All systems are now go for the operation of a common Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Visa Policy during next year’s Cricket World Cup, Barbados Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley has revealed.

Mottley, Chair of the Adhoc sub-committee of Ministers of National Security and Law Enforcement on Security for CWC 2007, said the details of the regional plan were finalized during a special Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) meeting in Guyana Wednesday.

Speaking after that meeting, she said a key feature of the policy will be a US $100 CARICOM Visa which will be available from December and will allow visitors to travel freely between the nine Cricket World Cup host venues and Dominica.

"It was agreed to that Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica will be issuing the CARICOM Visas outside of the region on behalf of the nine participating countries and Dominica.

"Jamaica will be issuing visas via its consulates in Miami, New York and Toronto. Trinidad and Tobago will issue Visas in New Delhi and India, while plans are in train to open a facility in Sydney Australia so that persons from New Zealand can apply for visas, while Barbados will be issuing visas in its High Commission in London, on behalf of a number of countries," Mottley said.

She said all persons coming into the Caribbean, with respect to the nine hosting countries and Dominica, will require visas, with the exception CARICOM citizens (excluding Haiti), all persons who have status within CARICOM states before January 15, 2007 and all persons who are citizens of CARICOM associate members.

Mottley said persons on cruise ships who will not be in port for more than 24 hours will not be required to have visas but will, however, be issued with what she called a "CARICOM Day Pass" after the appropriate vetting is completed.

She, however, said floating hotels will be required to have the CARICOM Visas.

The minister said that with respect to this new CARICOM initiative a mass email will be sent to persons who have applied for CWC 2007 tickets notifying them of the requirements.