Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation, Hon. Alva Baptiste, has called on Saint Lucians to be vigilant of their behavior as they travel to the Schengen area.

His comments follow the EU's decision to allow CARICOM nationals to be exempt from visas when travelling to the Schengen zone.

“I would like to encourage everyone to be conscious of that fact that our behavior will influence other countries' [decisions to waive their] visa facilities. I would like to see one day, as part of the region of the Americas, that we no longer require visas to go to Canada or to access the USA. But that must come with our own conduct as a people. It must be a function of how respectful we are so that we can take [advantage of the] opportunities that exist.”

Minister Baptiste also urged Saint Lucians to make the most of the opportunity provided by the European Union and CARICOM Agreement.

“This visa waiver that allows access to many countries in Europe is of tremendous importance. Let us not squander that opportunity. Let us use it as a platform for us to widen access to the world.”

The agreement allows CARICOM nationals to visit Schengen area countries for a short stay of up to 90 days without requiring a visa when travelling for tourist and business purposes.

The EU countries under the agreement are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.