Diaspora, Diaspora – Can We Hear You Now?

Jun 04, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Hydar Ally’s June 2, 2021, letter, “Guyanese diaspora has an important role to play”, is noteworthy.
Of course, my sense is that Mr. Ally would agree with a head nod – nothing new here! And that is the tragedy being played out through inactions on meaningful issues of the day. Recruitment efforts have span decades of initiatives by all government parties. The failure rate might be close to 100 percent in meaningfully reaching out to the diaspora.
Certainly, some formerly foreign-based Guyanese have returned but it’s doubtful if any analysis exists which has captured their results/motivations. This lack of critical diaspora information/metrics means we’re in the blind on this critical subject. A prime concern might be the politics of the day. Are you with me or you came to replace me? Other silly talk has existed. Again, politics is suspect but lack of info means no one knows for certain. We have been operating on conjecture and anecdotal information. It’s not unusual to hear that someone’s 4th cousin returned to Guyana and left after a year because their push-bike tyre was punctured by a 2-foot hole on Garnett Street, Georgetown (joking of course). One reason is as good as the other. A book of reasons exists for failure in any endeavour. My view is that no government has really taken the subject with the necessary importance it requires. The issues, studies and attendant actions needed to result in long-term successful recruitment, acquisition and retention of diaspora Guyanese with the skills, talents and abilities needed for the country’s forward thrust could only be managed through a – Ministry of the Diaspora.
The challenge here is how to avoid sycophants, charlatans and brigands. Enabling legislation needs to be purposed for an excellent future for all Guyanese, not just the well-placed. What has been noticeably clear to forward-thinking Guyanese, for an awfully long time and being borne out in the daily headlines, is that the past absence of a serious diaspora acquisition strategy has put the country in a less than advantageous bargaining position in handling the current and on-going influx of foreign-based entities and activities. Is anything good happening down the river? The future is now.

Sincerely,
Phil Edwards

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Diaspora, Diaspora – Can We Hear You Now?

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