3rd Meeting of the OECS Council of Ministers of Immigration in Grenada
OECS Director General Remarks
March 5, 2025
THE HOUR OF DECISION: FREE MOVEMENT OF OUR PEOPLE
Good morning to everyone, and welcome to the 3rd Meeting of the Council of Ministers for Immigration.
We extend sincere thanks to the Government and people of Grenada for their characteristically warm hospitality and for hosting this important event.
Today’s gathering is an expression of our shared commitment to strengthen regional cooperation on immigration matters and to enhance the Free Movement of Persons Regime within the OECS. Our goal is to create a more unified region - one that supports the smooth movement of people, boosts economic opportunities, and fosters social growth. For too long, whether at the CARICOM or the OECS level, we have spoken about the free movement of our people but have not made it a reality. And what makes this a historical irony is the fact that within the West Indies Federation – an imperial colonial construct – that free movement was a reality.
Recognizing the Global and Regional Context
We find ourselves at a crucial moment in history. Shifts in global politics and policy - especially changes in the United States – are already heavily impacting our region. These include deep constrictions of foreign aid, stricter immigration policies, and tariffs on exports. We've also had ultimatums delivered with respect to Cuban medical support in the region. Such developments place additional pressure on the OECS to accept deportees, reintegrate them into our societies, and bear the related social and security costs.
To face these challenges, we must work together as a unified block. By strengthening our bonds, we can reinforce our economic and social integration, making us more resilient against external pressures.
We have a tendency to always see the problem, but we don't see the opportunity. I'm always guided by one of my favourite sayings, a Chinese proverb that says that crisis is opportunity riding a dangerous wind.
Why the Council of Ministers for Immigration Matters
In light of these global shifts, this Council of Ministers meeting is as important as ever. We aim to enhance our regional integration through new policies and frameworks that not only support free movement but also maintain secure borders and modernize immigration procedures.
This meeting is not about talk but action, so what are some of the key matters being brought for Ministerial approval?
- OECS Contingent Rights Model Bill - This bill is critical for putting into practice the policy on Contingent Rights across OECS Member States. It ensures that citizens of any OECS Protocol Member State can enjoy the same rights and opportunities in another Protocol Member State, such as accessing employment, healthcare, education, and social protection. By endorsing this bill, we take a decisive step toward making our region more integrated and inclusive.
- CARICOM API Passenger Name Record (PNR) Model Bill - Maintaining secure borders is essential even as we promote free movement. This initiative helps us share key passenger data so that we can quickly identify potential risks and combat transnational crime. Your support for this bill is crucial in keeping our region safe.
- Implementation of the CARICOM Arrest Warrant Bill - This measure will allow for the swift processing of arrest warrants across borders, ensuring that people involved in criminal activities cannot evade justice simply by moving between our countries. Adopting this treaty helps us combat transnational crime more effectively, making our region safer.
- Data Sharing Agreement for Border Agencies - Modern border security depends on the quick and secure exchange of information. By adopting a framework for data sharing, we can be sure our border agencies have the tools they need to keep our citizens safe. Incidentally, a major part of this effort is automation of processes, use of ecosystem approaches, rather than separate pieces of software doing distinct things, so we all can work more efficiently and effectively.
- Automation Processes at Border Entry Points - We've embarked on using online embarkation and disembarkation (ED) forms and that is helping to improve the procedures. But as I said, we need to move to a higher level of technology application and expand beyond just these basic systems to more automated systems to ensure all OECS Member States benefit from it.
Updates and Information
- Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for Cross-Border Movement in Post-Disaster Times - We will receive updates on efforts to strengthen how we handle the movement of people across borders during and after natural disasters. This is vital in ensuring safety and stability when our region faces crises.
- UN Security Trust Fund Joint Programme and Labour Migration Policy - We will hear about ongoing collaborations to tackle issues such as human mobility, environmental change, and disaster response. Our disaster response mechanisms in the OECS were well tested with Hurricanes Irma and Maria. I often give the story - after Dominica was totally devastated, those who has the privilege to go there would have seen the equivalent of an atomic bomb on Dominica. Dominicans became instant climate refugees and many of them I know coming into Saint Lucia and other countries, we had to hastily prepare for protocols that did not exist before, because in the face of that hurricane nobody even had a government-issued picture ID. Some people just had the clothes on their back. And how did we identify them? We had to put cameras in the airports, a form to get as much data on them as possible (grandparents, parents' name, date of birth...whatever data you could recall). Frankly, the only ID for a Dominican was their Dominican accent and they were able to relocate.
- Labour Migration Policy within the OECS Region - The International Labour Organization (ILO) will present on how we can best manage labour migration to benefit our economies while respecting the rights of workers. This policy aims to ensure fair wages, a safe working environment, and equal treatment for all. These things do not exist in isolated buckets. We have had contractors from the OECS coming to us and asking what is the appetite of governments of the OECS to bring in labour from outside, whether from Latin America or Haiti. What this is showing is that we have a serious skills gap in some areas. So we cannot solve this problem just by treating it as a migration or an employment problem. What are we doing in the sphere of education to prepare our people to make use of these opportunities?
- Training Programme for Border Officials on New and Emerging Security Threats - As security challenges evolve, our border officials need current and specialized training. This programme will make sure they are fully prepared to protect our region effectively.
Closing Remarks: A Call for Unity
Colleagues, the decisions we make today will have a significant impact on our citizens, shaping the way our region responds to challenges and seizes opportunities. By working together, we reinforce the spirit of unity that has guided us thus far.
Our focus should not only be on tightening border security but on upholding the fundamental rights of everyone within our borders and ensuring the free, safe movement of people. The steps we take now will define our collective future, enabling us to stand stronger against external pressures (and trust me the external pressures are going to be chokeholds) and foster prosperity across the OECS.
I urge each of you to engage in these discussions with a cooperative spirit and a renewed determination to realize a more vibrant, unified region. Together, we can accelerate our momentum towards a brighter and more inclusive future.
Thank you, and I look forward to our productive deliberations in this 3rd Meeting of the Council of Ministers for Immigration.