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By
Raphael John Lall
Minister of Foreign Affairs Paula Gopee-Scoon has said that
skilled workers will soon be able to move freely throughout
the region after further legislative measures to be taken
by Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries.
She said this decision was taken at the Caricom Heads of
Government conference held in the Bahamas in early March.
Gopee-Scoon made this statement during a recent press conference
at the Ministry of Finance tower. Eric Williams Financial
Complex, Independence Square, Port-of-Spain.
“The
Honourable Prime Minister of Dominica gave a status report
on the free movement of skilled nationals and facilitation
of travel within the region and in particular spoke of the
free movement of non-graduate teachers and nurses and artisans
and holders of associate degrees which has not been implemented
by all member states.
“Member
states have thus agreed to take the necessary legislative
and other measures to ensure that all categories of free
movement are urgently attended to and that these persons
are given that right,” she said.
She said non-completion of the administrative process will
not be a deterrent in keeping Caricom nationals from moving
freely within the region.
“Where
the legal process has not been completed, eligible Caricom
nationals must be facilitated administratively. Non-completion
of the legal process should not and will not be used to
deny Caricom nationals their rights to free movement,”
she said.
She said the issue of entry requirements was also discussed
by the heads. “With regard to the facilitation of travel,
member states apart from Belize, Guatemala, Guyana and Suriname
also agreed to allow Caricom nationals the definitive entry
of six months, subject of course to their rights to reject
undesirable persons,” she said.
Gopee-Scoon added that the secretary-general of Caricom,
Dr Edwin Carrington called upon the regional governments
to act urgently on the issue saying that time was not on
the side of the region as it seeks to meet the needs of
its people.
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