4 Carib Nations to Let Citizens Work Freely Across Borders. Why Not USVI?

M.A. Dworkin

 The Caribbean - Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, have launched a EU-style free movement landmark pact that lets citizens live and work freely across their borders. The deal which officials of the four nations believe will stem the flow of skilled professionals leaving the region for the U.S. mainland and Europe, and at the same time will help to enhance the workforces in their nations, follows decades of discussions and negotiations among members of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) - a regional grouping of 15 member countries. 

The “full free movement” will allow nationals of the four countries to reside, work and remain indefinitely in any of the countries without the need for a work or residency permit. Nationals can apply to reside in any participating member country under categories such as skills, services and business establishment. 

“The deal is not just about free movement of workers,” said David Comissong, Barbados Ambassador to Caricom. “But it is about cultural and economic integration and achieving a single market and single economy across the Caribbean. “We are virtually the same people. We have no historical animosities against each other, and we are very similar culturally. So, this is a breakthrough, even though right now it’s only four countries. The idea is, once the four countries make the start and perfect this regime, that others will join.”

The new arrangement comes amid ongoing concerns about a regional brain drain, with skilled professionals following lucrative salaries and opportunities in the UK, the US and Canada, leaving islands with gaps in critical fields such as healthcare and education. There are also concerns about declining and aging populations.

Anthony Roberts, a shop attendant in Barbados said, “I am concerned the deal would mean more competition for jobs.” 

Michelle Thorne, an air traffic controller in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, believes Vincentians would be enticed by higher salaries and the country would lose critical workforce.     

There are also those who feel the new deal would allow criminals to move freely from one island to another. Although this realization has brought about the need for a more stricter vetting process. 

“People should be able to move around and contribute wherever their skills are needed,” said Darren Clarke, a University of the West Indies student. “I like the idea that I could one day take a job in Jamaica or Guyana without having to jump through a million hoops.”

Although there are opinions on both sides of the coin the fact remains the Caribbean region is facing a crisis in attracting and keeping skilled workers. In the case of the USVI, there appears to be an abundance of monies scheduled to come down from the U.S. Federal Government but hardly enough workers to fulfill the contracts.

The USVI is not a full member of CARICOM primarily because of its status as an unincorporated Territory of the United States. Only sovereign nations in the Caribbean region are eligible for full membership, which under U.S. federal law and policy, the USVI cannot independently pursue full membership in an international organization like CARICOM. However, recent efforts by the Bryan Administration have focused on enhancing its partnership with CARICOM. 

The USVI has recently entered into a partnership with CARICOM for “functional cooperation” allowing it to engage in practical initiatives and programs with the regional body. This collaboration focuses on areas of common interest, such as economic development and addressing regional challenges, for the benefit of the USVI and the broader Caribbean region.

In an agreement with CARICOM and the USVI that is currently in the works, one of the main factors involves leveraging the Regional Migration Policy to facilitate regional employment exchange and ensure job security, along with promoting education at the University of the Virgin Islands. This policy would be combined with a labor management information system that would efficiently track and allocate labor resources, thereby supporting resilient labor markets.

Perhaps the day is soon approaching where workers from CARICOM could fill needed skilled positions in the USVI without all the red tape. Such an enactment might very well help solve some of the employment issues now facing Virgin Islands hospitals construction businesses, along with an expanding service industry.