For a long time deportee has been a bad word, not just in Guyana but in every country that has what the developed nations call “a migrant population.” In 1948, shortly after a plane carrying four Americans and 28 migrant farm workers who were being deported to Mexico crashed in Los Gatos Canyon in California, Woody Guthrie wrote a poem that was later set to music, which decried the fact that the people who died were referred to in media reports of the day as “just deportees.”
People who are deported are those who would have overstayed the time granted to them to remain in a country when they travelled overseas, or those who entered/sneaked into another country with the intention of remaining there permanently and without the required legal status, and were then caught and sent back home. Deportees are also those persons who would have committed criminal offences for which jail time was followed by a one-way ticket, usually back to the land of their birth. A significant number of deportees are felons – persons convicted of offences that involve narcotics, murder and the use of dangerous weapons, hence the stigma attached to being a deportee.
There have been cases where entire families migrated and then just one member is involuntarily repatriated after a number of years. That person would have no ties to the land of his/her birth. If that person was convicted on armed robbery, a narcotics-related offence or murder, and s/he has no prospects s/he might easily fall back into doing the activity that got him/her in trouble in the first place. This has actually happened in several instances, with the result being that in addition to being scorned, deportees became people to be feared.
It was this milieu that Ms Donna Snagg stepped into when she was involuntarily repatriated after spending 20 years in the United States of America, having ‘done time’ for a “narcotics violation.” By the time Ms Snagg was ready to head home penniless, word had already spread about how deportees were being treated here, so, as she said in an interview with this newspaper, which was published on Tuesday, she was expecting to face discrimination. In her case, however, there were so-called good friends and relatives here who refused to have anything to do with her adding hurt and rejection to the stigma she was already experiencing.
Homeless and hungry, with no clothes, no money, no job and no prospects, Ms Snagg could have let the weight of all that press her down into the dirt the way it seems to have depressed so many others. Instead she took the single outstretched hand offered by a brother-in-law; accepted his shelter and wore his clothes for a while. She also received some financial help through remittances sent from overseas and finally reunited with one long-lost friend who understood the true meaning of the word. What a sobering experience it must have been for someone who would have been used to giving from her largesse.
But she was also not prepared to accept handouts for the rest of her life, and despite what might have seemed to be towering obstacles, she pursued and completed a law degree as well as her new vision — helping others, who like her, might at some point find themselves back home penniless and alone after years of living overseas. This she has accomplished to some extent, having founded Juncata Juvant (things joined together are helpful) Friendly Society, which has been offering assistance to deportees for two years.
Ms Snagg’s story is far from being completely told. (She is still to attend law school and has plans to extend the services being offered by her organization to include a halfway house for deportees.) However, it is at a point where it can serve as an example to those who might have taken the wrong fork in the road at some point that it is not the end of the world and that with determination they can still make a meaningful contribution to society. But more than that, Ms Snagg’s inspiring story will also help to remove the stigma attached to deportees, who having served a prison sentence and being deported would have already paid their debt to society and need to be allowed to live without fingers being pointed at them.
An inspiring story for deportees. Sincerely hope that education and educating is the goal and not just creating a means for existence for deportees. Got it about not everyone who are deported being related to criminal activities
Prevention is always better than cure. Hope one of the focus is on the importance of not doing drugs or criminal activities which can ultimately lead to anyone’s demise. Also, hope the message can be relay to the general population
This may be a vicious circle with individual committing crime in their said countries, migrate, commit crime in the host country, get caught, deported, resort to doing the same crap only with more vengeance and skills learnt while being abroad.
Since Sep 11 2001, there is zero tolerance for any one who are not a citizen of that country to break a law and remain in that country
I have read every story of all accounts written about the deportation of immigrants from the United States either by the deportee themselves or from the Guyana media. As a former Deportation Officer in the United States from 1978 to 1986, I can truly say that even I learned alot that I did not know.First off, I did not know that a person convicted of a FELONY that carries a jail sentence, or has served a sentence of six (6)consecutive months in any State,Federal or Local jail for a felony conviction was eligible for voluntary departure, never knew that…. I know that you can volunteer to PAY your way but it would not serve as (VD) voluntary departure.After all you did not volenteer to leave the country, you were on a writ of habeas corpus and had no choice. You live and you learn,,,,. On a brighter note, I was sent along with another Officer to do a “CLEANUP”, We went to a construction site and asked for the supervisor, who promptly came to enquire as to my business there, I explained to him that I wanted to talk to one of his employees who just happened to be from Berbice, Guyana, (you see I was sent there by my supervisor because I’m Guyanese), He proceeded to call the worker down, and explained that this was his best worker and the job cannot continue without this worker. The worker came down and I identified myself to him, I asked him his name and his country of origin, he answered me in an AMERICAN accent and told me that he was from Alabama, at this point, my partner started to look at the ground and whistle. I then reached into my pocket and pulled an OLD black and white (GUYANA)passport picture of this gentleman and showed it to him telling him not to play his SK**T(GT lingo) with me, he replied, “Oh ra*s baboo, yu got mi”. I gave him a hand shake and a hug and left, both of us laughing and his supervisor looking on wanting to know what was said.
lindenbanna what happened why you left us hanging, did you deport the man.
Amen-Ra,,,,I went to Guyana a few years later and I went to one of those clubs in the city with a friend, and I am not a drinker but it was my friend’s first visit to Guyana so I wanted to show off, I ordered the most expensive bottle of Gin in the house, I told the waiter not to break the seal, he brought the bottle and as I reached to pay him, he told me that my money was no good in here, I asked him what he was talking about and he pointed to a dark corner and said that man paid for it, I looked around and there was this guy sitting there smiling giving me a peace sign. A few moments later, the guy came over and asked me if i remembered him and I said of course, and he laughted and said “NO YOU DON”t” and leaned over and whispered in my ear thanks for giving me a break, I got married to the woman a month after you came by my job, she came to GT with me too. The woman was the one that called INS on him.
amen- re,,,A couple of years ago I was in Guyana and got sick in a Restaurant on Regent street, so I left and walked around the corner and took a taxi from infront of Nigel’s supermarket and left my car parked because I didn’t think I could drive home. I gave the guy my address and I noticed he kept smiling and shaking his head from side to side. As we drove, he kept looking at me in the rear view mirror and he kept saying that he knew me, and wanted to know who I brought back,,,,I told him that I was on vacation here and don’t know what he is talking about. When we pulled up to my house on the East Coast, my wife came out and said eh eh Mr X where is the car, the taxi driver started to scream,,,that’s it that’s it Mr X,,,I know you,,,,you were so nice to me, I got the money you went and got from my employer as you promised and you bought shoes for my baby, and a coat so that my wife and kids can follow me home, I told him he got the wrong person, and he said no I don’t, you let me walk in the Airport like a man without handcuffs on, you’re a good guy thanks.
LINDENBANNA,
Man, I must extend gracious respects to you on your understanding and compassion to our people. Honestly, you’re cool, if your stories are true (and I don’t contest them), you are truly one to respect…in the true meaning of the word. I say so as I would myself behave the same way as you did. There are some stories I can tell you that would sure be analogical to yours. Point here is – IT’S A SMALL WORLD.
(No, I’m not a deportee or a potential one, but I identify with your personality).
I baptise you GUYANABANNA from now on. Respect.
somethings dont add up here lindenbanna,you said you went with your partner to do a cleanup??,after realiseing that this guy lied to you and was in the country illigally, you congratulate him with a hand shake and left???,what did your partner said after this??, did’nt you had to submitt a report or something to your superiors after contacting this illigal immigrant????.
tiger, I have nothing to gain by telling a lie, I came to this country in 1966, and everybody knows my story of being poor, hungry and homeless,,,,those are the people i fight for, MY people. And when you do a “CLEANUP” it is not always a writ of habaes corpus, YOU the OIC have to make a decision that benefits the service, in this case this man did not commit an offense that was criminal in nature, although he however was “ALLEGED” to have abused his live in girlfriend and he overstayed his time in the U S, something I did when I first came het to go to school on a student’s visa. It would have been different had the Immigration had signed a WRIT, but this was a letter sent to us from a female, and I was chosen to go because I was from Guyana…MY CALL HERE.
you are so right dove
I KNOW HER AS DONNA MCKAY I AM GLAD SHE PLANS TO HELP OTHERS BECAUSE SHE AND OTHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF DEPORTEE THAT WAS WORKING FOR HER EMPIRE ON PACIFIC STREET IN BROOKLYN. GOD WILL FORGIVE YOU BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LEFT WITHOUT A FAMILY CHILDREN WITHOUT MOTHER AND FATHER. AND AT THE TIME MS SNAGG WAS JUST CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING MONEY…
Well what ms snaggs is saying is so true i do lives in the u.s.a but i still dont understand why you faces two pennalties for one crime the first one is you are put in prison the second one you are deported that is two for one offence, the next thing that bothes me is people who came here at a young tender age and then the get’s deported the know’s nothing about the country (Guyana) so i think that is a problem but it is so sad.
Mr. Moderator, this Donna Snagg story ought to be on Sunday front page, column #1 with color pix, because news is not always about bad stuff. Great editorial on an inspiring subject.
Cochore,
I hope you mean HER WHOLE STORY and not what she wants us to hear.
Very informative…
Ms. Snaggs story is inspiring. I truly hope she can find support for her endeavors through existing community groups or government agencies. As an individual who has family members who were deported due to either extension of their stay or other felonies, I can understand the dilemma that these individuals experience – there is a real stigma associated with their status, they are shunned by their families, friends and neighbors. What’s deeply troubling is the deportees that were raised in other countries and forced to go back to a country where they are limited in their understanding of the society and are not given any support or tools to effectively assimilate into what will now be their home for the rest of their lives. As a person who migrated to America at a very young age, it scares me to think that, if I ever found myself being convicted for a felony for whatever reason, my forced return to Guyana would leave me at a total loss.
I am pretty the majority of people that have lived overseas for many years would feel the same way. It will be interesting to see if Ms. Snaggs efforts are successful.
There needs to be a formal reintegration program where deportees are offered support to help them assimilate which would include counseling, job and housing assistance.
I was deported in 2001 for being involved with an under aged girl. We were in love. Young and dumb. I was valedictorian of my class & a sophmore in a great liberal arts university. I got charged and i plead guilty. I did so because i would do my time and
Make it back in time for the start of my junior year. I got played by my lawyer. She didnt tell me i could get deported because of the plea. I served 80 days and 5 years probation. I was back home and back in school. Life was a blast again. In january ‘01