No insult to CARICOM nationals: B'dos PM

Barbadian Prime Minister David Thompson told reporters Tuesday night he meant no insult to anyone by statements he made concerning his country's immigration policy.

Speaking in a televised news conference Thomson said Barbados remains committed to the regional CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) but
it cannot commit itself to "full and unfettered movement" of people.

He explained that to do it would put the country’s social services under excessive strain.

“That was my position. It was not meant to be an insult, what it essentially means is that when the conditions are appropriate in Barbados and the resources are there for us to accommodate more Caribbean nationals beyond the categories that are already agreed, we will do so. But we’re not ready right now,” he told reporters.

He said Barbados was ready at the CARICOM summit to admit two new categories and if there are others over time they will be welcomed "when we make that call at the level of Heads.”

The last summit in Guyana agreed to allow higglers and qualified household domestics to move freely effective January 2010.

The Prime Minister had earlier revealed that his government is reviewing applications for about 6,000 undocumented non-nationals.

Free movement of CARICOM nationals is seen as an important plank of the CSME, which also makes provision for the trade in goods and services between participating member states. Critics of the Barbadian immigration position have argued that it goes against the spirit of the regional integration movement.