CTUSAB questions timing of full CARICOM labour movement

The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) urged the government to slow the rollout of reciprocal full free movement of CARICOM nationals, raising fears it could overwhelm employment capacity and strain key public services.

The trade union umbrella did not provide evidence to support its concerns but CTUSAB General Secretary Dennis De Peiza told journalists that while the trade union umbrella supports the vision of Caribbean regionalism, the move by Barbados, Belize, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica to allow indefinite stays for CARICOM nationals must be carefully managed.

The agreement between these four CARICOM states to allow full free movement of nationals took effect on October 1.

“The full free movement of labour, in our opinion, is a decisive move towards the building of regionalism. It is a bold step that has been taken by the governments,” De Peiza said. “However, we question the timing of this implementation by the Government of Barbados and caution against any unregulated process.”

He warned that if not properly controlled, the policy could threaten “the social, economic and political stability” of individual CARICOM member states.

“It shouldn’t be a case of putting the cart before the horse. The heads of government should ensure that people who have an interest in moving first have gainful employment in the intended domicile. It’s necessary to guard against an invasion of any state by a mass of people who are unemployed, which in turn could place pressure on the social services of the state.”

CTUSAB also called for a monitoring system to ensure that migrants are not left homeless or become a liability to the state. De Peiza cautioned that without clear regulation, vulnerable workers could be exploited — and Barbadians could lose job opportunities to those willing to accept lower wages.

He said: “The government must explain where the job opportunities in Barbados currently exist to cater to an uptake in Caribbean nationals who are expected to reside here. Many Barbadians are either unemployed or underemployed. Where are the available houses to meet the housing needs of an expanded population?”

He also described the move as premature, pointing out that CARICOM has not yet harmonised its labour laws to support full implementation of the free movement initiative.

CTUSAB President Ryan Phillips echoed the concern, emphasising that Barbados was struggling to create sufficient employment opportunities even for its own citizens.

“How can we sit back and share a workspace when we don’t even have enough work for our people?” Phillips asked. “We understand and support the CSME and the free movement of people, but as a country we need to look at job creation — sustainable job creation. Otherwise, we’re just spinning top in mud.”

(LG)