Katrina J. Yearwood – Chief Immigration Officer
The government has said, that before it can a campaign promise to discontinue the work permit policy for CARICOM and Dominican Republic nations, further discussions must be held.
The Cabinet invited the Chief Immigration Officer and three other top officials of the Immigration Department to discuss two matters, according to notes from yesterday’s Cabinet
“After a thorough and intense examination and exposition, the Cabinet agreed that the CARICOM Treaty requirements will continue, including the six-month entry allowance for visitors from the CARICOM States”, according to the document.
Further discussions are to take place between lawyers within the Legal Department of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, and experts within the Immigration Department and the Ministry of Labour, according to Cabinet.
The objective the Cabinet insists, is to ensure that all is done to make the process seamless and to fulfill the promise.
Kudos to the government.
Given the fact that a policy change would be a significant national issue, I would suggest that the Opposition party be invited to appoint a participant to these discussions. I am of the view that such all-inclusive discussions would diminish “a change of government means a change of policy” attitude to such important issues of Caribbean significancs.