Last Updated on October 2, 2025 11:20 am by Editor
“Beyond the News, Inside the Issues”.
|Guest Editorial|
Come tomorrow, October 01, Barbados will expand free movement into the country to three CARICOM states: Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Belize. We have a few pertinent questions to ask about this development and one suggestion which might interest those concerned about transparency.
Cause for Fear?
According to the Nation News report of 29 September, 2025, “mass migration of citizens from Belize, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines into Barbados” is not expected. That is the reported view of Dr. Olivia Smith, migration expert and former lead consultant, CARICOM-IOM Migration Policy Framework (2024).
Dr. Smith sought to dispel fears that there would be a mass movement of people arguing that it “was not supported by empirical evidence”, the report continued. She also suggested that to avoid consternation and xenophobia “communication was also crucial involving employers, unions and civil society and must be transparent and structured”.
We agree. That being the case, perhaps she can point us to this empirical data alluded to so that we can be independent judges of the whether the fears of Barbadians should be allayed.
But that is only one side of the matter. It is not so much whether there is mass movement; the net movement might be more important. In other words, do we have a net inflow or outflow of “moving individuals” in a given country? That is very relevant in seeking to measure the impact of this migration on social services such as health care which Dr. Smith readily admits might be an issue.
To some Barbadians it seems that the mass influx has already taken place but then again that might just be speculation and fear speaking.
But here a general word of caution needs to be issued with regard to people moving across our borders. The experience of Europe with migration is a cautionary tale which we would do well to take note of, notwithstanding the fact, that the socio-cultural and economic dynamics of that situation are different from that which obtain in a more culturally homogeneous Caribbean.
We say that, notwithstanding the assurances about regional security the PM just gave in her broadcast to the nation.
Wages
Barbados recently passed a minimum wage order (June 01, 2025) under the Minimum Wages Act 2017 (Reference): $10.50 per hour for general workers and $11.43 per hour for security guards. The expectation is that incoming Caribbean nationals will be paid at least the minimum wage for comparable work performed.
Expectation is one thing but it is quite another matter to monitor the situation for compliance with the minimum wage standards. It is one thing to pass legislation, quite another to implement and monitor it.
Evidence Please
The other critical matter raised by Dr. Smith is the need for “a properly implemented Labour Market Impact Assessment…to ensure that new workers complement, rather than compete with, the existing workforce, thereby upholding, not depressing, local wage standards.”
We could not agree more. Therefore, we need to ask whether the Barbados government did such a study before moving ahead with this phase of Freedom of Movement through Barbados. We could find no trace of any such study at the time of preparing this article, but I speak subject to correction.
On the other hand, statements by the Prime Minister in parliament suggest that the perceived shortage of skilled persons is more anecdotal than empirical. Therefore, to we need to know to which country or countries Dr. Smith is referring when she says:
“The highest demand is frequently for specialized skills – plumbers, electricians and certified technicians who command competitive, high-level salaries – that local businesses are currently struggling to fill”?
Having been associated with the first ever attempts at a Caribbean Labour Market Information System (CLIMIS) in 2006 and having completed the first ever basic study for Barbados (BLMIS) in that year, this writer can tell you that such studies are what we would call a “bad word” in Barbados.
No one seems to be able to get the Ministry of Labour to get its teeth into this much talked about and greatly needed area of economic research (Labour Market Information), despite the head start it was given by the 2006 BLMIS study.
So, to date, all we can find on the website of the Ministry of labour is the same-old statistics; useful, but not quite what we want from a future looking LMIS (labour market information system) that can underpin serious economic planning.
Transparency Now
That aside, if we are really want to be transparent and base policy decisions like this on empirical research, we now need to design and implement what might be called a Monthly Freedom of Movement Report which would show the following:
- No. of persons who moved to Barbados under “the programme” by country and preferably by gender
- No. of Barbadians who moved to other countries under “the programme” by country and preferably by gender
- The Net Inflow / Outflow
Additionally, average wages earned, by at least a sample of skills sectors under the programme (benchmarked against minimum wages), would be very useful.
Such reports need to be laid in parliament and published in the Official Gazette so that interested Barbadians, policy students and researchers etc. can access them. We should not be hearing that this is not necessary or worse still that this is too much work. Let the local statisticians sort it out or let us migrate in people who can!
Article by Dr Aldon D. Tull Retired Educator
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