GEORGETOWN (CMC):

When Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads meet next month, a major issue on the agenda will be the unilateral move by Barbados to vary its requirement for the issuance of the free movement of skills certificates, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally said Friday.

Insanally said the issue came up at the most recent meeting of CARICOM's Council of Foreign Ministers which is planning the agenda of the 19th intersessional meeting of the heads, scheduled for The Bahamas from March 7-8.

Insanally said that Barbados has moved to do a double check of the skills certificate, in violation of the principles agreed by the regional integration bloc.

"These principles (for approval of skills certificate) are agreed to; we have to act according to the principles," Insanally declared at a press conference at the Foreign Service Institute in Georgetown.

Insanally said the double check of the skills certificate results in the delay for the applicant and results in "hardship" for them.

The skills certificate essentially replaces work permits and is obtained from the requisite ministry once all the essential documents/qualifications (which vary with each category of skilled persons) are handed in with an application.

Several categories of CARICOM nationals have been eligible for free movement throughout the CARICOM Single Market without the need for work permits, including university graduates, media workers, artistes, musicians, and sportspersons.

Meanwhile, Minister Insanally said the refusal of entry to Guyanese nationals at regional airports is a continuing issue, with Trinidad and Tobago becoming more notable than Barbados.