persons are allowed movement followed by certification in specific fields.