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Free movement does not mean illegal residency – Dominica’s Prime Minister
Common Immigration policy must be adopted – Sir Shridath
Sir Shridath Ramphal
As the immigration issue within the Caribbean Community brews, former Commonwealth Secretary General, Sir Shridath Ramphal, has called for a common immigration policy to be adopted within the region.
During an interview with members of the media, yesterday, at the International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, Sir Shridath referred to ethnic cleansing as it relates to the Barbados issue, where that country’s Prime Minister, David Thompson, has implemented a new immigration policy.
Sir Shridath quoted an editorial in a Barbados newspaper, “The Nation”, which noted that one of the problems with Guyanese immigrants, and immigrants in general is that Barbados must not allow its racial balances to be disturbed by immigration.
“This says that we must not allow ethnic racial elements in the immigration process to upset the racial balance that was established in Barbados. What I am saying is that there have been intimations of ethnic cleansing,” Sir Ramphal said.
According to the former Commonwealth Secretary General, there are genuine problems with migration as is not managed and regulated.
Prime Minister of Dominica, Rooseevelt Skeritt
“Barbados wants a managed migration programme. There should be a common regional approach to migration and this is where the challenge lies. There should be commonality and no one country should bare a disproportionate volume of the migration process and this is what has happened in Barbados.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, told media representatives yesterday that for the year so far, his country has only denied three CARICOM nationals entry into Jamaica. He said that the main reason for that was because one of them was on a security watch while the others were for forged documents.
However, according to Prime Minister Golding, over 500 Jamaicans are having problems in other countries.
Golding is of the view that these issues must be brought to the table and discussed, as Heads of State must be responsive to the particular difficulties that a country may have.
He explained that Jamaica is close to Haiti and now his country has a large problem with many Haitians who have migrated to Jamaica.
“And it has posed many problems for us in different ways, but these are issues that we must come to the table with. I do not think it is the proper approach for any head to take a unilateral position and to forsake our sovereignty to do what we think is in our best national interest.
“We are part of a community and if we have difficulty in honouring our commitment, let us talk about it because I don’t think that any of us is so unreasonable that we are not prepared to empathise and work with a country that may have difficulty in fulfilling an obligation,” Prime Minister Golding said.
He is hoping that the 30th meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community reaches a consensus on free movement.
Prime Minister Golding reiterated the decision that was made at the Intercessional meeting which was held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where it was agreed that by the end of 2009, all CARICOM nationals, whether they are journalists or entertainers, would be free to move within the CARICOM community.
He added that his country is not waiting until the end of this year to honour that agreement, but have already started to do so.
“Let’s not each go out on our own trolley and take unilateral and independent position, a community cannot be run that way.”
Also commenting on the immigration issue was Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, who urged for the region to understand that free movement does not mean that persons can reside illegally in any other country.
He too shared the view that this issue should be extensively discussed.
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