Latest update January 23rd, 2025 7:40 AM
A feeling of abandonment
There is a very strong sense of abandonment by many in the New York Diaspora that has caused a divide between the New York diaspora and the government.
It will take a lot of goodwill to reconcile that relationship with the kind of leadership that we have at this time. It is now very clear to some Guyanese in the diaspora that the government is not interested in seeking their input in the development of Guyana.
Supporters of the APNU+AFC coalition in the New York diaspora are disappointed of the way they are being treated by the government. It is known that this group has always been considered the fund raising mecca for all the political parties in Guyana.
The 2015 election campaign was no exception as members of the New York Diaspora gave generously to the Coalition parties. Some even took time off from work and others have sacrificed their families and went to Guyana to campaign on behalf of the coalition. Since the victory of the coalition, the government has not reached out to the members of the diaspora.
Had the government done so, the possibilities would have been endless. It would have encouraged the 450,000 members of the Diaspora to become more involved in the country’s future development prospects and possible investments.
With regard to the importance of the diaspora, it is true that is group has been keeping the economy afloat with remittances, yet the government has hardly consulted with them.
Over the years, it is estimated that the members of the diaspora have contributed approximately 20 percent of the country’s foreign currency reserves annually and 17 percent of GDP earnings by way of remittances to support relatives and friends in Guyana.
Given its limited resources, the government should implement policies regarding investments, targeting members of the Diaspora. And where expertise or consultants with requisite skills are needed but unavailable in Guyana, the Guyanese Diaspora should be given first preference to fill vacancies on Boards and other positions in the government. There should also be the need to hire personnel from the Diaspora for embassy and other diplomatic positions.
Why should this group take the government seriously when they are continuously being ignored or treated as outcasts or foreigners? For example, a bill on constitutional reform was introduced in Parliament on July 27 to establish a Constitutional Reform Commission.
The bill calls for the commission to have one representative each from the various bodies or entities or institutions to represent segments of the population and various stakeholders. But it excludes representation from the diaspora which has almost as many Guyanese as there is Guyana.
It is a fact that several representatives from the diaspora have been the driving force behind constitutional reform. Therefore, it is rather ironic that the government has decided to snub the diaspora.
However, it is hoped that changes would be made to the bill to include at least two representatives from the diaspora, one from each of the two major parties in consultations with their groups abroad.
While the governments of all other Caribbean countries would consult with their overseas members, the government of Guyana has not done so since elected to office.
Many in the diaspora believe that they are not needed by the government except for during election campaigns, which suggests that they are needed only for their money to fund election campaigns. Other than that, the diaspora seems to be unimportant to the government.
Given the lack of communication between the government and the members of the New York diaspora, it is not likely to happen anytime soon.
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