Peter Wickham says AB among most liberal Caribbean countries in terms of immigration policy

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Political commentator Peter Wickham (Photo courtesy Barbados Today)
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Political Analyst Peter Wickham has backed Antigua and Barbuda over its apprehension over fully implementing the CARICOM pact on the free movement of persons.

Last week, Antigua and Barbuda’s CARICOM Ambassador Dr Clarence Henry emphasised that the government believed that the movement of skills was more vital for economic growth than allowing an unrestricted flow of CARICOM nationals, which he said could imperil various social services, among other things.

Wickham said that the decision was not hostile to immigrants, but it was an attempt by the government to control the immigration narrative.

“The fact of the matter is that Antigua has been, up to this point, way ahead of other Caribbean islands in relation to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and free movement.

“Antigua has, in my estimation, about 30% of its voting population being non-native born…and I think that the reality on the ground in Antigua is always considered one of the preferred places for Caribbean nationals to move and work,” he expressed.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne, in responding to questions about the government’s policy, claimed that the government wanted to avoid a sharp increase in immigration numbers, considering that the country is presently accommodating over a thousand new Caribbean nationals annually, even with restricted, skill-based free movement.

Wickham asserts that Antigua and Barbuda has been one of the more liberal countries in terms of its immigration policy.

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