CARICOM Free Movement Sees Minimal Impact on Belize

Since CARICOM’s Full Free Movement kicked in on October 1st, only seven Barbadians have landed in Belize, and none of them came to settle down. So, if you’ve been worried about job competition or a strain on resources, the numbers might ease those concerns. Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca says the data speaks for itself, and the government is keeping a close eye on how things unfold. They’ll continue tracking the impact and documenting the outcomes as this regional agreement takes shape.

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“In fact within the first week of implementing the full free movement, only seven Barbadians arrived, two for tourism and five for business purposes. None of them plans to live in Belize and on any given year, less than five hundred CARICOM nationals under the skilled regime are recorded living in Belize. The decision by Belize, Barbados, Dominica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to implement full dree movement of CARICOM nations, represents a forward step towards regional integration, enhancing cohesion without triggering populations shift. Belize remains firmly committed to ensuring that full free movement is implemented effectively and transparently.”