Press Release

Bridgetown, Barbados – The CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) welcomes the decision by four CARICOM Member States: Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, to implement full free movement of nationals by October 1, 2025, under the provisions of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and the Protocol on Enhanced Cooperation.  The CPSO is now calling on other CARICOM Member States to resolve outstanding administrative and legislative barriers and to adopt full free movement by December 31, 2025.

The call by the CPSO comes after CARICOM Chairman and Prime Minister of Jamaica, Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, disclosed during the closing Press Conference of the 49^th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, the decision by four Member States to move forward with full implementation.  In his announcement, Dr. Holness also indicated that Jamaica was committed to implementing full free movement as it addressed the legislative and administrative constraints that had slowed its progress.

The CPSO celebrates these developments as a long-anticipated and necessary milestone for operationalizing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).  Since its establishment in 2020, the CPSO has consistently advocated for full free movement of labour across the Community, identifying it as a prerequisite for regional economic scale and resilience.

The Organization reiterated its position during the Business Forum Breakfast co-hosted with the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and Sandals Resorts, held on the margins of the 49th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Montego Bay on July 8, 2025. At that event, the CPSO also advanced the idea that labour from countries such as Haiti should benefit from managed and phased arrangements to address critical labour shortages in key sectors.

In his remarks, Mr. Gervase Warner, Chairman of the CPSO, emphasized that the restriction of intra-regional labour mobility has long stymied growth in high-potential sectors such as construction, agriculture, tourism, and services.

“The post-COVID recovery, rising global competitiveness, and the scale of opportunities in countries like Guyana and Jamaica demand swift access to skilled and semi-skilled labour across the region,” he noted. “This is an essential condition for private-sector-led expansion.”

This sentiment was echoed by other business leaders at the forum. CPSO Executive Committee members Mr. Christian Mouttet, Chairman of Victor E. Mouttet Limited and Agostini’s Limited (Trinidad and Tobago), and Mr. William Mahfood, Chairman of the Wisynco Group (Jamaica), both founding CPSO members, shared similar views as they raised the issue of labour mobility directly with the Heads of Government in attendance at the Breakfast Session.

At that time, Prime Minister Holness, in his response, intimated that a formal announcement regarding free movement of labour in the Region would be made later that day: an announcement which he was confident would provide some reassurance to the private sector.  Upon subsequently learning of the decision by the four Member States to implement full free movement, both Mr. Mahfood and Mr. Mouttet, expressed their satisfaction.

Dr. Patrick Antoine, CPSO’s CEO and Technical Director, disclosed that the organization had received direct outreach from both the authorities and private sector stakeholders in one CARICOM Member State regarding the potential provision of agricultural labour to support traditional crops including sugar, cocoa, banana, and nutmeg; all of which suffer from acute labour shortages.

“There clearly exists a meeting of the minds between those who want to supply labour and those who need it, and a new willingness on both sides to cooperate in whatever arrangements may be necessary to operationalize these ‘labour schemes’. However, this will ultimately require formal decisions by regional Governments.”

He further added, “The inability to access labour, especially higher-skilled labour, was a major binding constraint on the region’s ability to achieve the 25 by 2025 food security vision.”

Prime Minister Holness also announced that the Conference agreed to expand the the list of skilled categories under the CSME to include aviation personnel, photogrammetry specialists, field maintenance workers, and aircraft maintenance professionals.

The CPSO commends the decision of the Conference and the manifest leadership of the four implementing Member States. The Organization also acknowledges and welcomes Jamaica’s stated commitment to accelerate its own internal processes toward full implementation, having recognized it as an urgent priority for the Community, Jamaica’s economy and its private sector.

On behalf of the regional private sector, the CPSO continues to urge the remaining CARICOM Member States to urgently resolve the outstanding administrative and legislative issues so that the long awaited goal of full free movement of labour, desired by the People of CARICOM, can be realized by December 31, 2025.

The CPSO remains committed to working with Member States and the private sector to translate this important breakthrough into a fully realized framework for regional integration and shared prosperity.

About the CARICOM Private Sector Organization:

The CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) is the most recently accredited Associate Institution of the Caribbean Community. The CPSO is a ‘Service Organization’ with a goal to mobilize and advance private sector participation in CARICOM, with a mandate to contribute to the full implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). The Membership of the CPSO is comprised of private sector entities operating in the CARICOM space, including Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs).

For media enquiries, please contact:

The CPSO Secretariat

Email: info@thecpso.org | website: www.thecpso.org

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Montego Bay, Jamaica– A powerful collective call for urgent, coordinated action to resolve longstanding  obstacles impacting regional integration emerged from the PSOJ-CPSO Business Breakfast Forum, hosted on July 8, 2025, at Sandals Montego Bay. The event brought together regional heads of government and private sector leaders against the backdrop of the 49th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting.

Speakers highlighted that persistent inefficiencies, trade bottlenecks, and non-tariff barriers continue to suppress intra-regional trade, which currently accounts for just 11.2% of CARICOM’s total trade. Emphasis was placed on translating policy into practical reforms with a focus on accelerating implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and intra-regional trade, harmonizing trade standards and removing non-tariff barriers, deepening financial market integration, including the establishment of a regional stock exchange and addressing global policy shifts such as US reciprocal tariffs and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) global carbon tax.

Delivering the keynote address, Prime Minister of Jamaica, Dr. The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, the incoming Chair for CARICOM, as of 1st July, stressed “regional integration must be more than aspiration; it must serve as a critical shield of resilience and self-reliance. No business can thrive in isolation, and no government can respond alone. We must act with urgency and strategic coordination.”

Prime Minister Holness also reaffirmed Jamaica’s commitment to the CSME (CSME), noting recent reforms to the Common External Tariff and the development of the regional industrial policy framework.

Chairman of the CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO), Gervase Warner, framed the Forum as a rare, yet vital, opportunity for public-private dialogue. He pointed to specific projects requiring action, including regional capital markets integration through the development of a regional stock exchange, mobilised digital infrastructure investment, and critical regional maritime transportation solutions.

Mr. Warner remarked, “We cannot afford inertia. Many of the barriers we face, including non-tariff
barriers, are self-imposed. The private sector must play its role in dismantling them.”

President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Metry Seaga, highlighted the private sector’s readiness to lead but noted the need for governments to create an enabling environment.

“We’re not here for another talk shop. Regional integration is no longer optional; it is a necessity for survival and growth. We need harmonized regulations, efficient customs systems, modern logistics, and reduced red tape,” Seaga asserted.

“Our job as governments is to facilitate and create a level playing field,” said Prime Minister Holness in response. “Regional integration cannot be treated as an economic aspiration; it must be a shield of resilience and self-reliance. We must act with urgency, coordination, and a strategic mindset to overcome the obstacles,” he added.

Bringing empirical weight to the discussions, Dr. Patrick Antoine, Chief Executive Officer and Technical Director of the CPSO, revealed cutting-edge insights and analysis, highlighting that CARICOM could face US$542.3 million in annual export revenue losses due to new US reciprocal tariffs.

Dr. Antoine advocated for a ‘CBI-Plus’ strategy to safeguard products outside the existing Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) preference regime.

He emphasized, “Every delay in CSME implementation represents lost opportunities for growth, jobs, and innovation.”

Dr. Antoine’s presentation also raised awareness regarding the looming IMO Global Carbon Tax and implications for the CARICOM Region, stating “we are also calling for an urgent convening of a technical
working group to address the global carbon tax’s potential impact on our trade competitiveness.”

Adding a frank regional perspective, Honourable Kerrie Symmonds, Barbados’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, urged CARICOM members to move beyond self critique toward practical action.

“We have missed too many boats—whether in production integration or sourcing diversification. Resilience means building new, reliable trade relationships beyond our traditional partners,” Minister Symmonds said. He also raised concerns about emerging global green protectionism policies, warning that CARICOM must engage early to protect its interests.

The PSOJ and CPSO underscored that the time for talk has passed, reaffirming their resolve to drive tangible outcomes through stronger public-private partnerships, actionable policy reforms, and region-wide collaboration with CARICOM governments.

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Bridgetown, Barbados, June 25^th, 2025— The CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) welcomes and strongly supports the decision taken at the Sixtieth Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) for the alteration of the Common External Tariff (CET) on paints and varnishes to 35%, effective July 1, 2026.

This decisive policy move follows comprehensive industry research which confirmed that persistently underpriced imports from extra-regional countries have placed severe and sustained pressure on the Region’s paint manufacturing sector. These extra-regional imports have distorted the market, undermined domestic production and threatened employment and investment, jeopardizing the long-term viability of one of CARICOM’s key manufacturing value chains.

Dr. Patrick Antoine, CEO and Technical Director of the CPSO, speaking on the COTED Decision, said “The alteration in the CET to 35% represents a necessary and timely intervention for the paint and varnishes industry. This decision will set us on a pathway to level the playing field for CARICOM manufacturers, safeguard regional jobs, and ensure that investment in quality production is not undermined by unfair trade practices.”

The CPSO commends the Honourable Kerrie Symmonds, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, and Chair of COTED for his visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to ensuring a rules-based, equitable trade environment that supports regional production and enables CARICOM’s industrial development.

The Decision by COTED Minsters, is expected to catalyze approximately USD 200 million in investments in the CSME paints and coatings sector over the next three years. Already, investments in plant expansions have been undertaken by paint manufacturers in Saint Lucia, Grenada, Suriname, and Jamaica, where a new innovative facility was commissioned in March of this year.

Yet the CET adjustment highlights a broader regional need. Dr. Antoine noted “the requirement for CARICOM to operationalize a Community-wide regime of trade defense measures to safeguard regional producers from unfair trade practices, which will emerge in the routine context of international trade.” He also indicated that while three CARICOM Member States maintain competent authorities capable of addressing unfair trade practices at the national level, an effective coordinated mechanism to respond in instances where the CSME market was impacted, remained lacking.

The CPSO stands ready to support Member States with implementation of the COTED Decision by July 1, 2026. The CET adjustment is consistent with the objectives of the CARICOM trade regime to strengthen production and trade in the CSME, providing regional manufacturers with the scale required to achieve efficiency gains, thereby strengthening their ability to compete in extra-regional markets.

The Decision was the result of region-wide collaboration. The CPSO was tasked with coordinating the technical work underpinning the request for the CET alteration for paints and coatings by paint manufacturing companies in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), with strong support from manufacturers in all the More Developed Countries (MDCs).  The CPSO CEO, remarked that this action, which commenced with the smallest of manufacturers, and secured the support of the COTED Ministers, after thorough analysis, was an effective demonstration of the benefits of CARICOM.

The CET alteration comes as CARICOM advances its Industrial Policy framework, amidst a resurgence of regionalism, rising global tensions and the imposition of the U.S. reciprocal tariff of 10% on CARICOM exports. In this context, the move to strengthen tariff protection for key industries such as the paints and coatings sector, represents both a necessary defense and proactive step toward deeper regional integration.

For media enquiries, please contact:

The CPSO Secretariat

Email: info@thecpso.org | website: www.thecpso.org

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – The CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO), extends its warmest congratulations to the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar S.C. on her appointment as Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago following the mandate bestowed by the people on April 28th, 2025.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar assumes office at a pivotal moment in geopolitical, regional and national affairs. The CPSO acknowledges the immense responsibilities that accompany this leadership role, and the Organization stands ready, with the full support of its membership, to contribute meaningfully to the vision of a stronger, more peaceful and prosperous Trinidad and Tobago.

The CPSO remains steadfast in its commitment to the Caribbean Community and looks forward to continued engagement with all CARICOM Member States toward achieving sustainable development, inclusive growth and deeper regional integration.

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Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – April 19, 2025 On behalf of the regional private sector, the CPSO is grateful for the ‘USTR Determination’, on ‘China-built vessels’, published on April 17th, 2025. This Determination, in effect, exempts Caribbean Shipping from the high port fees on China-built vessels, originally proposed by the United States Trade Representative (USTR). As originally proposed by the USTR, these high port fees, in excess of US $1,000,00000 for each US Port call , would have increased the cost of shipping between the Caribbean and the United States, with crippling consequences for inflation, shortages, delays and other ‘supply-chain’ disruptions for the people and the economies of CARICOM and the Caribbean.

The CPSO appreciates the ‘USTR Determination’ and recognizes that this tremendously beneficial outcome is the product of leadership and collaboration among several key private sector stakeholders and the governments of the CARICOM states. We make particular mention, in this regard, of our CARICOM Heads of Government, chaired by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. The priority attention
given to this issue by the Heads of Government, evidenced by their fervent advocacy at the meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and their communication to President Donald Trump under the pen of Prime Minister Mottley, has been a significant driver of this positive outcome.

The technical leadership and commitment of our CPSO Secretariat, led by one of CARICOM’s most competent Economists, Dr Patrick Antoine and his team, and their submissions and oral testimony was a major determinant of the positive USTR outcome. The coordination and advocacy of the CPSO was demonstrated by the record setting 700 plus attendees from multiple industries and countries in the Caribbean on the first coordination call to deal with the issue on March 18th, 2025. Indeed, the two community-wide regional consultations subsequently held to define and refine the regional private sector position for submission to the USTR, were proud moments for the private sector, symbolizing the enormous possibilities for successful outcomes inherent in collective action in pursuit of common goals.

The CPSO credits the openness and transparency of the USTR and the USTR Panel, comprising various representative from other US Government Departments. The USTR and its Panel were receptive to the issues peculiar to the Caribbean, introduced via the submissions made by and testimony of the CPSO and other Caribbean partners.

The partnership and collaboration with Tropical Shipping’s CEO Tim Martin and Jennifer Nugent-Hill, a Director on the CPSO-United States Business Council Executive (CPSO-USBC), has been invaluable. We publicly acknowledge the collaboration with Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Seaboard Marine, Atlantic Council, Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA), Mr. Darwin Telemaque, CEO of the Antigua Port Authority, Mr. Gerard Bergasse, Regional Manager Tropical Shipping, and the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC), all of which/whom contributed to the USTR positive determination for the Caribbean.

The positive outcome was facilitated by the seamless coordination efforts of Ambassador Wayne Mc Cook, Assistant Secretary General – CARICOM Single Market and Trade and Dr. Wendell Samuel, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General (Ag), Economic Integration, Innovation and Development.

We were humbled by the contribution of Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, Representative of United States Virgin Islands, who participated, at short notice, for the entire duration of the briefing meeting with the CPSO, Tropical Shipping and CARICOM Ambassadors. The strategic timing of the questions posed to the Hearings of the U.S. Ways and Means Committee, by Congresswoman Plaskett, was a
significant contributor to the USTR outcome.

Profound appreciation is also extended to the Caucus of CARICOM Ambassadors accredited to the United States for their support.

The CPSO on behalf of the regional private sector advocated for:

1. An exemption for ‘short Sea’ Shipping, defined as vessels plying the route
   between 2,750 Nautical Miles of the CARICOM/Caribbean and the
   Continental United States – the USTR Determination recommended the
   exemption for 2,000 Nautical Miles (acceptable to CPSO);
2. An exemption for vessels carrying less than 55,000 deadweight tons and less
   than 4,999 TEU’s – USTR Determination recommended the exemption for
   55,000 deadweight tons and less than 4,000 TEUs (acceptable to CPSO);
3. An exemption for specialized cargo, such as energy and chemical products
   which may exceed 55,000 deadweight tons – USTR Determination
   proposed exemptions for individual bulk capacity of 80,000 deadweight
   tons; and exemptions for specialized or special purpose-built vessels for
   the transport of chemicals substances in bulk or liquid forms (acceptable
   to CPSO).

The campaign by the regional private sector and the Community, would have been far more challenging without the overwhelming support of the regional print and electronic media. As Chairman of the CPSO, I convey heartfelt thanks on behalf of the Executive Committee and the 5,500 plus members of the Organization. We at the CPSO anticipate your continued support, even as we direct our focus to other matters critical to the Community, such as the impact of US tariffs on CARICOM trade. Dr. Antoine and his team at the CPSO are also playing an important strategic role with the CARICOM Secretariat on this issue.

To anyone I may have neglected to name and to the People of CARICOM and the Caribbean, the CPSO extends an enormous thank you.

The CPSO is honoured to have been pressed into the service of the people of the Community on such a significant issue, at such a critical time.

Gervase Warner
Chairman
CARICOM Private Sector Organization

The CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) Technical Team met internally regarding the recent announcement by US President Donald Trump’s of sweeping tariffs on countries that run trade surpluses with the United States.

On April 2^nd, President Trump announced that effective April 5^th, a baseline 10% tariff would be imposed on imports into the US. This sweeping tariff impacts several Caribbean countries including St. Lucia, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Haiti, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Barbados, Cayman, Curacao, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, Aruba, St. Vincent, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica, Anguilla, and Antigua and Barbuda. Guyana faces a higher ‘reciprocal’ tariff of 38%.

In a statement on April 3^rd, CPSO CEO and Technical Director Dr. Patrick Antoine acknowledged that these tariffs would impact CARICOM economies, but he maintained that credible analysis needed to be undertaken before a comprehensive response is provided.

“Several dimensions have now become important,” Dr. Antoine said. “The measures will have both direct and indirect impacts on CARICOM economies, beginning with exports, but rapidly on imports as well. In the case of imports, some of which are routed through the US to fulfill regional markets, the impact of the tariffs will be felt through higher prices – in a fairly rapid manner. But the impacts will also be felt sector-wide, agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, etc.

There will also be an impact on US consumers and the US economy, and this will have very negative implications on the Region’s trade in Services, particularly tourism. The CPSO analysis will look at the impact of the US tariffs from the perspective of opportunities for the private sector- not solely from the perspective of challenges.”

Dr. Antoine said the CPSO is committed to working within the spirit of the Community, alongside the CARICOM Secretariat, and other regional and international institutions to leverage the best resources to meet the challenges posed by the shift in economic and trade philosophy, by CARICOM’s most significant trading partner (the US).

CEO and Technical Director of the CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO), Dr. Patrick Antoine, delivered an official statement on behalf of the CPSO and its membership during the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Public  Hearing on the  Proposed Actions in the Section 301 Investigation of  China’s targeting of the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding sectors for dominance on March 24th, 2025. Please click the following link to access the complete statement: CPSO Testimony for USTR Section 301 Public Hearings

The Atlantic Council and Tropical Shipping hosted a dialogue session with CARICOM Ambassadors and the CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) in Washington D.C. on March 25^th 2025 to facilitate an update and discussion on the possible implications of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Section 301 proposed remedies for Chinese maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding practices, and particularly the potential impact of said remedies on Caribbean economies. Read More