People live in mortal fear of the US, UK, Canadian diplomats in Guyana

Sep 23, 2022 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Kaieteur News – Since I became a columnist in 1988, I have seen right in front of my eyes how ruling politicians, opposition politicians, civil society activists, and media practitioners have been scared to criticise the questionable decisions of the diplomatic missions of the US, UK and Canada (ABC) here in Guyana.

When I use the word fear, it is an understatement. People shook and are shaking with trepidation when they have spoken and speak to me (since 1988) about the wrong things the ABC diplomatic missions have done and are doing to them.

If you think people are afraid to speak up in Russia, China, Cuba, Iran then Guyanese have that same fear when it comes to the high commissions of Canada and the UK and the US. I am telling you the net takes in powerful politicians, rich businessmen, influential people with status and successful media workers.

I have seen this fear in people as a columnist with the Catholic Standard, Stabroek News and Kaieteur News. I remember the US embassy was cruel in not giving a visa to the daughter of a rich businessman. It was impossible given the wealth of this man that the young lady would stay illegally in the US.

Dale Andrews as one of the leading journalists (deceased) in Guyana put me on to the story. I went to the businessman to carry it in my column. He told me he asked two ministers to intervene but they politely declined. He told me not to use his name because he was sacred of victimization of him and his family by the embassy. I declined to pursue the matter because I thought he should have come forward.

Timothy Tucker, the head of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a brave man, an exception in Guyana. He willingly gave me permission to quote what the British High Commissioner told him about visitor’s visas for him and his family. Mr. Tucker told me he and his family could not enjoy a summer (August) holiday in the UK because there is no response so far about his July application.

One of Guyana’s leading vehicle mechanics that lives a comfortable life in Guyana with his family was refused a Canadian visa. It is clear to me that the issuing of a visa to Guyanese is an illogical, random process in which one is given and one is denied just like that without any thought going into the decision.

I told him I will write about it because it was wrong what they did. He was adamant not to use his name. He said after I write, he will never get a future visa. This is the fear I referred to above.

Of course, if you invite the diplomats from the ABC missions in Guyana to address young people, no doubt the advice will be that Guyana must stay clear of any enduring relations with the Chinese superpower. Those young people will also get some advice about their nation having relations with countries like Iran, Venezuela, Nicaragua, etc.

Bloomberg reported that Guyana is on top of the list for all the countries in the world in the waiting time for a visitor’s visa. This is not only incredible but surreal. Guyana’s population is just under 770,000 out of which a tiny percentage applies to the US embassy.

The waiting time has to be determined by numbers. In a population of 60,000,000, the waiting time has to be longer than Guyana’s. But the Bloomberg list is frightening and tells a mysterious story about the relation between Guyana and the US.

For example, Guyana is 16 points above Mexico. That cannot be logical and there cannot be a scientific explanation for that. Mexico is on the border with the US, has 130 million people with millions applying for a visitor’s visa yet has a shorter waiting time than Guyana.

That can never be an evolutionary process. That is an engineering process at work. Someone at the US embassy in Guyana made a decision on Guyana’s waiting time.

Here is something you need to know about the shape of life. There are thousands of low-lives (I defined what is a low-life at the request of Guyanese Critic on the Gildarie-Freddie Kissoon Show last Wednesday night). In the US, these are street criminals and some homeless people who would rob and kill you. Those very people can get a UK and Canadian visa easier than rich and middle-class Guyanese. There are millions of very poor folks in the US that don’t need a visa to enter Canada and the UK. Good luck on your application for an ABC visa!

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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People live in mortal fear of the US, UK, Canadian diplomats in Guyana

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