Barbados and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are being urged to have consultations to develop purposeful migration policy at the local level, as they move towards full freedom of movement.
Director of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Unit Leo Titus Preville gave that advice as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Coordination Office for the Caribbean hosted the second episode of Conversations on Migration in the Caribbean on Wednesday.
The discussion highlighted the need for robust, inclusive discussions to shape migration policies that benefit the region.
“From a CARICOM perspective, it would really have to do with the member states having well-thought-out national policies, migration policies, migration strategies,” said Preville.
“If you have that… you will then see all the elements fitting in: the need for data, the need for skills training, what skills you need. If you don’t know your skills gap, then you are at a disadvantage from a planning perspective.”
The virtual panel discussion, which was held under the theme, Freedom of Movement: Engaging the Private Sector, brought private sector representatives into a public solutions-based dialogue with the CSME Unit. It underscored the vital role of private sector engagement in fostering sustainable, equitable solutions.
Vice Chair of the Caribbean Chambers of Commerce (CARICHAM) Kim Aikman highlighted the important role of the private sector in providing data to support decision making.
“I think one of the areas that can help us a lot is data collection. And I believe that the private sector can contribute actively in this instance, by identifying the skills gaps, forecasting future labour shortages,” she said, noting that this has been done in her country, Belize, giving the private sector the opportunity to benefit from skilled labour from other member states.
The panel also discussed ways in which targeted policies and existing systems could help make it easier for returning nationals or CARICOM citizens who might want to move from one member state to another, to receive the kind of support that would make it easier for them to invest their financial and human resources.
Olive Strachan, founder of Olive Strachan Consultancy, and a trailblazer in workforce development and diversity and inclusion, shared her perspective as a business owner who migrated from the Caribbean as a young child and returned as an adult to invest in expanding her UK-based business back home.
She expressed that there have been many challenges.
“They say diversity is being asked to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance and I am not often asked to dance. A lot of people come (return) to the Caribbean and go back because they can’t take the lack of connection,” Strachan said.
In his closing remarks, IOM Caribbean’s Coordinator Patrice Quesada said that IOM Caribbean looks forward to continuing these vital conversations and welcomed all stakeholders to join in future dialogues.
“On our side, we’re really committed to this discussion. We need more of that, and this discussion was a very good step in this direction,” he said.
The series of Conversations on Migration in the Caribbean, launched in July, are meant to advance the dialogue on how the Caribbean can use migration as a development tool and to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (IOM/BT)
