Electronic card for travel in CARICOM countries

10 July 2007

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has approved a new, high-tech travel card to facilitate travel among member countries.

Mia Motley, Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados and president of CARICOM Security Subcommittee, said the card would be discussed at a summit to be held in September 2007 since it involves visa exemption.

The member countries of CARICOM are Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Montserrat, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad, and Tobago.

The card, with a photo and fingerprints and the CARICOM logo, automatically okays a minimum six-month stay in any CARICOM country. Deportation is limited to violation of national laws.

Mia Mottley told reporters that the new travel card would allow the region to create a virtual single domestic space similar to what was available during the hosting of the Cricket World Cup.

The card would be significantly more efficient than the wrist-band used during the Cricket World Cup, she said.

The travel card has two forms of biometrics – the fingerprints and the facial – so that when you come to the airport and you have a CARICOM travel card, you can swipe at a machine to open the barrier and walk through.

The date for implementation of the new system could be determined in September 2007 when regional heads of government would meet to finalise the matter.

Mia Mottley claimed that the card would speed up entry through immigration and would be available to all CARICOM nationals in the member-states as well as to expatriates who have legal status in a member-country.

The cost of acquiring the card is to be determined, but the leaders of the CARICOM countries have agreed that the proceeds would go towards offsetting the cost of enhanced security at the ports. The new system, Mia Mottley said, would enable the policy body for crime and security in the region to function without putting a burden on the treasury of the member-states.

Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana, described the travel card as a progressive move and the most exciting decision ever made at the CARICOM heads level.

The travel card, Jagdeo said, would not only take away the discretion of the immigration officer but also would enable all CARICOM nationals traveling to member countries to stay for a minimum of six months.