(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana): Personnel from Customs, Immigration, Business and Investment agencies and the Ministries of Tourism and Culture took the opportunity to participate in a CSME refresher training session hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the  past week.  The Worksite Meetings led off a schedule of technical meetings, designed specifically for officers from the Public Service and businesses that administer processes, advise their clients with respect to Free Movement of People, Capital, Goods, Services and the Right of Establishment CSME regimes, or benefit from these rights.
 
Facilitating the sessions was a technical panel of Grenadian experts comprising Mr. Ché Phillip and Mrs. Dunnaliz Commodore, both Foreign Service Officers responsible for the CARICOM & OECS Desk within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Inspector Leroy Joseph from the Immigration Department; and Mr. Ernie James, senior Customs Officer.
 
The face-to-face knowledge-enhancing teaching approach aims to reduce the knowledge  gap of officers and beneficiaries, in relation to their administration of or access to processes and procedures necessary for the efficient and effective functioning of the CSME.
 
According to Foreign Officer Phillip the training is geared to ensure that Grenadians can move, work and explore opportunities in the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) and that all CARICOM Member States participating in the CSME adhere to the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) under the acceptable standards for the treatment of CARICOM nationals at the border.
 
“It is incumbent upon each of us to know what was articulated by the Heads and enshrined into (CARICOM) Community Law, because in matters to do with the CSME Regimes, Community Law supersedes National Law. To do otherwise will be to infringe on the rights of CARICOM nationals, and cause Grenada to be in breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramus and the rulings of the CCJ.”, the Officer said.
 
Reinforcing the importance of information sharing through channels like technical Worksite Meetings, Mrs. Commodore indicated that it is only when Grenadians attempt to access the CSME regimes, can the systems and procedures be tested and refined, and case studies be used for further learning since CSME  implementation will continue to be in process for a while.
 
“Human error exists and sometimes mistakes can be made, but when this happens we as professionals are to own up quickly, apologise and regularize as quickly as possible to avert crisis situations such as the Shanique Myrie case; because ordinary citizens are becoming more and more informed about their rights as CARICOM Nationals and they will challenge you.”
 
Grenada is a beneficiary of a Canadian funded, CARICOM Secretariat executed project to improve CSME Information flows between agencies and the public.  Similar activities are also taking place in Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
 
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Worksite Meetings will continue in January 2015. Training opportunities will also be created for Grenadian teachers to help them integrate knowledge of the CSME regimes into the curriculum; for public officers and other persons to develop their capacity to serve as knowledgeable CSME spokespersons. Media workers will also benefit from  up to date major decisions and landmark rulings, as well as on the diversity of news worthy topics offered by the functioning and further implementation of the CSME.
 
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Contact: Ché A. Phillip/ Dunnaliz Commodore, CARICOM & OECS Desk Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Business; Tel:   (473) 440-2640; Fax: (473 440-4184