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Dominica is among four CARICOM member states that will implement free movement of nationals, marking a significant step toward Caribbean integration under the grouping’s Single Market and Economy (CSME).<\/p>\n
The implementation is expected to begin on October 1, 2025, and will include Dominica, Belize, Barbados, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. CARICOM Chairman and Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness made the
\nannouncement at the close of the 49th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government in Montego Bay on Tuesday, July 8.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, we agreed that the pace and scope of implementation [were] just too slow, and we agreed that we will do everything in our power to speed up implementation,\u201d Holness stated.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the four countries have again expressed their willingness to implement full free movement despite the slow pace of implementation across member states.<\/p>\n
“I am pleased this year that we are now moving from applying administratively the protocol and the enhanced cooperation which all member states have signed with the four countries, Barbados, Belize, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica, reiterating their willingness to implement full free movement and other protocols, starting October 1, 2025,” he said.<\/p>\n
CARICOM’s free movement initiative allows skilled nationals of participating member states to seek employment in other member states without needing work permits. This aims to facilitate the movement of labor within the region and promote economic integration.<\/p>\n
The initiative was formally established on January 1, 2006, and was expected to be fully implemented by 2015, but that did not happen.<\/p>\n
Guyana\u2019s President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, said progress was being made in its full implementation but pointed out that some countries need time to adapt.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome countries will need more time to transition. We\u2019re finding the right language and framework to support that,\u201d he said on Monday, July, while addressing the CARICOM meeting in Montego Bay.<\/p>\n
For his part, Holness said his country remains committed to implementing full free movement but has to deal with its own internal issues first.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to make clear that Jamaica remains committed to implementing full free movement in accordance with the treaty amendments, and we are also examining ways to speed up our own implementation,\u201d he remarked. \u201cDue to our legislative framework and other considerations, we have had to move with greater consideration. However, it is our intention to speed up the implementation of full free movement.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dominica is among four CARICOM member states that will implement free movement of nationals, marking a significant step toward Caribbean integration under the grouping’s Single Market and Economy (CSME). The implementation is expected to begin on October 1, 2025, and…","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":311207,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[235,9,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-344527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homepage-carousel","category-news","category-regional"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n