CARICOM Relations

This chapter examines Jamaica’s relationship with its CARICOM partners. It discusses geopolitical factors and how they have influenced trade, investment and the movement of labour dynamics. As a relative geographic outlier, Jamaica has accorded greater importance to the shared history and politics with its regional partners in its foreign policy considerations. This chapter discusses the lingering effects of a failed federation on contemporary debates for and against Jamaica joining the Caribbean Court of Justice. It explores Shanique Myrie case and how it reflects local and regional attitudes towards freedom of movement and freedom of employment for CARICOM nationals. It then probes some macroeconomic considerations in relation to free movement of labour and goods and whether Jamaica derives any significant benefits from these provisions. On the matters of the Common External Tariff and investment inflows, Chapter 12 contemplates Jamaica’s approaches and efforts to gain from these. The policy of citizenship by investment and its viability as a foreign policy option for Jamaica is also considered. In gauging the merits of regional integration through CARICOM, the impact of the Bahamas’ approach to the CSME and Trinidad and Tobago’s policy on liquified natural gas on Jamaica are critiqued.