DEMAND-DRIVEN FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT – A column by Basil Springer – August 8, 2025
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32
Four CARICOM states — Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines — have committed to fully implementing the freedom of movement provision under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas by September 1, 2025.
This is a commendable milestone, decades in the making. But as with any bold regional initiative, we must now turn our attention from principle to practicality.
Barbados, in particular, stands at an inflection point. With an ambitious economic development agenda before us, we urgently need more people — skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, service workers and tradespeople — to help implement national objectives. Freedom of movement may, in fact, be exactly what we need.
Still, the open-door approach raises legitimate concerns. Can our systems — housing, health care, education — absorb an influx of migrants in an unstructured way? Will Barbadian citizens feel displaced or overlooked? These are not questions of fear; they are questions of planning.
I propose a demand-driven strategy for implementing freedom of movement. Let data, not emotion, guide us. Where there are labor gaps — digital tech, agriculture, renewable energy, construction — let us proactively recruit CARICOM talent to fill them. Let us pair this with streamlined work-permit verification, support services, and clear integration policies.
The goal is mutual benefit: Barbadians must feel the system is fair and purposeful; our CARICOM neighbors must be welcomed with dignity and opportunity. It is not about restricting movement, but directing it where it is needed most.
We now have a rare opportunity to make regionalism work — on the ground, in real time, for real people. Demand-driven freedom of movement could be the game-changer that delivers not only economic growth, but a deeper, stronger Caribbean unity.
Let us implement wisely. Let us lead deliberately. The region is watching.
(Dr. Basil Springer GCM is a Change-Engine Consultant. His email address is [email protected]. His columns may be found at www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com/basil-springer-column and on www.facebook.com/basilgf).
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
