Tag: St.Vincent

Barbados, Belize, Dominica, St. Vincent begin full free movement on October 1

Posted on by Aliyah Persaud

Four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States—Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines—are on track to implement full free movement among themselves from 1 October this year. By adopting this regime, the four countries have agreed to grant their nationals the right to enter, leave and re-enter, move freely, reside, work, and remain indefinitely in the receiving Member State, without the need for a work or residency permit.
According to a release, their nationals will also be entitled to access emergency and primary health care, as well as public primary and secondary education, within the capacity of the receiving Member State.
This initiative is in keeping with a decision taken by CARICOM Heads of Government at the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference earlier this year.
Representatives of the four Member States have been meeting and working to ensure that the necessary measures are in place to support the full free movement of their nationals from 1 October 2025.
This arrangement falls under the new Enhanced Cooperation Chapter of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Under this Chapter, the Conference of Heads may authorize groups of at least three Member States to advance integration among themselves where the targeted objectives cannot reasonably be achieved by the Community as a whole within a given timeframe.
This form of free movement goes beyond the provisions of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). It applies to all CARICOM nationals of the four participating countries.
The other Member States participating in the CSME will continue to operate free movement under the existing regimes—Skills, Services, Business Establishment, and general facilitation of travel.

St Vincent PM urges calm in Venezuela-T&T row

Posted on by Aliyah Persaud

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has urged both Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela to exercise restraint and resolve their differences peacefully and in line with international law, the Trinidad Guardian reports.
“All I would like to do is to urge both neighbours to continue to act peacefully in accordance with international law,” Gonsalves said in an interview with Guardian Media yesterday.

He warned against inflaming the situation with strong language. “As far as practicable, we do not incline the situation with any excessive rhetoric. We just take our patience into account. And whatever is the problem, we solve them maturely between two neighbours.”

Tensions between T&T and Venezuela escalated last week after Venezuelan Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello alleged on his programme Con El Mazo Dando, that a Trinidadian by the name of “Guis Kendell Jerome” – had been captured en route to Venezuela with a group labelled “terrorists” in an attempt to destabilise their government.

Senior police officials in this country have since confirmed that the person named by Cabello had not appeared in T&T’s criminal database.

During last Thursday’s post-Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar added to the issue as she delivered a warning to Venezuela that T&T was off-limits.

She revealed that the T&T Coast Guard (TTCG) would have been placed on alert to use deadly force if any vessel from Venezuela sought to access local waters illegally.

Contacted on the issue yesterday, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister was asked whether Caricom should intervene in the developing tension, he replied, “Maybe not, maybe not as yet, but that’s why I’m urging peace and calm.”

Gonsalves reaffirmed Caricom’s and the region’s broader commitment to peace. “That would be what my own broad position would do as someone who supports very much—and we all do, and Caricom does, and so too does Venezuela—we support our region as a region of peace. We want to see good neighbourliness.”

He cautioned against drawing in outside forces. “If there is any challenge which arises, we should not interfere in the internal affairs of any other state. We should not bring any foreign power into this particular matter. This is a matter which we have to be careful that is not blown out of proportions.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander said while this country remains on high alert, communication was key.

Efforts to contact Defence Minster Wayne Sturge yesterday on Saturday’s meeting with national security and law enforcement officials to discuss allegations of a local link to destabilise Venezuela were unsuccessful.

Alexander directed all questions to Sturge yesterday, but would only say that local law enforcement agencies had been placed on high alert. (St Vincent Times)

Gonsalves urges Caribbean embassies to lobby US over proposed tariff on Chinese ships

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

As concerns mount over proposed tariff on Chinese-built ships entering the region, Caribbean leaders are being urged to use their embassies in Washington to lobby Capitol Hill on the matter.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, in a public statement on Thursday, warned that the US trade measure could have severe consequences for the region. He emphasised the need for Caribbean leaders to formally register their concerns with Washington.

Gonsalves noted that while the measure will directly affect Chinese vessels and deter future purchases of Chinese-built assets, it could result in “serious supply chain disruptions and cost increases that will inevitably trickle down to consumers.”

He further explained that the new restrictions would significantly increase freight rates, which would then be passed on to consumers. This, in turn, could lead to a reduction in shipping lines serving the Caribbean, disruptions in supply chain reliability, fewer vessel calls, reduced resilience and sustainability of ports, increased port operation costs, and negative impacts on revenue, job creation, economic growth, and citizens’ well-being.

 

Gonsalves also expressed concerns that the measures could adversely affect the tourism and cruise ship industry, on which many Caribbean nations heavily rely.

Additionally, Gonsalves highlighted that the US trade measure’s focus on Chinese operators and fleets using Chinese-built vessels could further disrupt shipping companies conducting business in the region.

At the regional level, he suggested that CARICOM states lobby Congress and enlist the support of shipping firms that risk losing business in the region due to the policy.

Several Caribbean leaders have already voiced their concerns about the trade measure and raised the issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his two-day visit to the region earlier this week.

uring a joint press conference with Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday, Rubio acknowledged that the matter had been consistently raised throughout his visits to the region. He assured Caribbean nations that he would relay their concerns to Washington policymakers responsible for trade policies.

“We’re going to take it back and explain to those in charge of trade policy that there are implications to applying these measures to certain nations—nations that are partners and striving to develop their economies in ways that align with US national interests,” Rubio said.

While he could not commit to any exemptions, Rubio stated, “What I can commit to is that I will most certainly raise this issue repeatedly, in multiple forums, emphasising that it could have a real detrimental effect on economic development.”

The US government is seeking to strengthen its domestic shipbuilding industry and reduce reliance on Chinese-built vessels. Rubio stressed the importance of diversifying the global shipbuilding market.

“I think it’s dangerous to have one country in the world building all the ships. We don’t want a war, but if we ever face trouble, they’re not going to build ships for us. So we need to have alternatives to Chinese shipbuilding, and we’re trying to create a market and demand for non-Chinese ship construction,” Rubio explained.