Latest update June 5th, 2026 12:40 AM
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Diaspora or desperados?
Dear Editor,
The Guyanese diaspora (NYC) sounds more like desperadoes. I must say the planning for modern day land grab has began as evidenced from the conversations on the A subway line that traverse both Queens and Brooklyn.
The diaspora is ready to claim ancestral properties, including claim to the new found oil riches because they have a few dollars saved from working off the books. I must say that visiting politicians, through their promises, have created the catalyst for this movement. As such, are the citizens that tough it out aware of the sellout or promises?
The solution is new laws that would restrict the diaspora from claiming anything if they have US citizenship since they pledged an allegiance to the United States. This also goes for the duel passport holders. Notwithstanding, this should not stop them from buying property or investing because they still have to report to the IRS under FACTA. Let see if you’ll have the same level of interest.
We know that the re-migrant program needs overhauling to address fundamentally what are the origin of the funds. Lessons learn with the likes of Ed Ahmad and Sonny Ramdeo. Recently, a Guyanese woman was convicted of ripping off Medicaid, a health insurance for poor people in the US.
She was very wealthy and owned several apartment buildings in the Bronx, yet she had to repay $85,000 US for claiming Medicaid benefits. Not sure if she owns property in Guyana. Then there was the guilty plea of “money pilot”, he too had business in the US.
It is so easy and inexpensive to separate the desperadoes from the real diaspora. First, any funding should be done from bank to bank. Next, background check should be conducted i.e. the US should reciprocate. You can’t get a visas or job in the US unless you are cleared by security companies in the US that reach out to the local CID.
It is no joke if a country or individual citizens get on the OFAC blacklist, you have to ask the Venezuelans. So the next investment event for the diaspora should announce –”no desperadoes allowed.” So I encourage the citizens of Guyana to fact check those investors from the diaspora that they are not spending Medicaid monies because Uncle Sam will get them eventually.
Keith Bernard
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