Professor C. Justin Robinson, Principal of the Five Islands Campus at the University of the West Indies in Antigua, has issued a stark warning to Caribbean governments. As Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines prepare to launch the region’s most ambitious free movement agreement, Robinson emphasized the need to address public anxieties to avoid political backlash and threats to democratic stability. The initiative, emerging from the CARICOM Enhanced Cooperation Protocol, allows citizens of these nations to live, work, and access basic services without work permits or residency requirements. While this promises economic benefits, Robinson cautioned that lessons from the U.S. and Europe highlight the risks of uneven distributional impacts and public perception mismanagement. He stressed that success will depend on addressing infrastructure, employment, and social integration challenges. Robinson also highlighted the potential for economic disparities and infrastructure strain, particularly in small island states with limited resources. He underscored the importance of financial system integration and cultural affinity as key advantages, urging policymakers to learn from global migration experiences to avoid pitfalls.
UWI academic warns of democratic risk if migration policy is mishandled
