CSME Official Allays Fears
Tuesday, 06 September 2011 02:30
Source - Caribarena
Antigua St john's - An official from the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat is allaying fears that the Caribbean Single Market and Economy's (CSME) freedom of movement protocols will lead some nationals to flood other countries.
In fact, according to Specialist for Movement of Skills/Labour at the Secretariat Steven Mc Andrew, the opposite appears to be the case.
“Even though people have been concerned about flooding of their countries under the CSME arrangements, studies have shown that this has not materialized. Free movement of skills between 1997 and June 2010 totaled just around 5,000 people,” he said.
He added that in a shorter time – 2000 to 2010 – 75,000 people moved through Caricom under the work permit regimes. “There are two interesting things to note,” Mc Andrew said, “firstly, the work permit regimes are solely at the discretion of the members states.
They decide who comes in and who does not. Secondly, 75 percent of the people seeking work permits are not from Caricom, but from third party nations, and only a quarter of them were from within Caricom.”
Mc Andrew said the revelations from the studies are most interesting in light of the sometimes strident comments made against the CSME within the Caribbean Community.
“The main movement of people within Caricom has been from third nations and not Caricom nationals," he said. "Additionally, in the cases where they do move… the regime under which they travel is via the work permit, as opposed to the CSME Skills Certificate."
The Caricom official said the figures also revealed that the "brain drain" to so-called "greener pastures" continues, particularly among graduates, teachers, nurses, and doctors. “These are in high demand in the developed world, and they are the same categories listed as the priority areas under CSME,” he noted.
The official added that the aging baby boomer generation in places like the United States is retiring, and this creates opportunities for people to replace them, and for others to take care of them.
Mc Andrew is part of a Caricom team visiting Antigua & Barbuda to engage stakeholders on matters related to the CSME, and to let residents know that the CSME has not been placed on hold, but that is being actively promoted by the Caricom Secretariat.
Tuesday, 06 September 2011 02:30
Source - Caribarena
Antigua St john's - An official from the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat is allaying fears that the Caribbean Single Market and Economy's (CSME) freedom of movement protocols will lead some nationals to flood other countries.In fact, according to Specialist for Movement of Skills/Labour at the Secretariat Steven Mc Andrew, the opposite appears to be the case.
“Even though people have been concerned about flooding of their countries under the CSME arrangements, studies have shown that this has not materialized. Free movement of skills between 1997 and June 2010 totaled just around 5,000 people,” he said.
He added that in a shorter time – 2000 to 2010 – 75,000 people moved through Caricom under the work permit regimes. “There are two interesting things to note,” Mc Andrew said, “firstly, the work permit regimes are solely at the discretion of the members states.
They decide who comes in and who does not. Secondly, 75 percent of the people seeking work permits are not from Caricom, but from third party nations, and only a quarter of them were from within Caricom.”
Mc Andrew said the revelations from the studies are most interesting in light of the sometimes strident comments made against the CSME within the Caribbean Community.
“The main movement of people within Caricom has been from third nations and not Caricom nationals," he said. "Additionally, in the cases where they do move… the regime under which they travel is via the work permit, as opposed to the CSME Skills Certificate."
The Caricom official said the figures also revealed that the "brain drain" to so-called "greener pastures" continues, particularly among graduates, teachers, nurses, and doctors. “These are in high demand in the developed world, and they are the same categories listed as the priority areas under CSME,” he noted.
The official added that the aging baby boomer generation in places like the United States is retiring, and this creates opportunities for people to replace them, and for others to take care of them.
Mc Andrew is part of a Caricom team visiting Antigua & Barbuda to engage stakeholders on matters related to the CSME, and to let residents know that the CSME has not been placed on hold, but that is being actively promoted by the Caricom Secretariat.
Ambassador LaRocque
