Political scientist wants clear statement on free movement

Caribbean academic and political scientist Professor Neville Duncan says CARICOM governments need to make a definitive statement on the issue of free movement within the region.

His statement follows the decision of the Jamaican Government to take claims by one of its nationals that she was sexually and verbally abused by Barbadian customs and immigration officials to the CARICOM Council meeting this week.

In addition, Jamaica's national security minister, Dwight Nelson, has written to Public Defender Earl Witter asking him to intervene in the issue after the woman, Shanquie Myrie, claimed she had been subjected to sexual and verbal abuse at the hands of the authorities at the Grantley Adams International airport last week.

But parliamentary secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, Harry Husbands, who has responsibility for immigration, is quoted in the Barbados Nation newspaper as saying that there was no record of Myrie being searched by either immigration or customs officers and that a full statement would be issued after more investigations.

In an interview with the Caribbean Media Corpo-ration, Professor Duncan cautioned countries not to take a position on the matter, but said regional governments now need to show a clear political will to facilitate hassle-free travel.

"I think they just need to determine this is one of the best things they could do for the region, because this is how we are going to generate true business," he said.

"We are in a global situation which is about to collapse any moment now because there might be a major shift from the US dollar as the reference currency, and basically we need to be sure within ourselves, within the region, that we can move food, that we can move people, move expertise easily from Caribbean country to Caribbean country so that we can maintain a certain level of living and to be protected against needless interference and frustration."

Duncan said that the region should take a closer look at how the European Union handles free movement within its market and economic union.

He suggests the introduction of modern technology will make it easier for Caribbean nationals to move across member states' borders.

"Everything known about you will be on the passport; we need to do that for the Caribbean," said Duncan.

"If some countries are not ready for the electronic system, those who can should help them in this regard. But without a smooth system like that we are always going to be coming up with complaints of one sort or another, and by now that should be history," he said.

- CMC