BARBADOS OPENS DOORS TO FULL FREE MOVEMENT
Prime Minister Mia Mottley has announced that Barbados has officially joined St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Dominica in fully implementing the free movement of nationals under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
From Wednesday, citizens of the four countries can move freely without restrictions on skills, labor, or services. The CARICOM Secretariat in Guyana said extensive preparations were made to ensure a smooth and secure roll-out.
Other CSME member states not yet signed on will continue under existing regimes for skilled workers and service providers.
In a nationwide broadcast, Prime Minister Mottley acknowledged both excitement and anxiety among Barbadians, assuring citizens that their concerns about jobs, families, and the future are valid but that the initiative will strengthen the Caribbean region.
JAMAICANS FACE HIGHER U.S. VISA FEES
In Jamaica, effective immediately, applicants for U.S. visas—including student and work visas—must now pay an additional US$250 “visa search charge.”
This raises the cost of a standard U.S. tourist or business visa to US$435 per person. For a Jamaican family of four, visa fees will now total US$1,740, with US$1,000 of that being new charges.
The fee hike comes under recently signed U.S. immigration legislation titled “The One Big Beautiful Bill.” Immigration analysts warn it could discourage Caribbean travel to the U.S., strain family budgets, and impact industries like tourism, retail, and air travel.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IMPACTS FARMERS
Meanwhile, in the United States, the federal government shutdown that began Wednesday is already hitting farmers hard.
The shutdown will halt some payments to farmers and block daily access to federal farm loans, at a time when producers are struggling with low crop prices, record debt, and ongoing trade disputes—right in the middle of fall harvest.
The deadlock came after Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a plan to fund operations. The shutdown will continue until one side secures enough votes for its budget proposal.
During the shutdown, thousands of federal employees are furloughed and many government services are temporarily suspended.
