BERMUDIANS would keep their right to enter the United States without a visa even if the island were to join Caricom as a full member, the US Consul said yesterday.

Jennifer Schools said Bermuda joining the Caribbean Community and Common Market would have no impact on the immigration agreement that makes Bermudians one of few nationalities allowed to travel to the US visa-free.

She also stressed that there was no threat to the future of the US customs and immigration clearance facility at Bermuda International Airport, despite the beefing up of security at US airports since the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Bermuda currently has observer status with Caricom and the Government is making moves towards signing up as an associate member.

Critics have argued that joining the Caribbean Community could jeopardise Bermuda's close relationship with the US in terms of trade and travel, raising fears that Bermudians would need to apply for documentation every time they went on a trip to America. But Ms Schools said full Caricom membership would make no difference to Bermudians as far as visa exemptions were concerned, in her opinion.

"Under the Commonwealth Agreement, residents of Bermuda or Canada, who are also Commonwealth citizens, can travel to the US without a visa," said Ms Schools.

"Caricom is a group of countries doing things with each other and it has nothing to do with immigration. If the Caricom agreement had immigration ramifications, that would be different, but as far as I know, it does not.

"Just like the US is a member of NATO and G-7, that makes no difference, it has nothing to do with immigration."

Ms Schools said Bermuda and Canada were the only Commonwealth countries to enjoy visa-free travel to the US and other nations enjoying the same right, including many members of the European Union, came under the Visa Waiver programme.

"These are countries that have a solid history," said Ms Schools. "They are people who travel on vacation or on business and then go back home. They have no history of illegal immigration."

Legislation to substantially tighten security at US airports was pushed through by law-makers last month to guard against any further terrorist operations.

But Ms Schools said the US clearance facilites at Bermuda Airport, which allow Bermuda residents to avoid the hassles of going through customs and immigration on arrival in the United States, would be maintained and she knew of no plans to scrap them.

"Having those facilities here is probably an aid to security," said Ms Schools. "They can spend more time with passengers here than at most bigger airports in the United States."

Caricom's stated aims include economic co-operation, co-ordination of foreign policy and co-operation in functional services, such as health, education, culture communications and industrial relations.

Since its inception in 1973, Caricom has been working towards regional integration through the formation of a single market and economy and through allowing free movement of people, capital and services between member states and a harmonisation of taxation policies. Caricom has 14 full members and three associate members.

Member states agreed in 1995 to the elimination of the need for work permits for university graduates, an agreement extended the following year to include artists, sports people, musicians and media workers.

The Caricom issue is expected to be debated in the House of Assembly today.