SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN CARICOM SINGLE MARKET

Greater Georgetown, June 18, 2009 -- The Caribbean Community Council of Ministers on Wednesday acknowledged the significant progress the Region had made with regard to the Right of Establishment, Movement of Capital and the Free Movement of Goods within the CARICOM Single Market.

The Council, comprising of Ministers with responsibility for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Affairs, is the second highest organ of CARICOM. It  met in Bridgetown, Barbados 17 June, 2009 and received a report on the status of implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). The report also pointed to the advances made in the areas of Trade in Services and the Free Movement of Skilled CARICOM Nationals. With regard to the latter, the need for work permits has been removed for nine categories of eligible persons.

The report indicated that overall, the CSM was functioning fairly well, in spite of outstanding measures that still had to be taken. The Council took note that there were still challenges ahead with respect to the capacity and supply side and the institutional and technical capacity of governments to operate the CSME systems and provide services to the public.

The report was the outcome of a mandate by Heads of Government of CARICOM to examine the actions by Member States that would enable effective participation in the CSME. The Conference had also directed that during the appraisal, the challenges which Member States experienced in implementing the CSME should be identified.