An influx of Guyanese and Jamaicans in search of jobs and permanent residence has caused the Anguillan government to ask that nationals of these countries obtain visas, its Chief Minister, Osborne Flemming, said.

Guyana has not been officially informed, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking at the issue together with CARICOM. Foreign Affairs Minister, Rudy Insanally, told Stabroek News on Friday. He added that visa requirements apply as a matter of reciprocity.

Insanally expressed surprise at the Anguillan government's action but said that countries have the right to take such measures.

In a brief telephone interview on Thursday, Flemming told Stabroek News that Anguilla, a British overseas territory, took the decision - in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States of America - to institute the visa requirement. The terrorist attack caused a slump in the tourism industry on which Anguilla's economy is dependent, he said.

The most northerly of the British Leeward Islands with a population of just 13,000, Anguilla is some 35 square miles and Flemming said its economy could not sustain jobs in the industry after the terrorist attack.

He said that prior to 1996, Guyanese and Jamaicans did not travel to Anguilla in search of jobs and permanent resident status, but over the past five to six years there had been an influx of people from Guyana and Jamaica which the economy and the country's infrastructure and services could not afford.

A decision was taken in December last year to institute the visa requirement for an initial six months after which it would be reviewed, he said. Apart from the slump in the economy, he said that the country was hit by a severe water shortage.

He emphasised that the country has no problems with persons going there on a vacation but reiterated that because of the downturn in the economy following September 11, the country could not provide the jobs other nationals were seeking.

Asked how the visa requirement would impact on Caribbean unity and free movement of nationals within CARICOM countries, Flemming said that CARICOM, in which it had associate membership, was informed of the decision which was more in keeping with protecting its economy.

CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General, Edward Greene, on Friday told Stabroek News that a special committee within CARICOM was looking at the issue and how it will affect Caribbean unity and the free movement of skills in the region.

CARICOM has not had an opportunity to respond to the Anguilla government's action, but was following up on it, he said. "We may have more concrete results of those discussions next week at the COHSOD (Council on Human and Social Development) meeting," he said. COHSOD will hold its Sixth Meeting of Ministers and officials from April 17 - 19.

According to a writer in Thursday's letter column in this newspaper, the Anguillan Ministry of Home Affairs advised Guyanese and Jamaican nationals "that arrangements will be made to facilitate their travel to and from their country of origin." Those holding a valid work permit will be issued with a visa at the Main Office of the Immigration Department on application prior to their travel.

In addition, the writer quoted a release from the Anguillan Home Ministry as saying that nationals of Guyana and Jamaica who were selected by regional and/or international organisations to carry out official business in Anguilla, would be permitted to visit Anguilla, following official notification of their nomination.

The letter writer said that Anguilla's action was not only embarrassing but also insulting, "especially when we stop to consider that the OECS [Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States] countries will soon be using just an identification card to travel amongst themselves."

Guyanese are the only Caribbean Commonwealth nationals who are required to obtain visas to travel to the United Kingdom.

The British government is at present considering visa requirements for Jamaican nationals seeking entry to the United Kingdom as well because of the large number of drug carriers being found on flights to the UK. However, British overseas territories which are self-governed determine which country's nationals should be exempted from visa requirements.