The full freedom of movement is a price too high for Antigua and Barbuda

Any decision to adopt the full Freedom of Movement Regime for all CARCOM
nationals will be a price too high to pay for Antigua and Barbuda.
That’s the view expressed by Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to CARICOM,
Dr. Clarence Henry in an interview with a radio station in Jamaica.
The decision by Antigua and Barbuda to opt out of the full freedom of movement
and to maintain instead, the current CARICOM Skills Certificate regime has
become a widely discussed topic across the region.
Dr. Henry told the Jamaican audience that already Antigua and Barbuda is a ‘pull’
country that attracts thousands of people from the region, many of whom fall
outside of the list of professions from which people are allowed to immigrate to the
country.
But to go the full route of freedom of movement, according to Dr. Henry would
open up the floodgates for more people to travel to Antigua and Barbuda and this
would place unbearable stains on the country’s social services.
“We cannot afford to adopt a regime of free movement for all persons. The
carrying capacity would be overburdened; our social services will be overrun, and
at the same time it is also contemplated that we would have to build new hospital
facilities and educational facilities which would cost the government millions of
dollars; expenditures the country cannot afford at this time,” he explained.
From a practical point-of-view, Dr. Henry further explained that at this moment the
country cannot go beyond the Skills Regime.
Antigua and Barbuda has a reputation as having very liberal immigration policies
thus making it a magnet for other Caribbean nationals, many of whom are low-
skilled individuals. Dr. Henry takes the view that the strains that are placed on the
social system of the country are now at breaking point.
“The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated our economic and fiscal situation and
implementing the full regime would add a further burden on the country,” he
reiterated.