Support Service Organisations from across the Caribbean will meet from March 6-9 to review the progress of implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Free Movement of Skilled Workers for artisans and domestics. The meeting, facilitated by the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), follows on the heels of the Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government held on February 26 and 27 in Nassau, Bahamas.

The CPDC’s project ‘CSME Works for Domestics and Artisans‘ is aimed at improving the movement of artisans and domestic workers under the CSME Free Movement of Skilled Workers Regime and is funded by the Caribbean Aid for Regional Integration and Trade Fund (CARTFund) financed by Department for International Development (DFID) administrated by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The agencies participating in this week’s meeting are from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago. Each of the groups provide support to those household workers and artisans in their territories who wish to take full advantage of the regime.

“Even though these two groups of workers have been granted rights under the Free Movement Regime, governments throughout the CSME have been slow to implement the administrative procedures to make the regime a reality for artisans and domestic workers“, continued Ms. Munro-Knight. “At the conclusion of our session, we will present a Civil Society Response containing specific recommendations will assist with the implementation of the Regime and allow artisans and domestics to enjoy their rights under the regime in the same manner as the other categories of workers are currently able to do“.

Support to Barbados’ domestic workers and artisans has been provided in the project by the Barbados Workers’ Union who will be represented in this week’s sessions being held at the Blue Horizon Hotel.