THE Immigration Department of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has benefited from a two-day training programme under the stewardship of Olivia Smith, Deputy Programme Manager/Free Movement and Labour Caricom Secretariat/CSME Unit.

The training programme was geared towards sensitising officers to the legislative and administrative framework for facilitating CARICOM nationals, including those moving under the regimes of skilled nationals’ right of establishment and provisional services regime.

Smith told this publication that the two-day training programme started on Thursday and ended on Friday and was funded by the European Union under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF).

She explained that the training programme was undertaken to sensitise member states, including Guyana, in which 30 officers drawn from the Immigration Department/Central Immigration and passport Office, who are at all ports of entry.

Smith stated that Guyana’s immigration authorities will continue to conduct training in CSME (CARICOM Single Market and Economy) areas, as well as training that supports issues of security as it relates to movement of persons throughout the Region.

She added that even though it is the first such training programme for Guyana, it will certainly not be the last since it will be happening in all member states to promote knowledge of the rights and obligations of nationals under the regime.

Smith said that they will continue to work with Guyana in this respect and other member states in capacity- building to facilitate the movements of CARICOM nationals, including Guyanese, who seek to move throughout the Region.

Force Training Officer, Paul Williams, said since the GPF is the sole authority responsible for immigration and for enforcing immigration laws, receiving another level of training will impact positively on capacity- building in terms of the CSME.

He added that the training will also bring the GPF on par with best practices across the Caribbean and will assist us in understanding the true objective/purpose of the movement of people within the Caribbean Community.

Williams pointed out that the training will also help officers to understand the rights of the Region’s citizens.

He stated that it is also important to note that training came with the comprehensive module setting the stage for continuous training.

The Force Training Officer sad the GPF takes the opportunity to express gratitude to the CARICOM Secretariat for ensuring training is imparted and special thanks to Vernice Alleyne, Free Movement Labour Officer Caricom CSME Unit and Olivia Smith.