Free Movement in CARICOM: Vision and Reality

1. 1 FORUM OF CARICOM DIRECTORS OF GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS The Vision and the Reality CARICOM Community Secretariat Kingston Jamaica 16-17 March 2005 ANNEX V

2. 2 BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE CSME Legal Frameworks Financial Resources Human Resources Social Assets Sense of identity Shared identity

3. 3 CONTEXT OF FREE MOVEMENT 400 years of economic articulation Community of Sovereign States Regional Market: minimum economic activity Lack of compliance

4. 4 LANDMARKS 1968 CARIFTA 1973 Treaty Establishing the Caribbean Community and Common Market (signed at Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago, 4 July 1989: Grande Anse Declaration 1990-2002 Signing of Protocols leading to the Revised Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community (including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy) 2003: Rose Hall Declaration 2005: Year of the CARICOM Single Market

5. 5 More Structured vs. ad hoc Framework: Rule and Role of Law (CCJ) CSME more structured approach to service and entrepreneurship Provision of Services CSME competitiveness: restructuring approaches and increasing opportunities Right of Establishment -

6. 6 Provision of services Provision of services is a right (Art. 30) All services will be open to competition except: (a) those involving the exercise of governmental authority (Art. 30) (b) those where there is a monopoly (Art. 31) Non-discrimination applies to all laws, rules, administrative measures and service industries

7. 7 Provision of Services: The Reality Removal of Restrictions for - Companies Non-Wage Earners (self-employed persons involved in industrial, agricultural, professional, commercial and artisan activities) Managerial, technical and supervisory persons Spouses and dependant persons

8. 8 Right of Establishment Obligations: Permit establishment in all areas Do not introduce new restrictions Remove existing restrictions

9. 9 Right of Establishment Who has this right? According to Article 32- natural persons: citizens, nationals, residents natural persons: self-employed persons, persons engaged in non-wage earning activities of an agricultural, industrial, commercial, artisanal and professional nature companies and other legal entities, agencies, branches and subsidiaries

10. 10 FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS: TWO REGIMES - Facilitation of Travel (Art. 46) Movement of Skills (Arts. 32, 34(d), 36 and 37)

11. 11 Regime One: Facilitation of Travel (Art. 46) Common travel documents Common landing documents National treatment at ports of entry

12. 12 Regime Two:Movement of Skills - Companies and Non-Wage Earners (self- employed persons) - Wage Earners (University Graduates; Musicians; Artistes; Sports Persons; Media workers; Managerial, Technical and Supervisory Staff of establishing entities - Other special categories (under discussion)

13. 13 LIBERALISATION: The reality Removal of work permit: - Skilled Nationals Act for wage earners and the self-employed - Self-employed - Other skills levels - Removal of existing restrictions for persons establishing a business or providing a service

14. 14 Status: Movement of Persons Right of establishment : - Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago completed the removal of restrictions - All other Member States to complete the process by 31 December 2005

15. 15 Status: Movement of Persons Free Movement of Persons : - Common Lines implemented in all Member States - Suriname started with the issuance of a CARICOM passport - All other Member States to introduce the CARICOM passport - Free Movement of wage earners implemented in all Member States, except Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat and St. Kitts and Nevis

16. 16 Status: Movement of Persons Provision of Services : - Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago completed the removal of restrictions - All other Member States to complete the process by 31 December 2005

17. 17 THE IMPACT OF FREE MOVEMENT Quality of goods and services New/non-traditional businesses Coalition of service providers Itinerant Community workers New Migration outlook

18. 18 INTERSECTION OF VISION/REALITY Regional transportation IT/ICT for Development Education and Training Cultural Industries Beyond consolidation of cultural bonds

19. 19 CATALYSTS TO ACTION Accreditation/ Standardisation CCJ New Executive Mechanism Restructured CARICOM Secretariat World Cup Cricket CARICOM/PANCAP

20. 20 IMPERATIVES FOR THE CSME REALITY GLOBAISATION THE FTAA SELF-RESPECT

21. 21 Some Action Points Information and Communication Network The role of GIS - Marketing and Public Education The role of the Media