The International Organization for Migration (IOM), will assist Barbados in developing a new immigration policy.
IOM’s Regional Director for Central and North America and the Caribbean (UN Migration), Michele Klein Solomon, has agreed to offer technical assistance to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Information in its quest to craft a new immigration policy.
This was one of the main subjects discussed during a courtesy call paid on Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, by Ms. Klein Solomon.
Mr. Abrahams noted that Barbados is in the advanced stages of preparing new immigration and citizenship legislation, which would contain aspects of policy that deal with migration.
“We have a declining population. Now that puts all of our structures at risk, and it is something that we have to address but we have to address it in a comprehensive, meaningful, thought-out and structured way. And that’s where you [IOM] come in…. I am very happy for the offer and I will tell you upfront that we will happily accept assistance with the policy on migration,” Minister Abrahams stated.
The Regional Director explained the role and approach of the IOM which involves supporting a government according to its priorities.
“Please, rest assured that we see our role as to support government. We’re not here to bang you over the head and say you must do X, Y and Z. We’re here to listen to you about what your priorities and your challenges are, and to bring the experiences that we’ve had by working with governments around the world and governments in the Caribbean, in particular, so that you can benefit from those exchanges,” Ms. Klein Solomon stated.
Other topics the two officials conversed about included migration governance indicators; climate change migration and the situation in Haiti.
Also present at the courtesy call were: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Yvette Goddard; Foreign Service Officer II, LaToya Archer; IOM’s Deputy Coordinator for the Caribbean, and Head of Office Guyana, Ms. Eraina Yaw; IOM’s Project Coordinator for the Western Hemisphere Program, Brendan Tarnay; and IOM’s Administrative Assistant, Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean, Renee Evelyn. Barbados was admitted to the International Organization for Migration as its 175th member on November 30, 2022. (PR/GIS)
Caption: Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wilfred Abrahams presents the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Director for Central and North America and the Caribbean (UN Migration), Ms. Michele Klein Solomon with a gift following a courtesy call.
