Unanimity in house on amendment to Immigration Act

The National Assembly unanimously supported an amendment to the Immigration Act to grant Caricom nationals a permit to enter and remain in Guyana for a period of six months on their arrival here.

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, who led the debate in the National Assembly, last Friday on the Immigration (Amendment) Act 2007, noted that in the past Caricom nationals were allowed a stay in the country at the discretion of the immigration officers but not for more than three months. In giving a background to the bill, Rohee said when the Heads of Government (HoG) met in Barbados in July they took the decision to allow nationals to stay in member countries for a period of six months, with the right to work.

According to the new law, the immigration officer shall specify in the permit granted under sub-section (1) that the immigrant is granted the permit for the purpose of travel. This would include as a passenger in transit; for medical treatment; as a visitor; for the purpose of employment; for the purpose of trade or business; or for any other purpose of a temporary nature. The stay would be granted on the condition that the immigration officer is satisfied that the immigrant’s request for the permit is made in good faith. Rohee said too that the amendment will accommodate the free movement of skills in keeping with the provisions of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

At the time of his presentation, the minister said, 1,544 Caricom nationals had been issued with the regional skills certificate; 905 of whom are women and 639 men. Of the total, 1,447 are university graduates, including teachers. The others comprise 46 artistes, 26 media workers, 22 sports persons and three registered nurses.

PNCR-1G MP Deborah Backer, in her support of the bill, said Guyana was the first Caricom country taking legal measures to accommodate the free movement of skills by amending the immigration act. “We’re proud of it,” she said adding, “there is no lash coming.”

Backer said she hoped sister Caricom countries would follow Guyana’s example, adding that the PNC administration had also been in the forefront of the integration movement.

She exhorted Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally to continue dialogue with Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago especially, to reciprocate in passing legislation forthwith and to do everything possible to ensure that Guyanese are treated with the same dignity they extend to other Caricom nationals. “We are 100% behind you,” she said.

Insanally, who spoke after Backer, said that the dialogue continues with countries where Guyanese nationals are mistreated at ports-of-entry. He said, too, that President Bharrat Jagdeo is on record at every HoG meeting restating his position on the issue. However, he noted that very often denial of entry is not brought directly to his ministry’s attention.

The foreign minister said that the Caricom Single Market and Economy is not just about goods and services, people are at the core of the initiative. In the wake of the failure of the West Indies Federation, Insanally said the amendment would encourage travel and communication covering the aspects of movement of skills in the region and freedom to travel. Noting that the Caricom Heads suggested a December 31, 2008 deadline for implementation, Insanally insisted on reciprocity from other member states.

Supporting the bill, too, AFC Leader Raphael Trotman said that it was the step in the right direction. Trotman also said the fact that Guyana has taken the step alone was unfortunate and suggested that in the same manner Caricom assisted in the drafting of the Cricket World Cup 2007 laws, it could probably lend assistance.

He said it was no good being part of a system in the region that allows some Caricom citizens to be regularly harassed and brutalized.