Minister urges CARICOM to tackle accreditation barriers amid free movement push

Minister of Foreign Affairs Kerrie Symmonds has criticised the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for failing to address longstanding accreditation barriers, warning that these obstacles could undermine the bloc’s historic move towards full free movement of nationals by June 1.

Speaking in Parliament on Friday, Symmonds lamented what he described as regional complacency in mutual accreditation agreements, hindering professionals seeking opportunities beyond their home countries.

His comments come in the wake of CARICOM’s decision to implement full free movement of nationals across the region by June 1.

“The challenge is sometimes that we are a little bit too complacent,” Symmonds said, stressing the need for urgency.

“I go back to the point of mutual accreditation agreements. Even if the average lawyer chose to practise outside Barbados, the accreditation issue is still going to stand in his way.”

He noted that while the recent inclusion of Martinique in regional trade and professional agreements presents new opportunities, professionals from CARICOM states still face obstacles due to a lack of mutual recognition of qualifications.

“The rules will allow you to establish in Martinique, but if you chose to do so, the accreditation issues will stand in the way of those who go into Martinique,” he said.

“And we have to make sure therefore that we move with alacrity as a region.”

Symmonds further pointed to the historical neglect of this issue, noting that since the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in December 2007, little progress had been made in resolving accreditation challenges.

He noted that it was only around 2019, with the arrival of new political administrations, that the deficiencies were once more acknowledged.

“This is a matter which we are trying to put onto the front burner again because it did flounder between December 2007 when the EPA was signed and I would say 2018–2019 when new administrations came into the region again and recognised that these were deficiencies that had not been faced and fixed and wrestled to the ground,” he said.

The minister’s comments follow a renewed push by CARICOM for deeper integration, which culminated in the decision to remove all restrictions on movement for its citizens during the recently concluded CARICOM summit.

The foreign minister noted that while this represents a significant step towards regional unity, without proper harmonised professional accreditation, skilled workers may still struggle to access employment opportunities in other member states despite their right to relocate freely.

His comments also align with earlier concerns raised by trade and labour experts who argue that for free movement to be truly effective, CARICOM must establish comprehensive frameworks for the mutual recognition of qualifications across sectors, enabling doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals to practise seamlessly within the region without bureaucratic impediments. (SM)