ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA TO MAINTAIN THE CSME SKILLS REGIME FOR MOVEMENT OF SKILLED CARICOM NATIONALS
This press statement is issued to clarify Antigua and Barbuda’s position on the movement of all CARICON Nationals, and to avoid any misinformation or ambiguity on the matter as stated by Observer Media and subsequently carried by other online local news media.
The recently concluded Forty-Sixth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) received a report of the critical work being done by the Reconstituted Intergovernmental Task Force (IGTF), established to facilitate negotiations for revisions to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC).
The IGTF is presently focused on an immediate directive given by the Heads of Government at their Forty-Fifth meeting, which is to propose amendments to the RTC that will give a legal basis to the free movement of all CARICOM Nationals.
In this process of negotiation, Antigua and Barbuda has signaled that it wishes to maintain its use of the current skills regime, which allows it to focus on addressing labor force demand in the local market.
Antigua and Barbuda currently implements one of the most liberal immigration policies across the region and is considered a forerunner in the integration movement.
Historically, the country practiced an open door immigration policy while under the leadership of Sir. V. C. Bird, which continued under successive labour party administrations, until the global economic crisis brought on severe challenges which made it impossible to continue.
The CSME skills regime was then adopted as a means of allowing the jurisdiction to strengthen necessary human resource capacities.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, Dr. Clarence Henry stated that, “the policy is pragmatic and realistic to avoid dislocation of the indigenous population, protecting jobs, and avoiding exacerbation of our economic/fiscal challenges.”
While Antigua and Barbuda remains committed to the regional integration movement, it continues to balance its limited resources through a process of managed migration which the current CSME skills regime facilitates.
Consequently, Antigua and Barbuda did not give its consent to the full free movement of all CARICOM nationals, as is being contemplated by other Member States of CARICOM come March 31st 2024.
Antigua and Barbuda will however signal its readiness to move towards full free movement of all CARICOM Nationals once it is better equipped to adequately accommodate the possible additional inflow of CARICOM Nationals who may intend to reside and work in the country.
It should be noted that work on finalizing the legal amendments to be made to the RTC to facilitate full free movement of CARICOM nationals will be conducted in the coming weeks through the convening of an IGTF meeting on March 7, 2024, a meeting of the Legal Affairs Committee on March 8, followed by a Heads of Government Meeting on March 15, 2024.
It is hoped that the CARICOM Secretariat will undertake a comprehensive public education programme on this matter, once all arrangements have been concluded, to avoid needless confusion on the movement of Community Nationals.
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Will this stance to incoming Caricom nationals by GOAB limit the free movement of Antiguans and Barbudans to other Caricom countries when Caricom free movement (without csme strictures) becomes a reality later this year?
Let’s hope not, as some A&B wish to seek opportunities elsewhere, especially youth, and they may not have the necessary CSME qualifications.
This is a great comment…. not wanting others to come to Antigua, but expecting Antiguans to go to other territories.
There are much better opportunities elsewhere, and better standard of living too. Just saying.
This is an excellent act I do pray that those two countries 🙏 see it fit an come to reality in order that we be come one body with the same agenda hence I do pray for our Caribbean community 🙏 may the lord keep us safe 🙏 an give us the courage to keep striving for excellence with God in the midst always 🙏.
It is time for Antigua to withdraw from CARICOM. If you like criminals from Haiti and Jamaica coming to Antigua, then you should support CARICOM.
It’s unfortunate that you have to mention Criminal from Haiti but for your information even when Haitian Nationals have a Caricom passport, they are still required to have a visa to go everywhere. We are still being punished for introducing freedom to the rest of the world. Criminals are everywhere and I am sure you would have noted there are no Haitian Criminals here in Antigua so far. Check the CID for information
Wow,wow,wow, well said 👏 thanks to book man ant the others who showed us that we could do it. 🇯🇲
This is a rather ignorant comment 🙄
Your sound dunce and illiterate in order for you to obtain this status criminal record has to be processed and not only that the certificate has to be achieved through a recommend institution of education higher education
This is a ignoramus statement.
Well said, btw doesn’t Antigua have criminals even in other countries? Come on we all came off the same ship, it’s time to unite there are good and bad people everywhere. There’s a song that says love in any language straight from the heart 💖 pulling us ALL together never apart… Christ says love is the answer.
Life is really a bitch (in my opinion).
In my opinion, Mia Motley and her likes have gall to be talking about expectations to have caricom national’s travel around the region ‘unhindered’.
Mia Motley forget what her government did to the L.I.A.T. workers (those who do not live in Barbados) just the other day?
Caricom Nationals can say that there is a free-for-all in Barbados as it is in Antigua?
Dem people really have gall. Just give me a damn break.
It’s sad that we often can only see as far as our biased eyes can take us. I’m not from Antigua, neither am I from Barbados, so I’m neutral. LIAT mostly belongs to Antigua. Barbados did what was in the best interest of LIAT workers from that side. Do you really and honestly think it’s fair for them to also cover Antigua? Come on now. Antigua has had more stakes in this, more say in this, more decision making power in this. Also, Antigua is always boasting of its economic power. So how come it can’t take care if it’s own people? Fair is fair. Take care of your folks. You want the biggest share in profits, but you don’t want to handle the losses? Then you’re not ready for business then. Don’t be bias because you’re Antiguan. Also, the CSME proposal is not a a proposal from Barbados, it’s a collective decision from all of the other nations.
Great points @ Don’t be unfair. It is good to get an unbiased viewpoint. Cheers!
@Don’t.. – a major flaw in your argument is it ignores the fact that BDS was the largest share holder. It held 51 percent of the shares in LIAT. Antigua held 30. The scheduling of the flight by BDS due to directors having more say (again they held more shared) eg having planes overnight in BDS ensured that BDS received most of the benefits
Antigua had over 600 workers how much did Barbados had, up till now no one can justify Antigua having over 600 employed alone getting down there using LIAT as a wellfear system.
Why did Barbados put up the most money to keep Liat afloat while headquartered in Antigua? Who had the most workers, Barbados or Antigua? Did not the hanger in Antigua burn down?
Well, it is obvious that you DO NOT HAVE A CLUE AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON.
You say Antigua got the most profit? Really? I BET YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW HOW MANY SHARES ANTIGUA & BARBUDA HAD IN THE COMPANY.
You think the rules governing Companies are about ‘taking care of your own people’?
With ignorant people like you in the majority, we have a looooonnnnnggggg road ahead of us in this country.
Yep! Guyanese were placed on benches in Barbados and disallowed to enter the island while Ms Mottley was in the parliament. That’s also while the CSME was in effect. So it’s rich of her to propose this new regime and scrapping the 6 month stay.
Do ANTIGUANS & BARBUDANS have free movement in Jamaica…. Guyana……and all the other caricom islands?
Can or will ANTIGUANS leave Antigua for better in any of these CARICOM ISLANDS
THE ONLY CARRIBEAN ISLAND THAT HAS EXCERCISE FREE MOVEMENT IS JAMAICA THEY ARE ALL OVER THE CARIBBEAN WANTED OR UNWANTED .THEN FOLLOWED BY DOMINICANS……. Santo Domingo and they want no one in their country but THEM
ITS ONLY IN ANTIGUA EVERY NATIONALITY IS WELCOMED
Hello, you sound you lack knowledge, let me enlighten you.
Its not Caribbean Islands that exercise free movement, its CARICOM MEMBER STATES FYI.
Secondly, you clearly don’t understand how the CSME movement of skills work.
Antiguans and Barbudans will have free movement of skills elsewhere as long as those member states give consent to the agreement which most of they did with the exception of Antigua and Barbuda who did not give full consent to the free movement.
Check the Headline again my friend.
I dnt need to be mansplain / womanplain
ANTIGUA needs to remove it’s self from CARICOM AND STOP FREE MOVEMENT PERIOD!!!!
OUR SMALL ISLAND HAVE NO USE FOR YOU ALL ……. You all added no VALUE to Antigua & Antiguans
Is an ANTIGUAN welcome to work or vend in JAMAICA GUYANA ETC????
The amount of Jamaicans in Antigua can we find that amount in Jamaica????
I do not know about Jamaica but I’m Guyana yes Antigua citizen with csme is free to work in Guyana also if you work with a local company yes Antigua citizen free to work… secondly Antigua is missing out of the point what our president wants to do bring caricom as one family with share future and freedom of movement to make caricom strong with all caricom countries making progress together.
Thank You …..for answering me.
I would love to hear too from the Jamaicans too …..aka Useless Antigua Ornaments
Well well you sound rather ignorant. Your level of stupid talk is beyond me. I guess it is only fair when Antiguans want to go to America or Canada and not have a problem but for someone that wants to better themselves by coming here, foolish talk by people like you is made. Smh
If you qualify under the skills certificate programme you are very much welcome to come to Jamaica. If you have a valid passport, you are very much welcome to visit Jamaica; if when you visit Jamaica you have good reason to stay you can vary your landing and extend your stay. Can you find as many Antiguans in Jamaica as the the number of Jamaicans in Antigua? All I would say is go study some maths and statistics. There is no need to cultivate intra-regional infighting and rivalry. We are better together!
The Bahamas 🇧🇸 did not sign on to the CSME free movement of people!
That’s a big LIE when you enter Guyana you are not even given deadline to leave you are welcomed unless things have changed….as for Jamaica there are no problems you get six months like every other islands and some people even stay over without extensions so let’s cut it out please!! We can’t leave your islands with your land 😂🤗 let live and let live. Travel to these places and see things for yourself 🌹💖🌍🇦🇬🇹🇹🇯🇲we ALL are ONE people.
Well it’s Antigua and Barbuda’s very right to not give consent to this, however, I hope the government also accepts other Caricom territories not accepting Antiguans and Barbudans in a similar way and also deprive them of working freely elsewhere, they say do for do nuh obeah right. The good book also says, “do unto others as you will have them do unto you”
Antigua doesn’t have to consent to shit !!! Antigua is one of the easiest country to come too. soo much soo than non-national have outnumber the born nationals !!! anybody can come ya !!! go in town and tell me the lovely Antiguan that are crowded the streets selling!!! the accents !! this article is just bullshit !! they even get our passports with no skills we don’t bring engineers, architects to move the country forward no just people with they two long hand to be security guard in percell, dem is our new immigration officers they go as far to tell born Antiguans where they can go and do not even knowing our laws!!! you people on here argue some dumb shit when the issue look you in the face but yall too busy choosing colors and pretending to be patriots. this is no longer a country just a rock with lives on it !!!
agree with you 100%
Exactly I agree 1000%
Antigua needs to stop being so free
It’s not even the EDUCATED coming here it’s the illiterate Where the doctors nurses civil engineers teachers NO JUS THE ILLITERATE looking another pport to go a big farrin country.
Gaston PLEASE DNT DO IT
Let me remind Audely the paw skin pink tone people from over the pond from Trinidad got easy for all access throughout the CARICOM when our same look ah like brothers and sisters are waiting 25 plus yes have children grandchildren and still waiting to be regularise, colonial concept we must be aware of.
Where do you garner your facts from? Guide me to where you were able to put this statement out there, from what source? I’m very interested.
The basic systems to include healthcare, education, law enforcement have to be addressed and well funded by CARICOM, for a Nation like Antigua, Barbuda and REDONDA to be able to accommodate such movements.
However, if the LIAT(1974) Ltd is the example, of CARICOM UNITY, ants will be gnawing on the fragments of the #MILLENNIUMS_BONES!
However, we MUST be just as concerned with those VISA FREE AGREEMENTS(MOU’) which were signed with the Peoples Republic of China.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
i wonder how many Antiguans going to use the opportunity to travel visa free to china opposed to how many going to arrive here?
@girl child…
…hold tight dey!
…Me goh check✅me Chinese_Krystal_Ball🔮!
…eat me Haitian Lizard Soup🦎
…sipde Trini Fowl_head Soup🐔
…shake dem Jamaican Crow feet🐦⬛🐦⬛
Now for the answer, as to your question, not even my #Obeah_Wukkah has that answer!
The Chinese have jammed the signal, to the chips in my brains!
#Girl Child, if we only knew!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
The truth is Caricom continues to pay lip service to the whole notion of free movement of its citizens between member territories. Antiguas position in this communication highlights the varying position taken by member countries on this matter. What this shows is that the “one size fits all position” is unlikely to happen even after the implementation of the new guidelines. Clearly every Caricom member has its own set of challenges including social, economic, security and others and it is highly unlikely that the new rules would be adopted in its entirety across the board by each member country. It is a regrettable stance but these issues are the same ones why the free movement of people has taken this long to fully implement. Caricom is always long on talk but short on decisive action.
What’s the purpose of that bogus organization? What has it done for the region and its people? All I see of that bogus club of rogues is a boys club using every opportunity to suck up the Caribbean and its People!!! I say to abolish that club!!! The Caribbean People are better off going back to the former colonizers!!!
It is time for Antigua to withdraw from CARICOM and we need to close our borders with other Caribbean countries such as Jamaica and Haiti ASAP!
Totally agree. Antigua has become an overpopulated, crime ridden (from the top back down), filthy dump.
It was closed long time for Haitian but you are not aware because you choose not to be our brothers keeper. We Haitian will continue to do our best to maintain a good standard here in Antigua while living here.
Thank You that’s all we really ask n want
Respect us and try to live harmonious with US …..not like dem arrogant illiterate Jamaicans who thinks everyone should fear them.
You will see by doing this how blessed you will bein Antigua
Yes ya’ll need to cause Jamaican and Haitians can do without them mosquito bites and brown running water..chupes like Antigua is some nice place ..thank god for Barbados mia will never lose an election for all the good she did for Jamaicans and haitians
I think this free movement of caricom nationals is an open gate for the increase of crime, just my opinión.
It was a HUGE MISTAKE allowing free movement
Look at ANTIGUA and look at who came here and benefited the most gave nothing back and had the worst to say JAMAICANS
WE DNT NEED ANOTHER HAIR NAIL FOOT TECH OR THE BROTHELS OR PERCELL SECURITY fillers here WE HAVE ENOUGH!!!!
As a matter of fact ANTIGUA NEEDS TO STOP DOMINICANS JAMAICANS SANTO DOMINICANS FROM COMING YO ANTIGUA ON A WHOLE IMMEDIATELY
And ……WE SHOULD NEVER EVER DO !!!!
@Tenman,
Speaking of flaws in positions put forward surrounding LIAT.
You are correct. and I agree with you; that some are either misinformed or putting forward arguments to rewrite history.
Unfortunately, you like many others are focusing on the history of LIAT(1974); when there is so much to discuss about LIAT(2020)
Wow i have been living in antigua all my life my best friends is antiguans some like brothers n sisters the way you all bash the security gaurds its like a crime to b a security gaurd a dem same one a protect some a unno business from get rob some a unno sound so dunce
The way antiguans bash jamaica guyana etc tell me what have these people ever done to antigua UNNO NO FE GO NO WAY!
It might just be a foreigner writing some of these things. Antiguans have always been kind , loving and welcoming people. Yes the Antigua I grew up in 50yrs ago is very different now, so is the other islands. Even in America, England and Canada, they too can blame us foreigner…
@Me no come from yah. We have nothing against Jamaicans and others but it’s the here you are here is the problem. This ABLP govt brought you here as a means of holding on to power and controlling every aspect of our lives for greed and power. We expect our Caribbean brother and sisters to move around and we in Antigua were always accepting of this. Until of course our politicians saw you coming here as a means to holding on to power.
So this is a fraudulent govt, always having a different agenda to what they say. So don’t expect them to agree to any Çaricom free movement until they can figure out how to exploit it for their furtherance of power and greed; which they already have by using you people
@Me no come from yah. We have nothing against Jamaicans and others but here is the problem. This ABLP govt brought you here as a means of holding on to power and controlling every aspect of our lives for greed and power. We expect our Caribbean brother and sisters to move around and we in Antigua were always accepting of this. Until of course our politicians saw you coming here as a means of holding on to power.
This is a fraudulent govt, always having a different agenda to what they say. So don’t expect them to agree to any Çaricom free movement until they can figure out how to exploit it for their furtherance of power and greed; which they already have by using you people
What! Are they trying to pretend that there are horses still in the stable? They have bolted long before any effort was made to close the barn. Much too little! Much too late.
Then Antigua should just withdraw from Caricom. What Antiguans really think they are? What role do you guys play in Caricom? You need Caricom more than they need you otherwise Dominican Republic which is 1000 times bigger than Antigua and has 100 times the resources of Antigua wouldn’t be applying to become a member now.
Here is my take on this matter.
I’m all about principle, and my outlook on life will always come back to that, because all a man have, is his word.
Any politician that campaign on a certain agenda, and won his seat on that very agenda, but when they get in office they deviate from, or change their stance on that agenda, that said politician/s is a fraud, point blank.
So this Government we have here in Antigua is the biggest fraud there is, and they have failed the people, so no, I do not expect them to all of a sudden stand up for Antiguan’s, because they never did, and will never get a spine to fight for the good people of this country..
So no, they will not exempt themselves from this agreement, because it’s all bullshit. They are frauds. They are for free open boarders, just look at the Antigua Airways conundrum, and look at the new Air Peace deal, it’s all predicated to support open free borders.
So don’t let this fraudulent Administration fool you and tell you that they are against freedom of movement by Caricom Nationals, and are willing to stand up for immigration reforms across the Caribbean, because their actions are totally foreign from such a noble existence.
Gatson Browne just simply have to go..simple.
It’s the comments for me
The comments is just what they are comments
As a jamaican we have nothing much to say as there is nothing much here either without foreigners , just remember a doh fi doh , you all can go back to your donkey days.
The government officials of Antigua & Barbuda have a right to protect their borders from “outsiders.”
Moreover, they have an obligation to make economic, security, health care and educational provisions for the nationals of Antigua & Barbuda.
This about it.
If you’ve got 1 loaf of bread to share with your household of 10, would you share the bread with your 2 neighbours who’ve got nothing to feed their households of 10?
In my opinion, it boils down to resources.
The CARICOM member states with excess resources may be fully accommodating to nationals of other member states.
But those with limited resources may have to think twice about the free movement of people.
In all of this, it should be considered fair if other CARICOM member states are not prepared to allow free movement of the people of Antigua & Barbuda.
Fair exchange, no robbery.
I doubt we’ll ever be one as CARICOM.
The comments here are clear, even unity is missing among us CARICOM nationals.
ALP open the floodgates,accepting everyone and anyone into Antigua and Barbuda to remain in power. They have given citizenship in exchange for votes as per the infamous ,”For your eyes only.” Antigua is paying a dear price for this mistake.
People often migrate for different reasons and that has been a part of history forever, but ALP never cared about the negative impact this would have on our once peaceful country. Foreigners have inundated our country, taxing our resources and thinking they have more rights than born Antiguans. I know that what happens in Antigua does not happen anywhere else and this has to stop. Antigua and Barbuda belongs FIRST to Antiguans and Barbudans. As long as that is enshrined in our psyche, the rest is secondary.
Lawdy lawd. What a big tempest in a tiny teacup. I don,’t have the statistics to use in a calculation, but it would be interesting to see just how many Caricomers are flocking to Antigua and Barbuda, compared to, say, those who have their eyes firmly set on Guyana.
Antigua is part of the OECS which has free movement and Ive never heard anyone complain of issues with the free movement of people within the sub-region. Expanding this to Caricom would not adversely affect any member country. If anything, with the Economic boom currently taking place in Guyana, that may be the only place people may flock bringing more human resource and human capital.
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Free movement of people will bring our region closer and our people together. There are only wins to this.
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