BAN THEM!

May 11, 2010 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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A United States Senator has written a letter to Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton urging sanctions against a number of Russian nationals.
In his letter, Senator Benjamin Cardin noted that the visa sanctions will send an important message to corrupt officials in Russia and elsewhere that the US is serious about combating foreign corruption and the harm it does.
Selected top officials of the Zimbabwean government and their families have been subjected to visa sanctions by both the United States and Britain. These sanctions target senior members of the government as well as persons who benefit financially from business dealings with such individuals.
The visa sanctions are thus intended to serve more than just a political purpose in pushing that country towards the standards that the West consider as a multi-party democracy.
They are also intended to punish those who benefit from corrupt business and financial dealings with those subject to travel bans.
Visa sanctions have acquired a certain attraction as a foreign policy tool because they can be applied specifically to selected individuals.  Trade and economic sanctions against governments have been justly criticized in the past as punishing the innocent and have proven to have limited effectiveness in changing the behavior of rogue governments.
On the other hand, visa sanctions or what is known as travel bans have the effect of targeting the political elite and their families and thus avoids punishing ordinary citizens who may themselves be the victims of the very policies that are being opposed by foreign governments.
Guyana has had the distinction of being one of the countries which has been in the past subject to visa sanctions of selected government officials. Sometime ago, the United States had a number of Guyanese whom they wished to deport. In order to facilitate the process, the government of Guyana was required to certify some paperwork.
The US Government felt that the government of Guyana was dragging its foot on the process and in order to spur the government into action, it promptly imposed travel restrictions on selected government officials and their families.
There was a little grandstanding on the part of the local officials but in the end, the threat of not being able to visit the United States, spurred the government to complete the necessary paperwork and normalize relations with the United States.
While visa sanctions have been generally ineffective in the case of Zimbabwe, they have worked in Guyana and should be made to continue to work so as to protect America’s image in the world.
The Americans are deeply concerned about the proceeds of corruption ending up in that country.
It harms the global credibility of the United States and their ability to press for good governance around the world.
Other countries share a similar objective. European Union regulations, for example, permits travel bans on third country national so as to protect security and foreign policy objectives.
It is inevitably that as allegations of corruption rise within Guyana and the more these involve large sums which can find their way into foreign bank books, pressure is going to be brought on the ABC countries to impose visa sanctions on certain government officials and their families.
As more allegations surface of corruption involving government contracts, foreign governments, particularly those who are part of the donor community, are going to be concerned about the need to ensure that their historic investments in Guyana are not undermined by the ongoing controversies involving  financial dealings of the administration.
One can be sure that the foreign embassies are following closely what is taking place in Guyana and will eventually be forced to signal their concerns about the possibilities of the proceeds of illicit enrichment reaching their shores. They are equally going to be concerned about having relations with governments under the microscope for official corruption.
The international community should take note of developments in Guyana. They should take note of the reports in this newspaper which point to serious shortcomings by the administration. They should take note of the work of certain officials and the controversies that continue to follow them.
They should ensure that these officials do not end up seeking refuge in their countries.
This is why the AMC countries must seriously and immediately signal their concerns about corruption in Guyana and the possibility of the proceeds of illicit enrichment finding its way into their countries.
It is time to signal the possibility of travel bans on selected government officials and their families. This will wake them up and help order their ways.

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