Senator Anthony Hylton Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. -Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

Not all Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states are lowering their barriers to facilitate free movement of CARICOM nationals under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), says Anthony Hylton, Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

According to Mr. Hylton, while Jamaica has been very liberal in facilitating free movement of CARICOM nationals, not all member states are doing the same.

"We believe that there is evidence (to suggest) that some countries are more than forth coming in the pace at which they are moving, and there have been some inconsistencies in the requirements which is having an impact on the free movement of people," Mr. Hylton told The Gleaner.

Senator Hylton said the issue was taken up at the 23rd meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in Castries, St. Lucia, last week.

Imposing additional requirements

He said that while CARICOM had agreed that the issuing of a skills certificate should be adequate for free movement, some member states were imposing additional requirements.

"Some countries want to issue their own CARICOM certificate and we have taken a position that this is unwarranted and will not facilitate the free movement of people," he said.

Mr. Hylton said it was agreed at the COTED meeting that (these additional requirements) should be "done away with".

"(Once) the issuing country is not in doubt, then the issuing of the certificates should be enough for our people to move," he argued.

Mr. Hylton said that another challenge being faced by Jamaican migrants was delay in taking up their jobs because of further investigations being imposed by the receiving countries.

While refusing to state which countries were reluctant in facilitating free movement, Mr. Hylton said a number of them were involved.

"Our concept of the single market is that there are benefits and burdens. We are bearing our burden of allowing access to our market including being more liberal in people moving here and working in Jamaica," he said.

The Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister said it was only fair that the same treatment be extended to Jamaicans.

"We are insisting that the others do so immediately so we can benefit from the service side and the free movement of people," he said.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com