HAMILTON, Bermuda – Bermuda's government says it is moving ahead with plans to join the regional integration movement, CARICOM, after being given the green light from the United Kingdom to do so.
Deputy Premier, Walter Roban, in a statement to Parliament, said discussions had been held between Premier David Burt and the Governor of this British Overseas Territory, Rena Lalgie, on “Bermuda’s intention to make an application for full membership” in the 15-member CARICOM grouping.
Roban said that Premier Burt also met with David Rutley, Britain’s Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Americas and Caribbean, while on a trip to London earlier this month.
He said Rutley “expressed support for Bermuda making an application” and that “he encouraged Bermuda to begin the process, an offer which we will oblige.”
The Deputy Premier acknowledged that Britain will have to be consulted before Bermuda can submit an application to CARICOM, which is this year, observing its 50th anniversary.
“We are now researching and exploring all that is required to make a full application. The official discussions have begun with the United Kingdom as to whether an entrustment is required or merely an amendment to the existing entrustment.
“Also, we are determining what will be needed for us to facilitate a full application, what steps are required and what may be the points of negotiation we would need to initiate with the CARICOM Secretariat. We are reaching out to the secretariat to obtain all the required information for the application.
“We are also consulting with other full members of CARICOM about our future application to get feedback and guidance,” Roban said in his statement, adding that there would be “extensive” consultation with the public in order for “a fully informed and healthy discussion to be had with all interested parties.
“It is important that people be allowed to ask questions, participate in discussions, look at positives and negatives, and, importantly, to get the facts and answers they deserve. This is the environment that was created in 2003 before the application for Associate Membership was made. It will be done so again.
“Once we receive further information such as the feedback required from the UK Government, CARICOM Secretariat and other relevant organisations, the public will hear early in the new year about the public consultation process.
“As was the case in 2002-2003, we know there will be interest and we want to have discussions with our community about CARICOM, how full membership will impact Bermuda, the steps to be taken and what the future may look like as a full member of the regional international organisation.”
Bermuda became an Associate Member in July 2003. It is one of five Associate Members of CARICOM, the others being, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Earlier this month, Lalgie, delivering the tradition Throne Speech setting out the government priorities for the year, said ”the vision of former Premier…. Dame Jennifer Smith, was for Bermuda to strengthen the historic, familial, and cultural ties to the Caribbean.
“This year marks the 20th anniversary of Bermuda’s entry into CARICOM as Associate Member. In this anniversary year, the Government will renew the vision of Dame Jennifer, initiating a consultation process leading to full membership in CARICOM”.
Following her statement, Premier Burt told a news conference that there were “broad benefits” to gain from Bermuda seeking full membership of CARICOM, even as he acknowledged it “is not something that has been on the front burner”.
He said at the last CARICOM summit that was held in Trinidad and Tobago, which he attended “there were a number of other Caribbean Overseas Territories…who had expressed their desire to go ahead and to advance for full membership.
“We think there are social benefits that could come from that full membership of CARICOM…and so that is something we will undertake in that consultative process as other Caribbean Overseas Territories are looking to advance from Associate members to full members along with Montserrat.
“This is something the government will consider. I can’t say that this is something that was particularly on the front burner but I can that it is something that was discussed at the recent CARICOM heads of government conference. It is something that the government should consider, look to a view to see whether or not it makes sense.
“I think there are broad benefits to being a full member of CARICOM. I think it is a signal of our deeper integration into the region,” Burt told reporters, adding “I think it could be helpful for us as we continue to advance and develop our institutions”.
In his statement, the Deputy Premier dismissed suggestions that full membership would lead to mass migration from the Caribbean to Bermuda, saying Bermuda would not accept the policy as a condition of membership.
”There have been comments made in the public that full membership of CARICOM means mandatory requirements for us to have open borders to CARICOM,” Roban said, as he addressed what he termed “the elephant in the room.
“This is false. Being a full member of CARICOM actually allows Bermuda to have a voice and vote on matters of policy addressed by CARICOM that impact the whole region, particularly the issue around correspondent banking and de-risking. As of now, the CARICOM members who have opted out of the free movement of labour are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Haiti and Montserrat.
“These countries have not signed or ratified the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, which is one of the nine protocols that amend the Treaty of Chaguaramas to establish the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME),” that allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the region.
“Therefore, they are not legally bound to grant the right of establishment, provision of services, or movement of capital to CARICOM nationals,” Roban said, adding “however, they may still participate in other aspects of the CSME, such as trade in goods and services, and functional co-operation.
“Given Bermuda’s small size, I can already confirm that we would not accept the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons as a condition of membership. I must add we have not discussed or had sight to date of any conditions of membership set by CARICOM so such matters are to be determined.”
Roban in his statement, highlighted the benefits the island enjoyed as an associate member, saying CARICOM members had given Bermuda support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and supported each other in natural disaster recovery operations.
“CARICOM members stood with Overseas Territories like Bermuda when the UK sought to impose beneficial ownership rules on us. Also, CARICOM continues to support us with the challenge within the financial services and banking of de-risking by US and other small islands.
“Bermuda participates with other members of CARICOM as a collective, to make representations on banking and investment at an international level, that is, supporting the Bridgetown Initiative, which targets the financing problem by creating more sources from which developing countries can borrow to mitigate and recover from the climate crisis.
“We regularly work together with other islands on internal crime and security issues, and our legislative and regulatory models of the energy sector are similar to those established in the Caribbean region.
“We are using similar experiences to shape our regulations of fuels to control and regulate fuel costs. It should be noted that when fuels are priced globally, we are grouped with the Caribbean.
“We are strengthening our connections related to trade with the region. Many of the commercial services we enjoy in Bermuda are grouped with the wider Caribbean region,” he added.
