Improving free movement of regional workers key

A CONCERTED effort is on the way to facilitate the free movement of artisans and household domestics in the region, many of whom are daunted by the process or unaware of the opportunities that exist within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The initiative was explained by Executive Coordinator of the Caribbean Policy Development Centre, Shantal Munro-Knight, who was speaking during a two-day workshop at the Blue Horizon Hotel in Barbados on the free movement of artisans and household domestics.

CPDC Executive Coordinator Shantal Munro-Knight
while outlining some of the challenges facing artisans
and household domestics in the region.

Stressing that free movement is at the heart of the integration process, and a critical plank in terms of moving the CSME forward, she observed that the approach chosen by the heads of government for the implementation of the CSME often relies on an administrative infrastructure that is either not present or underdeveloped in some states.

“The removal of these impediments would require that these infrastructure throughout the region be upgraded and/or the approach of the implementation of the CSME simplified,” she said.

She told participants of the workshop that a study done in 2010, commissioned by the CARICOM Secretariat, showed that people were still using the work permit regime more so than the skills regime. Even for categories of people that were better able to take advantage of the provisions in the categories of skills earlier identified.

“We have a process, but more work needs to be done to ensure that it works at its maximum,” Munro-Knight explained.

“Our objective is to say to our artisans and domestics, ‘you have a right that you can legally move’. So we want to encourage them to use the regime that has been set up too allow them to move and to ensure they have some level of protection in the context of accessing those rights.”

“[The] process could be a little bit daunting for them. Even for artisans as well. We wanted to make sure we balance the scales and ensure they not only will be able to access the rights, but also have the necessary support within the support to ensure they fully enjoy those rights.”

She said that a study in 2004 revealed that persons in the region view the  process as something that is removed, and it is just for academics and professionals. “And at the first barrier that they come up against they tend to disengage.”

Also to be addressed in the project is the inadequate information on or short supply of employment opportunities. She said that for artisans for example, there is a need to create a network in order to have a greater voice or keep abreast of the issues to which they are directly affected.“We believe that the CSME process is critical to the growth of the region, and if we can find a process to ensure that we use all of the capacities of the region’s people, then that would be to our benefit.

So having a working regime is in the benefit of all of us.

People have to be able to understand the opportunities that exist.”

She noted that while comprehensive records of the utilisation of the rights of movement are still lacking, based on the information the main sending countries have been identified as Jamaica and Guyana; and the main receiving countries as St. Kitts, Barbados and T&T. These are the five countries that will be used during the project.

The coordinator further explained that an innovative pillar in the project includes the building out of support services  for domestics when they actually move. She revealed that national partners in each country have agreed to provide those support services. (JH)