CSME - Sporting Services

CARICOM is examining Sports within the broader framework of human resource development and as a vehicle for stimulating  economic development. In this regard, Article 46 of the Revised Treaty provides for the free movement of sportspersons within the Single Market and the right to provide sporting services in any Member State.

Given the dynamics of the CSME, several tracks of work, to be supported by a regional strategic plan, have commenced which should result in a single space for Sportspersons. These include:

 establishment of an oversight body to spearhead the development of the sports and physical education sub-sectors;
 
an inventory of each Member State’s policies, plans and  strategies, which was  undertaken in 2010-2011 and further revised in July 2014;

identification of the major challenges confronting the sector and a roadmap to address challenges such as -

lack of international funding for Caribbean Sportspersons
absence of a regional policy on sports
absence of a regional database especially on facilities and expertise
weak regional cooperation on anti-doping issues
robust mechanism for harnessing sports for uniting and improving the health of the citizens of the Community.

With the overall  objective of maximising  investment, employment, production, consumption and exports of Sporting Services within the CSME,  and other sectors, current initiatives  in this sector are:

 an assessment of the economic contribution of the sporting sector, especially sports tourism to the CSME; and  the development of  a Draft Regional Strategy for Sporting Services.