Latest update November 12th, 2024 1:00 AM
Latest News
- Govt. vows crackdown on Guyanese aiding foreign companies to flout Local Content law
- Firm involved in audit of Exxon’s expenses has licence suspended
- Gaza mother struggling to feed children says only death can end their suffering
- Fire destroys supermarket, damages hotel in Berbice
- Car dealer slapped with 68 charges over $51.57M fraud
President Jagdeo ready to defend Guyanese in Barbados
By Tusika Martin
Bharrat Jagdeo
Barbados-based Guyanese who are prepared to return home, could get some assistance from the Government for the smooth transition of this process, but this matter is yet to be examined.
“We will have to see how we can help people if they want to come back. But right now this matter will be discussed at the Heads of Government meeting,” President Bharrat Jagdeo said yesterday.
While not giving any commitment on the issue of assistance, President Jagdeo yesterday said that while he is willing to defend Guyanese, assistance will have to be done in a manner that will ensure that the standards that Guyanese are calling on Barbadians to enforce, are the same standards that Guyana is prepared to enforce.
Therefore, the Head of State said, this is a ‘little troublesome matter’ when it comes to people who are undocumented or illegal in a country.
He added that Guyana has had calls to go after some of the Brazilians in Guyana, but we have taken a ‘little different’ approach.
The Head of State said that he is not going to standby, regardless, and watch Guyanese being treated unfairly anywhere without speaking up for them.
There have been arguments, he said, about putting pressure on a country’s social services when there are alot of undocumented immigrants.
“We recognised that clearly there are going to be some pressures on social services, but some countries gain from the capital that they (undocumented immigrants) export and from goods exported to our countries.
“The countries benefit from large sums of monies being repatriated; huge balance of trade deficits in their favour, so I think that there is a need to examine the whole integration movement in its totality.”
He said that he has been trying to be a bit more cautious and balanced, but that does not mean that he will not defend Guyanese interests.
“We, too, in Guyana have to be careful with what we say because when we run down our own country all the time, then every immigration officer in Barbados thinks that every Guyanese wants to run away.”
The Head of State said, “Alot of people wouldn’t live in Barbados for anything, but Guyanese contribute to such treatment based on their own characterisation of ourselves.
“One of our own Members of Parliament practically alluded to Guyanese abroad being thieves and prostitutes.”
According to the President, if a parliamentarian can make such a statement about Guyanese overseas, then what will be the impression of the nationals of those countries about Guyanese?
“Guyanese are neither of the two more than any other country, they are hard working people; they make a significant contribution to any society in which they live and work.”
President Jagdeo said that during the most recently concluded meeting of Heads of Government in Trinidad, he spoke with Prime Minister David Thompson on the issue of how Guyanese were being treated in Barbados.
“I expressed my concerns particularly with the manner, based on which was reported to us, by our Honorary Consul in Barbados, about how Guyanese were alleged to been treated and that their houses were raided at nights and they were taken off buses and deported.”
Prime Minister Thompson, he said, reported that he did not know of any such case and that is not the intention of his government.
“He kept saying that he is dealing with undocumented or illegal people too. He is prepared to meet his obligations under the Treaty of Chaguaramas, but there are several undocumented individuals,” President Jagdeo said.
The Guyana Consulate in Barbados had reported that since the announcement of a new Barbadian immigration policy, many Guyanese were being ‘picked on’, some solely based on appearance, and there are reports now that their push to legalise their status in the country is being deliberately delayed.
In addition, there were reports that the Barbados Police Force has been raiding the residences of Guyanese at nights under the guise of picking up suspected illegal immigrants.
These allegations come following the announcement by Prime Minister Thompson, to deport all undocumented immigrants on the island before the year ends.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
If the system is not broken why try to fix it?
…Peeping Tom kaieteur News- A few years ago, I was at a private hospital watching the workers “clock-in” to work... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
