Remarks by Leo Titus Preville, Director, CARICOM Single Market, at the Launch of a Task Force for Technical Input and Support to the CARICOM Secretariat to Advance the Exploration of the Feasibility of a Regional Social Security Identification Mechanism, 20 October 2023, via Video Conference

Salutations

• Mr. Wayne Chen, President, Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC)
• Dr. Gael Griette, Project Officer, Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM)
• Mr. David Matthias, Executive Director of the Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board and Vice President of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security
• Heads of Social Security Institutions and members of their respective teams
• CSME Focal Points
• Specially invited guests
• Colleagues of the CARICOM Secretariat
• Ladies and gentlemen

Good morning.  It is indeed a pleasure to see so many of you today at this virtual launch of the task force for technical input and support to the CARICOM Secretariat to advance the exploration of the feasibility of a regional social security identification mechanism.  The area of social security is quite complex and includes aspects of economics, finance, law, information technology, cyber security and data protection.  Similarly, social security also touches on a diverse range of persons – from the skilled to the unskilled, from the formally educated to those who learn from life experience, from those in the formal economy to those who exist in the informal economy.  It involves collaboration with stakeholders such as employers and their organizations and sometimes technical and financial support from development partners. We are therefore delighted to have with us at this morning’s launch of the Taskforce, Mr. Wayne Chen from the Caribbean Employers Confederation and Dr. Gael Griette from the European Union.

The free movement regime refers to the free movement of goods, services, capital, the exercise of the right of establishment and critically, the free movement of persons.  Article 45 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas speaks to the movement of community nationals and states “Member States commit themselves to the goal of free movement of their nationals within the Community.”

Article 46 speaks provides a framework to achieving that goal by addressing skilled nationals as a first step. Consequently, there are currently twelve (12) approved categories of skilled nationals who are free move in search of employment opportunities in any Member State, do not require a work permit to engage in wage employment and can enjoy indefinite stay in the receiving Member State. However, at the recent Forty-Fifth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, held in July this year in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Conference took a further decision.  The Heads agreed “to work towards the free movement of all CARICOM nationals within the Community by 31 March 2024…” This decision has significant implications for the free movement of persons regime as it essentially removes the possession of an approved skill as the qualifying criterion to move to seek employment and remain indefinitely in a receiving Member State.  

In anticipation of CARICOM nationals exercising that right, we foresee greater movement of persons in the Community. With full free movement there will be a greater need for a social security system which operates seamlessly throughout the region in all relevant jurisdictions. CARICOM nationals will expect a system which embraces technology, protects data privacy, and facilitates the prompt and efficient processing of claims and issuing of benefits. Hence building on the CARICOM Agreement on Social Security which forms the legal foundation on which the portability of region’s social security is anchored, now requires, at this stage of our integration process, new and more streamlined procedures which ensure that the day-to-day operations of our social security institutions are also integrated and capable of serving mobile applicants throughout the CSME. 

The development of a regional social security identification mechanism would:

1. Assist in streamlining the application and processing of claims.
2. Introduce the possibility of better personal management of all aspects of social security, from the submission of a claim to receipt of benefits.
3. Facilitate the prompt sharing of social security information across borders and among social security institutions.

The European Union has been instrumental in providing funding for technical support to the CARICOM Secretariat for the development of the unique identifier through its 11^th European Development Fund. We also hope to draw on the expertise of the EU in the identification of international best practice which can serve as a guide for us when shaping the best approaches to the advancement of regional social security.  These are therefore exciting times for the region, and you, the members of this Task Force, have an excellent opportunity to be directly involved in improving the functioning of our social security systems.  You also have the opportunity to ensure that they are more cohesive and able to serve the millions of persons who will be entitled to move and work freely in the region.

Later this morning, there will be a presentation on the Terms of Reference for the Task Force.  At this time, I will only state that the primary objective of the taskforce is to prepare a Feasibility Study which considers the development of the regional social security identification mechanism to support the free movement regime.  The CSME Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat will work closely with you throughout the process and provide support.  Your commitment to serve on this Task Force is only the beginning of what will be a very important journey and all of us at the Secretariat look forward to working with you.

Thank you.

Source: CARICOM TODAY