2. The Committee was informed that GEMS commenced enrolling members from 1 January 2006. As GEMS is registered under the Act as a restricted membership medical scheme for public service employees, only persons employed in public service or by employers approved as participating employers by the Board of Trustees may become principal members of GEMS. In this regard, the Scheme also provides cover to employees of 13 other government-related employers who were admitted as participating employers since the establishment of the Scheme, such as the Council for Medical Schemes.