Historic Free Movement Among Four CARICOM Nations Begins

A new chapter in Caribbean integration began today as citizens of Belize, Barbados, Dominica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gained the right to live, work, and stay indefinitely in any of the four nations without the need for work or residency permits.

The arrangement, agreed at a CARICOM Heads of Government meeting earlier this year, took effect today, October 1. It represents a milestone in the regional single market project.

Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley described the development as a step rooted in history and regional ties. She said, “It is about allowing our people to move freely without hassle across our family of nations. The heads of government asked who was ready to begin. And Barbados, Yes, raised their hand. We are ready, and as a nation, Barbados, we need it.”

She added, “We call ourselves pioneers because we have put in place a regime, which I have every confidence that others in our Caribbean Community will join in due course.”

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit echoed PM Mottley’s statements on the importance of integration. He said, “We cannot speak about integration, we cannot speak about solidarity, and we cannot speak about coming together if we cannot move freely. And I’m hoping that the rest of us within the Caribbean community can join the four of us who have taken this step to move forward with this and that we have a full free movement of CARICOM nationals within our space.”

The four governments have said the initiative will be monitored as the framework for wider participation across CARICOM.