The National Assembly has unanimously passed a bill which will see common law spouses benefit from their partners’ estate upon his or her demise once the couple had been living together for no less than five years immediately preceding the death.

The Civil Law (Right of Persons in Common Law Union) Bill, laid in the name of Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, was read for a second and third time before passed without any objections or amendments from the opposition.

“Where a single woman and a single man have lived together in a common law union for not less than five years immediately preceding the death of either one of them, and the person died intestate (without a legal will), the surviving woman or man  shall be entitled to the same power and rights regarding intestate succession as a widow or widower of a surviving wife or husband in the Civil Law of Guyana Act, the Deceased Persons Estates’ Administration Act, or under any other law relating to intestate succession,” the bill states.

The bill also amends the Family and Dependants Provision Act lowering the qualification period from seven years to five years to relate to the common law union.    

Nandlall said the legislation would benefit people throughout the country.

“It has been lauded by the women’s group as a great victory for women and that is indeed true but to confine it only to a victory for women is taking a very myopic view of the impact and ramifications which are going to flow from this bill because men are equally going to benefit and so are the children of those unions,” the AG stated.

He added that the bill completes a legislative network which provides for any eventuality as it relates to common law unions.

The AFC did not make any contribution on the bill while APNU’s James Bond made brief remarks before it went for the final readings.