Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Haitians should not be targeted – Gov’t must tighten policies on all immigration issues – Jagdeo
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo is clarifying his position on the issue of the Haitian migration through Guyana. Jagdeo at his weekly press conference, yesterday, stressed that Haitians should be targeted in the entire scheme of immigrations.
More than 8,400 Haitians have arrived in Guyana over the past seven months
“Let me make it clear again that Haitians have every right to come to Guyana. People sometimes target the Haitians and I don’t want the Haitians to be targeted.
Haitians can come to Guyana like any other Caribbean national if they fulfill the immigration requirements. The core problem is not the Haitians because they are other immigrants coming here too.”
Jagdeo said that the PPP is concerned at the Government’s callous response to the reports of people smuggling. He stressed the need for Government to tighten its policies on immigration issues.
“It is very worrying that they don’t seem to care that these people are coming here and disappearing via our borders.
Our problem is that people are being exploited. They have to pay to come here and leaving in an organized fashion as we see in the reports with the Haitians who are met at the airport and chaperoned in buses. In some cases they overnight and then they move towards the borders.”
The Opposition Leader said too that his party is concerned about the immigrants, who can comprise the system.
According to Jagdeo, immigrants are getting work permits and even birth certificate in no time.
“So it can have complications for employment but also the birth certificates can be used for the registration purpose which is a concern from a political viewpoint…and this is not just about the Haitians, they are Cubans, Venezuelans…”
From a humanitarian viewpoint, Jagdeo noted the Government should be concerned over the treatment meted out to people passing though Guyana.
“Which President or Minister will know that their country is being used to smuggle people out and show such lack of care? You should be concerned about how porous your borders are because not just people can be smuggled through but guns and other things.
“It is very worrying. I’ve seen videos with little children trekking through mud heading towards the border. I don’t know if they were beaten or threatened or what is happening because all these things can happen when people are being smuggled,” Jagdeo said.
He added that the Government should investigate the matter further.
Following reports that a large number of Haitians are being shuffled through Guyana, Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, confirmed that for the year more than 8,400 Haitians arrived but Government can only account for a little more than 1,100 leaving.
In his statement, Felix, a former Commissioner of Police, was also highly critical of media entities including Kaieteur News which he said was promoting xenophobia of Haitians.
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