Caribbean Countries, Worried About US, Shore Up Their Own Bloc

Leaders from the Caribbean nations of Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines recently signed a deal to allow their citizens to reside and work in each other’s territories without visas or work permits. 

The agreement, which became effective on Oct. 1, resembles similar freedoms in the European Union’s single market that not only allow for flexible labor markets but also give foreigners from member states access to services, making freedom of movement more convenient, reported MercoPress. Previously, citizens of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a region group of 15 Caribbean countries, could work in each other’s countries but not necessarily access public services.  

The move cuts against global trends seeking to erect stricter borders to keep foreigners out, noted the Gleaner, a Jamaican newspaper. 

“We are virtually the same people,” David Comissiong, the Barbadian Ambassador to CARICOM, told the Guardian. “We have no historical animosities against each other, and we are very similar culturally. So, this is a breakthrough, even though it’s only four countries. The idea is, once the four countries make the start and perfect this regime, that others will join.” 

Keeping well-educated young people in the region was among the most attractive benefits of the deal, reported Firstpost. Currently, those sought-after workers often opt to leave the Caribbean in search of more attractive jobs in Canada, Europe, and the United States. 

The move makes the four countries among the most integrated in the world, explained Patrice Quesada, who oversees the International Organization for Migration’s operations in the region, in an opinion article. The agreement also paves the way to deliver the labor necessary to exploit newfound oil deposits in Guyana and provide a framework to give economic opportunities to Haitians who are seeking to leave their impoverished, crime-ridden country, Quesada added. 

Meanwhile, the deal allows for local governments to bar criminals and others from crossing their border due to national security concerns, added the Associated Press. Leaders have also warned that they will need to see whether newcomers put too much financial pressure on their own country’s public services, noted the St. Kitts and Nevis Observer. 

That said, Jamaican leaders have already expressed their interest in joining the deal, citing how Jamaicans frequently work in nearby countries – often illegally – while ethnic communities within Jamaica can trace their roots to other states and communities in the region, noted the Jamaica Observer. 

Another reason for moving forward on regional integration are economic worries, particularly regarding trade. At a conference earlier this year, Caribbean officials said that it is important to diversify to build “economic resilience” in light of new “US first” polices, particularly tariffs.   

At the meeting, Wayne McCook, assistant secretary general for the CARICOM Single Market and Trade from Jamaica, emphasized the region’s vulnerability to changes in US trade policy due to its heavy reliance on American markets, reported Barbados Today. He warned that the use of tariffs as tools by the US to promote its own economic and national security poses significant challenges for the region. 

“The focus on tariffs as economic weapons presents risks for Caribbean economies deeply dependent on US trade,” McCook said.  

Meanwhile, the dependence on the US is very risky, added W. Andy Knight, former director of the Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad & Tobago. “It’s convenient to trade with the US, but over-reliance on a single supplier is dangerous,” Knight argued. “Trump’s policies should serve as a wake-up call for the Caribbean to diversify suppliers and explore new markets, reducing economic vulnerability.”