This press statement is issued to clarify Antigua and Barbuda’s position on the
movement of all CARICON Nationals, and to avoid any misinformation or
ambiguity on the matter as stated by Observer Media and subsequently carried by
other online local news media.
The recently concluded Forty-Sixth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads
of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) received a report of the
critical work being done by the Reconstituted Intergovernmental Task Force
(IGTF), established to facilitate negotiations for revisions to the Revised Treaty of
Chaguaramas (RTC).
The IGTF is presently focused on an immediate directive given by the Heads of
Government at their Forty-Fifth meeting, which is to propose amendments to the
RTC that will give a legal basis to the free movement of all CARICOM Nationals.
In this process of negotiation, Antigua and Barbuda has signaled that it wishes to
maintain its use of the current skills regime, which allows it to focus on addressing
labor force demand in the local market.
Antigua and Barbuda currently implements one of the most liberal immigration
policies across the region and is considered a forerunner in the integration
movement. Historically, the country practiced an open-door immigration policy
while under the leadership of Sir. V. C. Bird, which continued under successive
labour party administrations, until the global economic crisis brought on severe
challenges which made it impossible to continue. The CSME skills regime was
then adopted as a means of allowing the jurisdiction to strengthen necessary human
resource capacities.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, Dr. Clarence
Henry stated that, “the policy is pragmatic and realistic to avoid dislocation of the
indigenous population, protecting jobs, and avoiding exacerbation of our
economic/fiscal challenges.”
While Antigua and Barbuda remains committed to the regional integration
movement, it continues to balance its limited resources through a process of
managed migration which the current CSME skills regime facilitates.
Consequently, Antigua and Barbuda did not give its consent to the full free
movement of all CARICOM nationals, as is being contemplated by other Member
States of CARICOM come March 31 st 2024.
Antigua and Barbuda will however signal its readiness to move towards full free
movement of all CARICOM Nationals once it is better equipped to adequately
accommodate the possible additional inflow of CARICOM Nationals who may
intend to reside and work in the country.
It should be noted that work on finalizing the legal amendments to be made to the
RTC to facilitate full free movement of CARICOM nationals will be conducted in
the coming weeks through the convening of an IGTF meeting on March 7, 2024, a
meeting of the Legal Affairs Committee on March 8, followed by a Heads of
Government Meeting on March 15, 2024.
It is hoped that the CARICOM Secretariat will undertake a comprehensive public
education programme on this matter, once all arrangements have been concluded,
to avoid needless confusion on the movement of Community Nationals.
Issued from the Desk of
Dr. Clarence Henry
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
