If there is one immutable world story common to all countries whether in the New or Old World, it is the story of migration. The “New World”, the Americas from the north to the south and the Caribbean region was founded on immigration. People from diverse backgrounds and races, with different languages and cultures, were brought together, some forcibly, some of their own free will. In the process, new societies were forged.
Regional trading blocs are a feature of the post-WWII and became popular in the 1960s. Their purpose is to encourage economic growth by creating larger markets which would lead to greater economic efficiency. A common market is a trading bloc in which trade barriers on the movement of goods have been removed, common policies are promulgated and free movement of the factors of production, land, labour, capital, entrepreneurship and services are allowed if not encouraged. This would allow markets to function more efficiently as resources would move to those areas which give the best rate of return.
That is the theory, but the practical application of the theory is more complicated. One of the most contentious policies to implement is the free movement of labour. Immigrants are different, even if they speak the same language and look the same. The tone and tempo may vary as do tastes and behaviours. This allows the natural fear of “the other” and the “different” to surface. Happily, the intra-Caribbean movement of people has not brought the worst prejudices evident in other societies.
While the free movement of people has always been a key component of the Caricom Treaty, it is also the one policy that governments have been very slow to implement. In 2023, CARICOM Heads of Government decided to implement free movement for all Caricom nationals by March 2024, going beyond the current CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) regime of free movement of agreed categories of skilled nationals. We are in March 2024. The communique which followed the 46th meeting of the heads in Guyana last week did not give grounds for much optimism.
The communique stated that the conference agreed “that draft amendments to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas should include basic guarantees to be afforded to all Caricom nationals exercising the right of free movement and directed the Intergovernmental Task Force and Legal Affairs Committee to complete their work for the consideration of a meeting of the conference to take place on 15 March.”
This statement suggests that the treaty must first be amended and agreed upon before member states adjust their domestic legislation. This implies a much longer timetable well beyond March 2024.
Speaking on his return from the conference, the Prime Minister’s comments contained mixed messages alluding to an indeterminate timeline.
He said that “on one very special day, to be announced … all the governments of Caricom will go to their parliaments on the same day and pass the necessary legislation to bring this about.” But he then added, “The question is, do we have what it takes to get it done or do we vacillate for another 50 years?”
In a social media post later, he said the conference agreed to expedite several important CSME objectives, including intensified work towards free movement.
Much was said without committing to anything. Will this promise of free movement replicate the experience of the Caribbean Court of Justice?