Belize this week became the twelfth CARICOM member state to introduce the CARICOM passport during a ceremony held in Belmopan,  the capital.

All twelve member states participating in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) are now issuing the document, a press release from the CARICOM Secretariat stated.

A CARICOM passport, which features the CARICOM logo and the words “Caribbean Community” printed on the cover, is a national passport which is issued in accordance with agreed common colours and format for intra-regional and extra-regional travel. The Coat of Arms and the name of the member state are also featured on the cover.

The issuance of the CARICOM passport was agreed to by Heads of Government and the document is seen as a defining symbol of regionalism.

The first CARICOM passport was issued on January 7, 2005 and since then member states have introduced the CARICOM passport when their stock of old passports was depleted, the release concluded.