Single Domestic Space arrangement ends

25.MAY.07

The Single Domestic Space (SDS) which came into effect February 1st 2007, for the hosting of the Cricket World Cup 2007 games as well as the requirement for a CARICOM Special Visa to visit the SDS came to an end at midnight on May 15, 2007.

As a result, the countries comprising the SDS reverted to national laws and policies as they relate to Immigration, Customs and other measures, some of which were temporarily suspended for the hosting of CWC 2007 games.{{more}}

The countries comprising the SDS are the nine CWC 2007 host venue states- Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica.

“The Single Domestic Space comes to an end today. I would like to thank all of the many institutions and many persons who worked together in a dedicated manner to make a success of these arrangements. As of yesterday, we would have issued almost 45 000 visas. Further, while there were some initial teething problems in the interpretation of the Single Domestic Space, these were eventually resolved and persons traveling within the Space were able to do so without the stamping of passports.” Said Chairperson of the CARICOM sub committee for CWC 2007, Mia Mottley, Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados on Tuesday.

The regional border security officials also realised successes in the thwarting of attempts at Illegal Immigration, and concentrated attempts at human trafficking, evidenced by the nature and number of visas been denied (1644) and also confirmed by the intelligence received which pointed to a ring operating out of a particular region known for this type of crime.

The visa arrangements were of a global nature in that issuing sites were set up in major cities in North America, India, England and Australia. There were also issuing sites in all the countries comprising the SDS as well as satellite sites in China, Germany, Switzerland and Venezuela. The satellite sites served as pick up and drop off points for applications and passports. Applicants using a satellite site were security vetted by an issuing site.

The SDS and Visa worked in conjunction with an Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) and the Advanced Cargo Information System (ACIS). These facilitated access to the manifests of carriers entering, leaving and moving within the SDS and the ability to perform relevant security vetting of cargo and of persons against an agreed set of watch lists.