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From this Diaspora…NOW EVERYONE FROM GUYANA IS A DRUG SUSPECT
By Ralph Seeram
The message said “I am embarrassed as a Guyanese; I am embarrassed to identify myself as Guyanese because of drugs”. My friend and I were discussing the latest drug bust of a Guyanese at a New York airport, a prominent Guyanese weightlifter who was caught with ingested cocaine pellets.
This cocaine situation has created concerns in the Diaspora, especially if people are returning home from Guyana. One never knows if cocaine will be found in one’s suitcase, placed by airport personnel. There have been documented cases where this has happened.
It seems like drug busts are daily occurrences at the Cheddi Jagan Airport. Those who have escaped scrutiny get caught at US airports.
I never knew that Guyanese could be so creative—cocaine in stomach, in fruits, in vegetables, in fish, awara, wigs, lumber, canned, pastries, and any other creative way you can think of, some females even carry in their most intimate part.
Cocaine, no doubt is a big and profitable business in Guyana. One friend told me that most of those constructions on Camp and Regent Streets are fueled by drug money. The trouble is, only the “small fries” are caught, the big players are untouched. Money talks, and in a corrupt society like Guyana it talks in a big way.
This week we read of efforts to establish a DEA office in Guyana. What was one of the conditions of the DEA, for their Guyanese counterparts? They have to be VETTED; that is another way of saying, we don’t trust you; we don’t trust you with our secrets.
Speaking of DEA. Anybody has any doubt that that they are already operating in Guyana? If those “big ones” in Guyana don’t believe that the DEA has “them in their sights” they are mistaken. The Americans take their time; they give a “long rope” to build their case. When they do put “their hands” on you, save for hiring a defence lawyer. They already have an airtight case.
The Guyana Government is seeking the help of the Americans to help stem the drug trade. If the Government is serious, it could demonstrate how serious it is by having an extradition treaty with the US. An extradition treaty will put a serious dent on the industry. The most powerful drug dealers around the world are afraid of the American justice system.
You can’t bribe your way, as can be done in local courts.
Back to my fear of travelling from Guyana. I make it a point of not bringing anything back from Guyana; no achar, no pepper, no cassareep, not even for my mother. I can get all in Guyanese stores in Orlando.
A few years ago, I broke my rule. A relative on the Corentyne caught some fish, smoked and dried them for me. He said that he did for me to take back. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, I packed the fish in my suitcase.
At Maimi Airport I retrieved by suitcase. At that moment I saw a Customs officer with a dog coming in my direction. I am saying to myself, “I hope this dog don’t come near to me. Well in the middle of the airport with people all around that dog came to my suitcase and start sniffing. In fact, it stopped at my suitcase. I don’t have to tell you how embarrassed I was, with everyone’s eyes on me.
To my relief the officer asked me if I had fish in the suitcase, to which I replied yes. He said that I should make sure that I declare it on my customs declaration form. I guess the way the dog reacted told him what the contents of the suitcase were.
No need to tell you I never brought any stuff from Guyana again. The lure of money seems to be too much for the drug mules, and you will note that they transcend all age groups.
Right now the Opposition parties in Guyana make a lot of noise about the Government not doing enough to prosecute drug dealers, while in the same breath refusing to pass the Anti Money Laundering Bill. I wrote on this subject before on the need for the APNU and AFC to put petty politics aside and the interest of the country before.
The Opposition is endangering the economic life of all Guyanese and this could work against them come next elections.
So while all these drug busts are embarrassing, they won’t stop me from visiting Guyana. However, I know that on my on my arrival in the US that I will get extra scrutiny by customs. After all I coming from Guyana.
Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: ralph365@hotmail.com
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