(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) When Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) rose from around the table late Saturday, 4 July 2009, they had completed a formidable agenda of items aimed at steering the Community’s course, items that were especially challenging such as the free movement of skills and the global economic and financial crisis.
At a press conference shortly after the 30th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government concluded at the Guyana International Conference Centre, His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana and Chairman of the Conference, reported that the “serious issues of the agenda”, warranted and received the full attention of the Heads of Government.
With him at the Press Conference were the Hon Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the Hon. Stephenson King, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia and His Excellency Edwin Carrington, Secretary-General of CARICOM.
The firm commitment by the Heads of Government to the integration movement was reflected in part by the decisions taken over the three-day Meeting regarding the expansion of the categories of persons who can freely move and work in the Region. From 1 January 2010 household domestics who have obtained a Caribbean Vocational Qualification or equivalent qualification will be allowed to move. They join the list of graduates of all recognised universities in the world, artistes, musicians, sportspersons, media workers, nurses, teachers, artisans with a Caribbean Vocational Qualification, and holders of Associate Degrees or comparable qualifications.
The Heads of Government also agreed on the importance of training and sensitising Immigration Officers on the implementation of the Region’s approach to free movement and hassle free travel.
The decision on the new category of workers was made against the backdrop of an acknowledgement that the global crisis prevented full implementation of aspects of free movement. Antigua and Barbuda, which has had a liberal immigration policy, has been granted a five-year derogation on the implementation of the new decision.
A convocation on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) is to be held later this year, and the schedule for free movement will be considered with a view to advising on the timetable for full free movement.
Pointing to the “magnitude” of the agreement on free movement, President Jagdeo said “hopefully, this will convince many people that the Region is serious about its obligations and is serious about moving forward”.
Given the devastating consequences of the current economic and financial crisis on Member States, President Jagdeo reported that the Meeting recognized that there was need for immediate interventions to avoid catastrophe. The Services Sector, including Tourism and Finance, were among the areas that were badly affected by the crisis.
He told representatives of the media that a High Level Mobilisation Task Force had been established. The Task Force will be led by President Jagdeo and will include the Hon. David Thompson, the Hon. Bruce Golding, Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Ministers of Barbados, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, respectively, Secretary-General Carrington, Dr. Len Ishmael, Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr. Compton Bourne, President of the Caribbean Development Bank, Dr. Delisle Worrell, member of the Special Team of Experts named by Heads of Government in May at a Special Caucus, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Trinidad and Tobago.
The High Level Mobilisation Task Force is mandated to address the facilitation required for the mobilisation of new resources from the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and determine a core set of actions which need to be undertaken by CARICOM States in the short-to medium-term in order to ensure their economic transformation.
Referring to the impact of the crisis as a “really difficult situation” the President underscored that the Region had to do a series of things very urgently, such as mobilizing resources for Member States
“…If they don’t have emergency assistance, the situation could become catastrophic for some of these countries,” President Jagdeo warned, and added that the crisis had reversed, in some countries, “years and years of gains”.
With regard to Agriculture, for which President Jagdeo has lead responsibility in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, Heads of Government agreed on expanding resources to the sector, given its importance to food security, and for the development of a competitive industry given the large number of people employed in the sector region-wide.
Agriculture was dealt with in a “very comprehensive manner” President Jagdeo said.
Declarations on `Agriculture and Food Security’, the `Financial Sector’ and `Climate Change and Development’ were issued at the conclusion of the Meeting.
Other Heads of Government who attended the Conference were Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Hon. Winston Baldwin Spencer; the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, The Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham; the Prime Minister of Barbados, Hon. David J. H. Thompson; the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Dean Oliver Barrow; the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit; the Prime Minister of Grenada, Hon. Tillman Thomas; the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Hon. Bruce Golding; the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves; and the President of Suriname, His Excellency Drs. Runaldo R. Venetiaan.
Hon. Alrich Nicolas, Minister of Foreign Affairs represented Haiti, Hon. John A. Osborne Minister of Education, Health and Community Services represented Montserrat, His Excellency Delano Bart, Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary represented the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Associate Members in attendance were: the Chief Minister of Anguilla, Hon. Osbourne B. Fleming; the Premier of Bermuda, Hon. Ewart Brown, and Hon. Mark Scotland, Minister of Health represented the Cayman Islands.
