Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Jagdeo’s offer to Chinese not provided for in law
– Robert Corbin
President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent statement as it relates to the granting of work permits and automatic citizenship to Chinese Nationals living in Guyana for a specific period of time has attracted the attention of the Peoples National Congress Reform.
Leader of the Party Robert Corbin recently told media operatives that he is not aware of any legal provision that exists that could facilitate the President’s offer to Chinese nationals living in Guyana and that they are currently checking the law books.
He said that it would be highly discriminatory to set up specific rules to deal with this at a time when Guyana and the rest of the Region are still having problems with the CARICOM free movement of skills.
The Opposition Leader pointed to the fact that some persons have been living in Guyana for as long as 20 years and are yet to secure citizenship.
He said that any policy which the Government implements, not just for Chinese but for other nationalities as well, must demonstrate equality under the Constitution of Guyana.
Corbin said that he is not sure how the President plans to achieve the promise, given that to date they are yet to see any amendments to the Immigration Act.
He said that the party will be waiting to see if it will be by amendments or by some discretionary powers of the Minister.
Jagdeo in December last, met with hundreds of Chinese Nationals at the International Conference Centre and announced a number of measures to make life easier for the immigrants here, including automatic citizenship for those lawful residents for seven years and an increase in the duration of a work permit from one year to three years.
But he implored them to live within the law and to report anyone purporting to be a government official and soliciting bribes from them for granting citizenship or work permits.
He said the measures are in part to ensure that Chinese immigrants are not discriminated against or taken advantage of by unscrupulous persons, declaring that the government was taking a firm stand against any kind of exploitation or discrimination.
He announced too that a representative group from the Chinese community will be put together to ensure the commitments he made are followed up and implemented without undue delay.
President Bharrat Jagdeo during a meeting with a Chinese Entrepreneur in Guyana
“You are welcomed in Guyana,” he assured the gathering, to warm applause.
“Of recent, I had a great need to reiterate this welcome because of the very worrying tendencies among sections of Guyanese and the media. Some people have developed a form of xenophobia. I want you to know that this is not the official policy of the government,” Mr. Jagdeo stressed.
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