The Government of Antigua and Barbuda, consistent with its obligations under Articles 45 and 46, clauses 2 (iii) and 3 of the CARICOM Treaty, has decided to eliminate the requirement for work permits for nationals of CARICOM Community countries who are gainfully employed in Antigua and Barbuda, effective January 1st, 2023.
The Government has also decided that, in keeping with Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to the economic integration of the Caribbean region, the elimination of work permits for persons who are gainfully employed, will be extended to people from the Dominican Republic.
In combination with an earlier Government decision to waive all unpaid work permit fees, which were due up to 31st December 2022, this means that all nationals of CARICOM countries and the Dominican Republic who are now in Antigua and Barbuda and are gainfully employed will not be required to pay for a work permit.
These decisions are an acknowledgement of (i) the role that our Caribbean brothers and sisters have played, alongside native Antiguans and Barbudans, in the development of our country; and (ii) the need for labour as our economy expands.
Antigua and Barbuda is a founding member of CARIFTA, which preceded the establishment of CARICOM. Antigua and Barbuda is also a founder of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, whose nationals already enjoy freedom from work permits. Two of our National Heroes, Sir Vere Cornwall Bird and Sir Lester Bird were committed regionalists, as is a third National Hero, Sir Vivian Richards, who led CARICOM nationals in the West Indies Cricket team – the most integrated sport in the Caribbean.
Antigua and Barbuda is continuing to live-up to its commitment to regional integration.
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WE HAVE A NEW LABOUR FORCE: BOKO HARAM.
Gaston and the ALP are shameless hypocrites. Every innovative idea that the UPP puts forward they (ALP) adopt it as their own and try to outdo the UPP’s proposal. It is as if the ALP is devoid of ideas. They did the same thing prior to the last election. It is so pitiful.
Exactly!…..lets just hope that this political gimmic doesnt fool enough people to vote for them again ……and IF they win, lets not be surprised when they “review this law”
The only difference now though @ Charles Tabor, is that Antiguans are aware of what that charlatan Gaston Browne is up to and he can’t make fools of us again.
The COUNTRY needs change, the ECONOMY needs change; and most importantly the CITIZENS of Antigua and Barbuda needs change.
January the 18th will prove if we have the KAHOONAS to do so …
It is called the rule of innovation. Improve and execute someone else idea for the benefit of society. Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs does the same thing.
God bless gaston!!
God could ever bless the devil?
How the saying goes Falls Fashan Drag Neva Lib Too
Lang.
Really!! Really!! Gaston you Really have no ideas of your own?. I thought you said you are a creative man. I guess one is left to wonder do you have a funcional brain???. Cogger!!
WOW!!!!! Dem labornearga no EZ!!!
Is Harold Lovell providing ideas to Gaston and the ALP. Harold Lovell recently announced the One Caribbean Stamp initiative to make it easier for our Caribbean nationals to work in Antigua without many problems. That policy was harshly criticized by Gaston and in just a few days he has adopted it. Gaston and the ALP has no shame.
Exactly…..lets not be surprised if this political gimmic fools enough people to vote them to retain power and right after elections they reverse the decission!!
Millennium Citizenship
fool me once shame on you
Fool me twice, shame on me
Ablp all the way
Red DEADly CLINICAL
CHARLES TABOR AND BRIXTONIAN have NO SHAME that’s the reason for the following.
Election 2023 results.
ABLP. WIN. ALL. 17 SEATS
UPP. 00 SEAT ( 12 CANDIDATES LOSE DEPOSITS )
DNA. 00 SEAT ( ALL CANDIDATES LOSE DEPOSITS )
BPM. 00. SEAT
ASOT MICHAEL. 00 SEAT
Thank you, UPP!!
Thanks for this great caring idea which the government is desperately copying at the last minute.
Copy and tief and lie.
THANK GOD FOR THE UPP!
Harold Lovell announced it:
UPP will advance towards regional integration by waiving the work permit requirement for nationals from Caricom and Dominican Republic who have been working in Antigua and Barbuda before 1st January, 2023.
The UPP will replace work permits with the ‘One Caribbean Employment Stamp.” This will extend free movement and right to work granted between OECS territories, to the wider Caricom and Dominican Republic.
…
Gaston was against it!
Our Caribbean brothers and sisters said UPP ALL THE WAY ON ELECTION DAY…
Now Gaston trying to play catch up! But it’s too late.
Non Nationals remember how you stabbed them in the back, promising a 6 month work permit amnesty on coming to power, only to double the fees, and carry up application fees 1000%
#RED DEAD
VOTE DEM ARLLL OUT
On February 18.. me and me granny voting UPP!
Please don’t wait till February. It is JANUARy 18. Days away.
A (African accent)
A HAROLD LOVELL RUN TINGS!
#OneLoveWithLovell
Caribbean Bros and Sisters… here are other policies the ABLP will soon cog:
Other reforms under the UPP’s “One Caribbean Vision” include:
– Increasing the staff at the Immigration Office to target a quick turnaround time of no more than 90 days for all citizenship applications.
– Persons who broke their residency period due to their unavoidable absence, caused by the COVID pandemic, will have no adverse immigration consequences.
– Amend the Constitution to allow people who have an Antiguan and Barbudan great-grandparent who was born in Antigua and Barbuda to secure their Antigua and Barbuda passport by descent.
– Create a Department of Immigrant Affairs, guided by a Board of directors from within migrant communities.
– Establish an Immigrant Affairs Desk to promote the wellbeing of migrant communities, with multilingual staff to help applicants with all immigration matters.
– Grant Family Citizenship under a skilled immigration programme.
– Activate the Immigration Appeals Tribunal to ensure quick settlement of immigration disputes.
– The new UPP Government will introduce an “Education For All” Policy which simplifies access to public and private schools for children of immigrants, once space is available. This policy will remove red tape and prevent discrimination in the school enrollment process.
– Immigration checks and Ministry of Education approval will no longer be required for school access by immigrant children.
– The new UPP Government will provide greater access to free public school education for immigrant children. We will construct a New Secondary School to serve the Rural West and Rural South Constituencies and add new smart classrooms to other school plants. This will reduce overcrowding and improve the learning environment.
The UPP remains committed to delivering immigration reforms and improvements which ensure a better quality of life for all Antiguans and Barbudans.
SO EVERYTHING UPP SAY THAT THEY WOULD DO, THE ABLP DECIDED THEY ARE GOING TO COPY.
GASTON IF YOU CANNOT GOVERN, PLEASE LET HAROLD RUN THE COUNTRY.
@ GASTON
What a thing!!!!
They have copied Lovell’s plan to abolish work permit fees for CARICOM nationals and those from the Dominican Republic.
THEY JUST COG, COG, COG, COG, everything that the UPP says and that’s why the UPP was hesitant in releasing their policies.
Copying from an opposition which they label as incompetent and inexperienced……PEOPLE U GOT TO VOTE DEM OUT!!!
GET RID A DEM!!!
What a ting?!! Lovell just announced this Thursday! I always heard alp were copycats but this is blatant!
Lol….. labor party is officially desperate… didn’t upp announce elimination of work permits a few weeks ago? Alp has no vision but just to copy UPP ideas… time for this administration to go!!
Desperate Will do and say anything to try to regain power shame doing anything as said to Barbuda people I only try to Pampa them to get their votes. Antiguans do not be foolish vote for country upp the only choice.
@ LIARD, LIARD AND COGGER GASTON, COG, COG, COG, COG
Athley Rodney on 08/08/2021 to Gaston and Cutie ‘should I proceed with the plan to tear gas the poor black hungry Antiguans and Barbudans?’
Gaston and Cutie’s response to Rodney ‘Yes, teargas DEM R_ SS, make certain that you hurt them real badly, let them know that a we run things ya’
Dem wicked evil and HEARTLESS Vagabonds.
Their time is up. NEVER AGAIN MUST THEY RUN THIS COUNTRY.
They have no original ideas NAR NO SHAME…DEM JUS COG AND COPY ALLLL UPP POLICIES THE MINUTE THEY ARE RELEASED. THEY NOT IN THE LEAST BIT EMBARASSED.
HAROLD announced this plan yesterday. Today, the ABLP run and copy it.
Desperate times call for desperate action!! Gaston one man party claimed that UPP was devoid of ideas. They can’t run a country. They have no plans for Antigua and Barbuda.
Hope you all listened carefully to what Asot had to say on ABS.
Bachanal inna St.John’s come 19/01/2023. God help this fair land we call home. #Dem lub fu use Tear-gas!!!!
Big RED MACHINE DUN!!! Outta GAS;Radiata seize up by the BIG BLUE 🌊 WAVE.
JPATS ON STANDBY!!
How is removing work permit become an idea to run country or was it an idea to try win an election?
Some y’all reasoning is so limited
Thank you Sir
@ just saying we all know you are thanking UPP. Can’t say much, can you? Lmao…. red DEAD!! No longer will this generation vote for party, handouts and free fete. We are voting for COUNTRY! #countryfirst and if UPP mess up we voting them out to.
UPP already mess up and that’s why we not voting them in ever again.
@ Jahson Bills
you guys have no shame, shame, shame , shame , shame and embarassment in the ablp, for thiefing upp ideas.
Speak for yourself @ Jahson Bills. The tides turning and you know it …🌊
The ABLP IS IN A MESS
Gaston vs Asot
Gastonites vs Labourites
@Jahson Bills
How did UPP mess up? You can’t say and all you people can talk about is IMF. Well you know the country is in deep shit? Gaston ran the country on the rocks. He borrowed to pay December salaries. Where is he getting money for the rest of the year? He said he is waiting on the money from more loans. Where all Antigua people money garn? Let me see how the country gets out of this mess.
Explain to me if parliament was and is dissolved.
Who is this government and how are they passing laws. ?
Thank you for your guidance, Harold Lovell and the UPP.
No sah!
Gaston, this is real real low of you and your thinking…. Geeze!
Thanks for your ideas.
God bless Harold Lovell and the UPP redeem team.
n behalf of PM Gaston Browne, I would like to thank you Mr Harold Lovell and the Redeem Team for these wonderful ideas.
On behalf of the PM Gaston Browne I would like to thank you Mr Harold Lovell and the Redeem Team for these wonderful ideas.
Upp was the same opposition to the Amnesty. Who y’all trying to fool?
Wow wow wow , to show that ABS is open door they carried Harold Lovell/UPP in last night news about no work permits for CARICUM and Dominican Republic nationals. Honestly speaking I did not like the idea. I thought that the UPP should have come up with this a long time to woo the none nationals. That people would have already made up their minds who they will be voting for.
Shockingly tonight on the news the ABLP without shame adopted Harold Lovell last night pronouncement. This is the worst political move I have ever heard or seen in my entire life.
Shame, shame, shame, it is a burning shame. Please tell me where you are going to get the revenue from to provide, health care , education plus school meal to their children, infrastructure to support these people, plus the African immigrants?
Is joke we making, is Joke somebody making!
I am convince ALP dont have any shame at all! Everyone knows ALP is following the upp lead and they will see this at the polls. Gaston and his clowns really think the Antiguan public is stupid. #reddead
Long time coming
Ablp is the only administration that is willing to do such a thing…. the upp was trying to fool the caricom and Dominican 🇩🇴 people into voting them into power. Like “Millennium Citizenship” trick.
@ Iman
you guys have no shame, shame, shame , shame , shame and embarassment in the ablp, for thiefing upp ideas.
@ Iman u are clearly very slow…… News flash, it was UPP who announced it and now Alp is following the leader! Alp had years to implement it if they had a vision. They’re now desperate and will do ANYTHING to get back in power… U are just a poppet and don’t even realize it.
@ Iman
you people na hab no shame, tall tall tall- just brazenly cog ALL UPP ideas. The same people you criticise for being incompetent and have the worst set of candidates?
Shows Harold should really be running the country because because he has all the plans.
WHAT AN AWFUL SET OF SCOUNDRELS
GET RID A DEM, GET RID A DEM
Gaston…you SHAMELESS DESPERATE PUNK!!! Come up with your own damn ideas and stop copying UPP ideas!!
There should be a law that says jobs should be advertised and suitably qualified interested locals should be considered or trained first for jobs before employers are allowed to give positions to new immigrants. Other than that, welcome to all newcomers.
Wait a minute! The government of Antigua and Barbuda has decided to eliminate the work permit requirements for caricom nationals and the Dominican republic? Isn’t Parliament dissolved since the 16th of December 2022? So then and therefore there is no government presently.The ABLP candidates are now just ordinary citizens.Where did they get the authority to make a decision like that? Isn’t what they did illegal? And just one more thing, another of the UPP’s idea copied by the desperate ABLP candidates who are devoid of original ideas. The article should have read that The ABLP if returned to office will eliminate work permit fees for caricom nationals including the Dominican republic nationals, not the government of Antigua and Barbuda when presently there is no government!!! Shame, shame shame☹️☹️☹️
Further progress on the integration of Caricom. Yes it is overdue and yes it coincides with our elections. Long and short it is here. We are grateful and thankful.
Suffer with labour
No future with labour
Red is dead !
268 gone, gone,gone
All you politicians give it away just to hold on to power or to get power. We need some real patriots to take care of 268🇦🇬 affairs .
People of 268 better believe none of these political parties really wanted to serve us its just the power to do as they please. Note for 40 years they keep a constitution that was designed to keep us in a form of bondage
@Hallelujah Amen…You’re correct and ain’t no stopping them now. The non-national vote is the swing vote, so, the power hungry politicians will kiss and wipe their asses likes #BIDET!
They say Gaston was a cogger at PM school. One of those people where you had to cover your test paper with your hand or write down the wrong answer to throw them off. In the adult world we simply call them crooks.
By the way, how many CXC’s did Gaston pass since he like to criticize people for not having CXC’s? Gaston please tell me how many CXCs you passed and when did you complete your Masters at the University of Manchester.
Dont worry antigua people not stupid i talk to lots of alp people who told me they getting paid to work an campain but they not voting for them sssooooo lets c.they now realize that alp has no no no ideas the rely on there money to win…red red red dead dead dead
This is a national disgrace. These buffoons have destroyed the country. There is no room left for decent people in this country.
I thought that UPP were void of ideas. Thought they were incapable of running government. So how come they came up with this idea and before it is even debated it’s swallowed up and implemented. Then that is suggesting that they have good ideas
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