Relatively small numbers affected by denial

Dec 12, 2008 News

– CARICOM

Only a small number of persons have been denied entry into Caricom Member States under the Free Movement of Skills’ provision in the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Yesterday, during its end-of-year press conference, the Caricom Secretariat revealed that many of those rejected were as a result of fraudulent documentation provided.
Highlighting statistics, it was noted that, during the period of January to March, Jamaica admitted 9,100 persons while rejecting 11. Trinidad and Tobago accepted 62,300 persons, turning back 455. Additionally, between January and June, Barbados accepted 85,682 persons, while rejecting 600.
Apart from travelling on fraudulent documentation, persons were rejected on the grounds of not having sufficient funds to maintain themselves, and not being able to provide any information about their intended addresses.

Secretary-General Dr. Edwin Carrington meeting with members of the media yesterday during his end-of-year press conference

Speaking at the press conference, which was televised live in some Caribbean nations, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Edwin Carrington said that he shares a certain measure of pride about the initiatives taken during the year in advancing the process of regional integration.
According to Dr. Carrington, despite the significant challenges the Secretariat encountered from outside and internally as well, one could say that the integration process remains on course, with the people of the region at heart.
“At the heart of the integration process remains the Caricom Single Market and Economy; and throughout the year, considerable work has been done to advance the single market and to strengthen the foundation of the single economy.”
Free movement of skills, he added, is one of the areas of the integration process by which the progress of the CSME is judged.
Closely aligned to the free movement, Dr. Carrington said, is the issue of contingent rights.
This is the right of spouses and dependants of those who move, on the basis of their skills certificates, within the context of the single market.
“Work is continuing at the technical level to ensure that this facility, or this dimension of the single market, works well. We have had some hiccups, since the issue of contingent rights is proving to be more difficult than we had anticipated.”
The Caricom Secretary-General added that the experiences of some who have tried to move with their skills certificates have led to the establishment of a working group which has been set up to iron out practical and operational difficulties encountered by the holders of such certificates.
“That working group is not a delaying mechanism, as some have said. It is, instead, a facilitating mechanism when difficulties arise. Wherever human beings move, there will be difficulties from time to time.”
This occurs, he added, especially when countries operate under an immigration law which is named ‘the immigration restriction act’ and not ‘the immigration facilitation act.’
Within the Free Movement provisions, Member States are still trying to identify the rights of contingents, which will be incorporated in a protocol which will supplement the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
One of the concerns that countries are stating is that they are not in favour of granting ‘rights’ to contingents, but instead prefer to use terms such as ‘privileges’ or ‘facilities.’
This is an area that member states will be discussing early next year.
One of the constraints with respect to the free movement that was pointed out yesterday was the fact that there were a number of cases where persons were using fraudulent certificates.
These fake documents not only relate to the supporting document, but also to the skills certificate.
It was noted that there was one incident where someone entered another Member State with a certificate which indicated that the person is a medical doctor, but later that turned out to be a falsehood.
As such, it was emphasized that there is still need to look at such issues in order to ensure that free movement can take place in a safe and secure environment within the region.
Free movement of skills entails the right to seek employment in any Member State and the elimination of the need for work permits and permits of stay.
(Tusika Martin)

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