(Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) – Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, Senator the Hon. Dr. Amery Browne, on Tuesday 18 March said that the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) is a robust framework for economic cooperation, resilience, and sustainable growth.
In his remarks at the opening of a National Consultations on CSME Implementation Arrangements and Procedures in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Browne said that the CSME goes beyond an economic structure, embodying a shared vision of strength, unity, and prosperity for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
He stated that the CSME represents CARICOM’s collective goal to foster an environment where businesses can flourish, investments can move freely, and people can work and contribute meaningfully across the region.
“The CSME is a testament to the principle that our greatest strength lies in collaboration and that by working together, we can achieve far more than we ever could alone,” said the Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Minister.
You can read the full text of Dr. Browne’s speech below.
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Remarks by Sen. the Hon. Dr Amery Browne | at the National Consultations on CSME Implementation Arrangements and Procedures | Trinidad and Tobago | 18 March 2025
It is my distinct honour and privilege to welcome you all to this important National Consultations on CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Implementation Arrangements and Procedures.
I am especially pleased to extend a warm welcome to His Excellency, Wayne McCook, Assistant Secretary-General, Single Market and Trade Directorate of the CARICOM Secretariat, along with his esteemed delegation. This distinguished group includes the Director of the CARICOM Single Market Unit, the Assistant General Counsel, the Communications Specialist, the Deputy Programme Manager of the Free Movement and Labour Unit and the Senior Project Officer of the Customs and Trade Policy Unit. Your presence here today underscores the shared commitment to deepening regional integration and strengthening the mechanisms that drive our collective progress.
Ladies and gentlemen, the CSME is the cornerstone of regional integration. It provides a robust framework for economic cooperation, resilience, and sustainable growth. At its core are five fundamental pillars; the free movement of labour, goods, capital, services, and the right of establishment, which collectively create the foundation for a more dynamic and integrated regional economy.
However, the CSME is far more than an economic construct; it is a shared vision of strength, unity and prosperity for our Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It reflects our collective aspiration to create an environment where businesses can thrive, investment can flow freely and our people can move, work, and contribute meaningfully across the region. The CSME is a testament to the principle that our greatest strength lies in collaboration and that by working together, we can achieve far more than we ever could alone.
For these reasons, upon assuming the Chairmanship of CARICOM in January of this year, the Prime Minister of Barbados in concert with Trinidad and Tobago and other Heads of Government, underscored the urgency of resuming the full implementation of the CSME. This will allow Member States continue to navigate the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the external shocks of climate change and the impacts of global geopolitical developments. Prime Minister Mottley highlighted that the free movement of all CARICOM nationals is fundamental to this vision, stating, and I quote, that free movement is essential for “unlocking the true potential of our peoples and our economies.”
In response to this critical call to action, CARICOM Heads of Government, at the recently concluded Forty-Eighth Regular Meeting of the Conference, agreed to implement full and free movement of all CARICOM nationals by 1 June 2025. This regime will be facilitated through the Protocol on Enhanced Cooperation, allowing Member States that are ready to advance this initiative, to do so, in a coordinated manner.
Significantly, this commitment extends beyond the facilitation of orderly migration; it ensures that CARICOM nationals will benefit from basic social benefits, including guarantees for access to primary and secondary education, access to emergency and primary healthcare, the right to indefinite stay and the right to work without a work permit. This decision marks a transformative milestone in our regional integration agenda, our collective determination to uphold the vision of CARICOM’s founding fathers and deliver meaningful, tangible benefits to the citizens of our Community.
At the national level, Trinidad and Tobago has been steadfast in its commitment to this goal. Since the announcement of full and free movement at the Forty-Fifth Regular Meeting of the Conference in July 2023, significant strides have been made to operationalize this critical aspect of the CSME. Recognizing the importance of labour mobility, the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs established the Domestic Legislative Drafting Committee (DLDC). This dedicated team of twenty-five (25) legal and technical experts undertook a comprehensive review of sixty (60) pieces of domestic legislation, to identify and address legal and regulatory barriers to full and free movement.
In January of this year, I had the opportunity to apprise Cabinet of the Committee’s progress, including the prioritization of legislative amendments to key laws such as the Immigration Act, the Immigration (Caribbean Community Skilled Nationals) Act, and the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act. Additionally, the Committee provided actionable recommendations aimed at introducing relevant regulations and establishing appropriate orders to ensure the benefits under the full and free movement regime are realized. I wish to assure you that Trinidad and Tobago is steadfast in its commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) and remains dedicated to the full implementation of the CSME.
With this in mind, I encourage my colleagues present to make full use of these National Consultations. Engage meaningfully with the CARICOM Secretariat officials to ensure timely implementation in your respective areas, whether that be trade in goods, regional transportation, food security and nutrition, regional financial initiatives or ratifying the requisite Protocols. This platform can significantly boost our national efforts.
To the private sector, your role in this process is equally important. Full and free movement expands access to skilled labour, facilitates business growth, streamlines operations and fosters meaningful regional business partnerships. Your continued support for the CSME is vital to the success of our economic integration.
Furthermore, I also encourage continued partnership between International Organizations present and regional bodies. By sharing global best practices and leveraging international support, this region can drive innovation, attract investment and position our economies for sustained growth in an increasingly competitive and uncertain world.
In closing, I wish to extend best wishes to the CARICOM Secretariat for the success of these consultations. Your unwavering commitment to ensuring the full implementation of the CSME across Member States is truly commendable, and the entire region greatly relies on your diligence and expertise. I have full confidence that your engagements with Government Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, the private sector, the media, The University of the West Indies, and, for the first time, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) will be both productive and impactful.
I leave you in the capable hands of the outstanding team from the CSME Unit in the Ministry, who will undoubtedly steer this process with hard work and dedication. These national consultations present us with a unique and invaluable opportunity to refine our strategies, address any existing gaps, and work together on solutions that will help create a more cohesive and effective regional framework.
Let us move forward with shared determination, collaboration and unity, confident that we have the collective strength to ensure that the CSME becomes a meaningful reality for all.
I thank you.
