CCL condemns reaction to Barbados immigration decision

May 28, 2009 News

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The Caribbean Congress of Labour yesterday in a release to the media said that in every modern and civilized society principles, protocol, conventions and laws exist to regulate the behaviour of citizens and Nation States.
It drew reference to the current spate of reactions to the recent decision taken by the Government of Barbados to regularise the status of undocumented CARICOM nationals.
The reaction to this decision by some leaders has to be considered far from what is expected.
According to the CCL, to publicly attack the efforts of the Barbados Government without seeking to first have constructive engagement with them can be seen as a process of undermining the sovereignty of that country.
“The argument that the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) is in crisis because of that government’s action has no place in this debate.  What we should be confronting and debating are the failures of some CARICOM Governments to discharge their responsibility to their citizens.”
The CCL said that leaders can no longer throw up their hands, cry foul and get away with arguments of victimisation.
“Many countries have been politically independent for in excess of two decades; some for as many as 40 plus years.  Parties have been voted out of office and the incumbents have been elected to improve on the performance of their predecessors…
“The Founding Fathers have laid out guidelines for development that took on board our indigenous resources.  It is about time systems are put in place to provide a better life for citizens.”
The CCL pointed out that the current integration process is founded on the principle of harnessing the cultural, economic and human resources for the development of the region.
It adds that the CSME, which is an important ingredient in this process, has to do with the movement of the human resources and goods among the member states within established guidelines and respect for laws, the CCL noted.
“The CCL is concerned whether the posture embraced by the some leaders in reacting to Barbados’s position will help sustain the current integration process…The several statements attributed to political leaders that the CSME is in crisis has to be examined against the backdrop that over the years serious decisions have been made by CARICOM Heads of Government to enhance the integration process but leaders have failed to implement these decisions.”
According to the CCL, the argument that the doors should be open for free movement of citizens has to be looked at in the context that CARICOM comprises More Developed and Less Developed countries with some at the higher end of the economic scale and others at the lower end.
“If this region should open up the gates for movement of persons without management, in some cases, this will lead to countries becoming bereft of the necessary human resources vital for development.  To argue for movement without management can be seen as being irresponsible.”
The CCL therefore urged that free movement under the CSME be done within the context of a regional economic plan.
It is known that every country is involved in national planning and every added person for whom provision has not been made under this planning, increases the shock on the country’s social system.
“These are the issues that help to create and increase inner city slums, xenophobia and crime…From the trade union standpoint we see any process that encourages illegal immigrants as one where individuals would be exploited in the form of low wages and poor working conditions which ultimately would contribute to suppression of wages and working conditions that fly in the face of the Decent Work Agenda in the Caribbean.”
The CCL noted that regional leaders need to resist the urge to play to the public gallery and seriously get down to examining every facet of their decisions and the consequences of those decisions.
“For a number of years we have been advancing the process of a single economic space which must involve a regional economic plan that today has to be considered absent.
The problems that confront us must be seen as a shared responsibility by respective Caribbean governments.”
According to the CCL, “We cannot have governments in this region who are prepared to put systems in place to force their citizens to migrate to other countries by abrogating their responsibility to create jobs for their citizens.”
The CCL while committed to Free Movement of Skills/Labour urged undocumented workers/persons to seek to regularise their status under the law and further calls on those responsible for the implementation of the law to treat each case dispassionately.
The CCL called for a modicum of civility and constructive engagement on the issue.
“In this regard the CCL urges that the issues of governance, job creation, trade union and human rights, quality education, health care and other social services be placed on the regional agenda to address poverty, which permeates the region.”

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