BRIDGETOWN (BBC Caribbean):

Barbadian government Minister, the Reve-rend Joseph Atherley, thinks no Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country has the proper systems in place to deal with the free movement of eligible workers, almost nine months after the start-up of the CARICOM Single Market.

Rev. Atherley, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, said his country is still working to put agreed procedures in place.

He wants to see the business of movement of people properly managed through the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) arrangements.

Regime and capacity

"I don't think that anybody across the landscape of the CSME area would suggest that even though the policy position would facilitate free movement of people, that on the ground in any domestic context, at the level of any of the states, there is a sufficient regime and capacity in place to manage the movement and flows of people," Rev. Atherley said.

The specialist who deals with free movement of skills and labour matters at the CSME Unit in Barbados, Steven McAndrew, has indicated that one country - Suriname - has made the necessary arrangements.

He confirmed to BBC Carib-bean that Suriname has implemented the free movement regime.

"All the other member-states still need to bring their free movement acts in conformity with what our heads agreed to," he explained.