FOREIGN Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said the Attorney General’s Chamber is currently considering legislative changes to facilitate Guyana becoming a signatory to the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM’s) Protocol on Contingent Rights.

Last July, seven CARICOM countries signed onto the Protocol on Contingent Rights, paving the way for spouses and dependants of persons with approved skills certificates to move freely within the community and benefit from critical services in areas such as health and education.

Guyana, at the time, did not sign onto the protocol. During a press conference on Monday at his ministry, Minister Greenidge explained that last July when the protocol was signed by other CARICOM member states, the Government of Guyana had not gotten a chance to deliberate on it. He said those deliberations are now finished and the Attorney General’s Chamber is now looking at the protocol to facilitate legislative changes.

“As soon as that is done we will sign,” Minister Greenidge told reporters.

The protocol was signed by chairman of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness; Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Allen Chastenet; Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. Keith Mitchell; President of Suriname, Desire Bouterse; Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley; and Foreign Minister of Haiti, Antonio Rodriguez at the end of the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Under Article 46 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the 15 CARICOM member states are expected to facilitate movement of 10 categories of skilled persons – artisans with CVQ, artistes, associate degree holders, domestic helpers/housekeepers with CVQ, media persons, musicians, nurses, sportspersons, teachers and university graduates. With the commitments given by the heads of government during the high-level CARICOM forum in Jamaica, it is expected that by 2019 persons with approved skilled certificates should be allowed to travel freely within the community hassle-free, to work and live with their families.

At the time, Prime Minister Holness had said that the signing of the Protocol on Contingent Rights is critical in addressing the implementation deficits with the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).