Gonsalves says free movement rights essential to success of CSME

By Val Matthias. Updated 2:09 p.m., Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has reaffirmed St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ unwavering commitment to regional integration, emphasizing that contingent rights are essential to the success of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the broader regionalisation project.

Speaking at the forum “Free Movement, The CSME and the Caribbean Regionalisation Project: Promises, Passports and Possibilities,” Dr. Gonsalves underscored the importance of ensuring that citizens who move across borders under the CSME framework enjoy access to critical services such as education and healthcare.

“In the architecture of Caribbean integration, if you don’t have contingent rights, you’re going to have limitations in the freedom of movement in a large strategic sense,” Gonsalves said. “Our participation in these discussions has been very simple: whatever is the most optimal that you agree on, we will agree on it. Because as far as I’m concerned, you move, you enjoy all the rights that Vincentians have education, health, schooling, and so on.”

Dr. Gonsalves acknowledged that while some countries fear being overwhelmed by expanded rights, SVG has gone beyond the minimum standards agreed upon under the CSME. He noted that the October 1st agreement among four participating countries including Barbados, Dominica, Belize and St. Vincent and the Grenadines established a baseline of contingent rights for nationals moving under the Skills Certificate regime.

“These contingent rights at the minimum involve public health, primary healthcare, and primary and secondary education,” he explained. “In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we allow access to secondary healthcare at hospitals. We do not discriminate. We’ve gone beyond the minimum in respect of the movement of spouses and children as well.”

The Prime Minister cautioned that countries seeking to limit the scope of freedom of movement may hesitate to sign on to the full menu of contingent rights agreed upon in October. However, he reiterated SVG’s position as a regional leader in integration, advocating for inclusive and equitable access across borders. The forum, which brought together policymakers, academics, and civil society leaders, explored the evolving landscape of Caribbean mobility and the institutional frameworks needed to support a truly integrated region.

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