| Exemption for Antigua Nurses, Teachers |
By BBC - Caribbean
February 13, 2007
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| Antigua and Barbuda has secured a free movement opt-out for non-graduate teachers and nurses. |
t means that the country has eased some worries about a probable flight of these vital skills under the Caricom Single Market.
The Antiguan Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer got agreement for the exemption at the Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Kingstown, the |
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| St. Vincent and the Grenadines capital. |
| The Antigua and Barbuda government says Prime Minister Spencer argued successfully that they're a unique case because of their history of having an open door policy. |
| "He believes that a study of the Antiguan situation, pre- and post-free movement, should be carried out to ascertain how best the country can be able to meet its treaty obligations," a government statement said. |
| "The heads agreed that Antigua and Barbuda should be exempted and that the CARICOM Secretariat will provide assistance in carrying out the study requested." |
| On Tuesday the leaders discussed security at the Cricket World Cup, crime and the Caribbean Court of Justice. |
| Some sidebar business that was scheduled to take place was a meeting with the head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation Jacques Diouf. |
| They're to look at how the FAO can help Caricom countries who'll be losing their trade preferences. |
| An FAO food security programme ends in December, and Mr. Diouf is keen to take it forward. |
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