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Micoud Residents Exposed to Issues of Single Market Arrangement


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Wednesday, February 14, 2007 – The free movement policy of skilled CARICOM nationals under the CARICOM Single Market, is expected to be given more regional attention, to resolve issues of the rights of those individuals to take their spouses along with them and for their spouses to be able gain employment.

This was among many issues discussed as the Ministry of Commerce conducted another in a series of CSME road shows, on Saturday 10 February in the Micoud community.

“Your wife will have the right to work, without requiring a work permit if she is a skilled national. If she is not a skilled national she will have to get a work permit. If the wife is skilled the husband will need a permit to work. This is posing a serious challenge and the Heads of Government are reviewing that right now, but this is the way it is as of now,” said Titus Preville, the ministry's deputy permanent secretary, in an address to the sizeable crowd in attendance.

Mr. Preville says any CARICOM national can start a business in any of the CARICOM member states without problems, eliminating the requirements of a spouse to obtain a work permit, if he or she will be operating within the business that is being established.

He also informed residents of his ministry's intentions to formulate of a system that will help make St. Lucians aware of the many opportunities that are available in neighbouring territories under the CARICOM Single Market, the CSM.

“The Ministry of Commerce is trying to set up a database and a particular type of arrangement with the other countries, where we will have a sense as to what is happening in the job markets in these countries. So we will have this information available to St. Lucians through our website and through different publications, from time to time,” Mr. Preville said.

He said the job market was very dynamic, and so urged St. Lucians to be more hungry for information on the opportunities that exist in other CARICOM states.

“It is also your responsibility, as a St. Lucian, to not sit down and wait for jobs to come to you. You've got to ask what is happening. Contact friends and family in other countries to know what they do; what projects are on stream, what construction work is going on and what skills do those countries need. With that information you will be in a position to move in a purposeful way to take advantage of the CSME,” he said.

Presently there are eight categories of workers or skilled nationals who have the right to seek employment without the requirement of a work permit. They include university graduates, media persons, artistes, musicians, sports persons, managers, technical and supervisory staff attached to a company and self-employed persons/service providers.
 


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