Barbados calls for managed migration system

The government in Barbados is calling for a formal system of managed migration that allows for the free movement of skills, labour, goods and services across CARICOM member states.



Barbados has recently been strongly criticised for its domestic policy on the issue.



Prime Minister David Thompson says such a system should be patterned along the guest worker programme the Caribbean enjoys with Canada and the United States.



He says bilateral government to government negotiations can set the terms based on labour market requirements.



And he says the systems must also make provisions to guarantee decent wages, decent housing and proper health care.



The Barbadian Prime Minister says such a move would also fill labour shortages by properly documented CARICOM nationals and not by irregular migrants whose circumstances leave them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.