CARICOM heads to focus on regional travel

PORT OF SPAIN,Trinidad, June 30, CMC - The challenges of regional travel will be placed on the front burner at the upcoming meeting of heads of Government from across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).



The CARICOM meeting, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, will be held in Port of Spain July 4-6.



In the aftermath of a meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) held in St Vincent and the Grenadines in May, several recommendations were made and these will be discussed at the 34th Caricom Heads of Government Conference.



According to CARICOM, the ministers will recommend the reintroduction of the Single Domestic Space (SDS) that was established for Cricket World Cup in 2007, as one of the measures to provide some relief to those traversing the Community.



Among the features of the SDS that involved the participation of 10 CARICOM Member States were freedom of movement for all domestic travelers and a Special Visa stamped at the first port of entry for travelers from outside the Region to allow hassle free movement among the participating SDS states.



COTED also agreed to recommend to the Heads of Government that they support the proposed LIAT application to the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for the required financing to meet the costs of its re-fleeting exercise.