Barbados has joined St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, and Dominica in fully implementing CARICOM free movement, marking a historic step in deepening regional integration. From Wednesday, nationals of the four Caribbean Community states will be able to live, work, and study freely across their borders without the need for permits.
In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Mia Mottley assured Barbadians that the country would “open our doors with order and with pride” as the new policy came into effect. She acknowledged both excitement and anxiety among citizens but stressed that the move would strengthen Barbados and the wider region.
“I know some of you feel excited. I also know that some of you do feel anxious. You have questions. You want to know exactly what will happen and how it will affect your family, your job, your children’s future. All of your questions and feelings are valid,” Prime Minister Mottley said.
She emphasised that the initiative, long rooted in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), was not a leap into the unknown. “It is measured. It is managed. It is ours. My friends, in a world where many are building walls, the Caribbean must build bridges. We must never become what we say we despise,” she said.
The CARICOM Secretariat, headquartered in Guyana, confirmed that preparations had been made for “a smooth and secure rollout” of the full free movement among the four pioneering states. Other CSME member countries that have not yet signed on will continue operating under existing skilled-worker and service-based regimes.
Mottley reminded Barbadians that free movement is not unprecedented. “A small country like Barbados needed the regional integration project in order to do better for our people. The ties among the islands are not new, not strange, and definitely not to be feared,” she explained, noting that successive governments have worked for decades toward this outcome.
The Prime Minister outlined clear safeguards, assuring citizens that the policy does not compromise security. She highlighted the region’s strong security architecture, which includes daily vetting of travellers against INTERPOL, U.S. Homeland Security, and CARICOM watchlists. “We do not welcome criminality. We welcome contribution. We do not welcome abuse of our systems. That is the balance and that is the commitment I make to you,” she said.
Mottley also addressed economic concerns, pointing out that new arrivals would not displace Barbadian workers but instead help to grow the economy. “We don’t only need investment and money for countries’ growth and development. We need people and skills. They will rent homes, buy from our shops, hire tradesmen, and support local businesses. This economic activity will benefit Bajans across the board,” she said.
She added that all labour laws, including the minimum wage regime, will apply equally to new workers, and professional regulations remain intact. “Lawyers will still need a practising certificate, and any regulated professions will still follow existing laws. It is not a one-way arrangement that benefits others and leaves Barbadians behind.”
Pointing to the demographic realities facing Barbados, Mottley explained that the island’s ageing population makes the initiative essential. “It is expected that one in every two Bajans will be over the age of 65 in less than 25 years. We must maintain a strong base of contributors to the Social Security scheme and to our economy if we are to keep our promises to our elders and our children,” she said.
The Prime Minister concluded with a call for courage and compassion in embracing the change. “We are not naive. We are not careless. We are not unprepared. We will measure, we will review, and we will adjust where necessary. This is how responsible nations govern. Let us look beyond rumour and beyond rhetoric.”
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