There is probably some measure of validity to the point made by President Bharrat Jagdeo that the current travails of Guyanese residing illegally in Barbados may well have a great deal to do with a measure of earned eye pass arising from the fact that many of us are inclined to run down our own country to ‘outsiders.’ That, however, is very much a parochial point, which, we assume, was not intended to become part of the President’s substantive approach to tackling the issue, that issue being the customary coarse treatment of Guyanese travelling to and living in Barbados by our Caricom brothers and sisters and now, the ignominy of wholesale eviction from their island.
And while no one wants to see this issue blown of proportion, surely, we have now arrived at a place where we need to draw a line in the sand and let the Bajans know just how affronted we feel about the quality of their hospitality.
President Bharrat Jagdeo
If the demand by the Thompson Administration that Guyanese living in Barbados seek to regularize themselves or leave has been sufficiently sudden to cause us to ponder the motive, we are, also, entitled to the view that the Barbados Prime Minister’s assurances given to President Jagdeo that, in the course of that ‘regularization’ and ‘eviction’ exercise, the treatment of Guyanese would be attended by a degree of dignity and decorum was, arguably, a deliberate attempt to pull the wool over the President’s eyes. There have simply been too many reports of late night and early morning knocks on doors and instances of the kind of treatment that is not acceptable among people claiming to be “a Caribbean community” for Prime Minister Thompson not to have had at least some inkling as to how that ‘regularization and eviction’ process was playing out on the ground.
What the Barbadian authorities clearly recongise and what they have exploited for many, many years is their awareness that Guyana has, all along, been playing this particular game with a horribly weak hand. There are Guyanese living in Barbados, illegally, considerably large numbers of Guyanese; they are there because they believe that Mr Thompson’s country can do better by them than can their own. The point about this is not whether their belief is true or otherwise but that the belief exists anyway and that Guyanese are neither afraid nor ashamed to express that belief. When, for reasons justified or otherwise, people find cause to run down their own country and to seek to live elsewhere and when so many of those who remain here accept as an axiom that their relatives and friends living outside Guyana are decidedly better off, external perceptions of our country can hardly be expected to be anything but dismal. The whole sorry tale goes back to the days of food shortages and the attendant queues for basic items and the ridiculous currency exchange rates and suitcase trading and still, well nigh two decades later, the longing to leave persists. It is these phenomena that have provided the Bajans with the leverage to impose their humiliating airport interrogations, to send some of us packing on the next flight heading our way and to leave those lucky enough to slip through the airport net to take their chances in what for many has been a discomfiting environment.
Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson
But that is not the whole story. Perhaps the more pertinent part of the story has to do with the fact that some, many of our countrymen and women perceive the situation in Guyana as being suh baad that they are prepared to tek deh chances - unacceptable chances, at that- in order to live elsewhere; inevitably, they point fingers at those who have, over the years, had responsibility for the political management of our country; and those who have governed must contemplate their own failure to make things right, to create the conditions – social, economic, political et al – that would have caused at least some of those Guyanese who have located themselves in Barbados and elsewhere and who, in many instances, have had to endure those humiliating experiences and unpalatable conditions, to want to remain at home. So that while President Jagdeo is perfectly at liberty to make the point about the role that we ourselves have played in the creation of negative external perceptions of Guyana by running down our country, there is really no less validity to the view that it is the political running down – the political malnourishment, if you will – of our country that has, perhaps more than anything else, contributed to the continually swelling ranks of the Guyanese diaspora.
Whatever our political leaders have done, think they have done, say they have done or say they will do, the fact of the matter is that large numbers of our people still take considerable risks and endure circumstances that are sometimes difficult in the extreme to get out. That is unquestionably a failure that can be placed nowhere else but at the feet of those who have governed our country; and the Bajans understand these things.
Guyana nice!
If the truth be told the treatment of our people in Barbados has much to do with the fact that some, not all but some of them, are seen as economic and/or political refugees and that is why the Barbadians are inclined to make the altogether demeaning remark that our people place a strain on the social services. Place a strain on social services my grandfather’s glass eye! If there is one thing that can be said about Guyanese it is that wherever we go we are almost always prepared to work hard to earn our livelihoods.
I know of a Guyanese building contractor, who, having traveled to Barbados and having been subjected to the customary shabby immigration treatment reserved for arriving Guyanese, curtly told the offending Immigration Officer that he was there to build houses for Barbadians because they did not have the skills to build those houses for themselves. That may have been an exaggeration but the truth is that the success of the Bajan construction industry is due in large measure to that country’s importation of Guyanese expertise. In other ways too the Bajans are indebted to us. Just last year, the former Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley acknowledged to an audience here in Georgetown that the Barbados business sector was, to a considerable extent, built on the pioneering entrepreneurship of Guyanese migrants.
Some weeks ago I wrote in another medium about a group of foreigners who were bargaining energetically with a Bourda Market vendor over the purchase of a consignment of tomatoes which, at the time, were being offered on the local market at about thirty US US$0.30 per pound. I remember that the vendor, feeling perhaps that a point was being reached where she felt that the visitors were getting the better of the exchange declared “all yuh Bajans never had it suh good, eh!”
There are other episodes in our history too, ones that are best addressed by our historians, that have to do with Guyana’s accommodation of Barbadians and other Caribbean people, who, whatever strain they may or may not have placed on our own social services in those days, were, in the customary Guyanese fashion, treated like our own.
The problem of poor treatment of Guyanese in Barbados is nothing new neither is it a matter of the strict and professional enforcement of an immigration policy. It is a planned and sustained regimen of harassment and humiliation that takes no account of the feelings of our people. It is a way of thumbing their noses at who they perceive us to be.
I have always felt that there is a soft underbelly to our own foreign policy that has to do with who we really are as a people. It is a ‘softness’ that restrains our response. I have never believed for a single moment that, as some Barbadians have sought to suggest, the treatment of Guyanese at the Grantley Adams Airport has to do solely with the “attitude” of the immigration officials. I believe that the treatment is really a matter of policy, which, understandably, no Barbadian official is ever likely to concede and that it has to do with, among other things, a sense of local insecurity driven by anxieties over perceptions of what sustained waves of Guyanese immigrants might mean for native Barbadians. The ‘softness’ of our foreign policy on this matter may also have to do with our official feelings of guilt, given the popular argument that the whole affair stems from our inability to create conditions that will keep our people at home. After all, the Guyanese victims of the Bajan immigration crackdown and their government, the Guyana Government, that is, are by no means soul mates. Witness, for example, the fact that some of the unfortunates have expressed a preference for continuing to duck and dive in Barbados rather than return home. In those circumstances it becomes pretty awkward to jump to the defence of people who appear to want neither your pity nor your help. This is part of the weak hand with which the authorities here are playing.
There is a school of thought that says that even allowing for the likelihood that the authorities in Bridgetown may have become afflicted with a bad case of immigration anxiety that may have to do with concerns over the current global economic and financial crisis, the way in which the whole affair has been handled causes us to believe less rather than more in the tenets of the Caribbean Community and to embrace more closely the oft expressed view that it requires much more than geographic proximity and a measure of shared history to create a genuine community of people. The sad part of this is that the treatment of Guyanese in Barbados has inclined a larger number of people than we think to the view that notions like free movement of skills, hassle free travel and a regional single market and economy are really no more than pipe dreams and that it really is true, after all, that as far as what we call the Caribbean Community is concerned, the national will to survive supercedes the regional will to succeed.
But we cannot afford to allow ourselves to “buy into” that notion nor can we – however much we are often sorely tempted – yield to the advocacy of a growing number of Guyanese at home that, in whatever ways we can, we simply find ways of reciprocating the ‘hospitality’ to which our nationals are subjected in Barbados, in other words that we do dem back. After all, so the argument goes, President Jagdeo -as appears to be the case with Prime Minister Thompson – can always, conveniently, not be aware of the manner in which the immigration officers at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri go about ‘the application of our immigration policy;’ and any inadvertent mistreatment of Barbadians traveling to Georgetown can always be followed quickly by what the diplomats customarily describe as “profound expressions of regret.”
Some of us would say, of course, that that would be the wrong thing to do, that it would harm regional integration which is, now more than ever before, widely considered to be a critical catalyst for the economic advancement of Caricom member countries; and at any rate we as Guyanese have simply not been able to muster the requisite nationalistic outrage, the sheer bloody-mindedness to do the Bajans back.
Its tough though; tough to persuade our people to continue to believe in notions like a community of Caribbean people and hassle free travel and a single economic space, notions with which we are being continually bombarded by our politicians, when the evidence on the ground suggests that nothing may be further from the truth. Its tough too to believe that even as the Bajans are asserting an immigration policy that appears to single out Guyanese people for ‘special treatment,’ we in Guyana continue to contemplate a regional food policy from which Barbados – one of the more vulnerable countries in the region to any global food crisis – is likely to benefit; and if, as we expect, indeed we hope, Prime Minister Thompson and his delegation find their way to Georgetown for the July Caricom Heads Of Government meeting, we are gully entitled to expect that our own leaders will give them what the English term ‘an earful’ about just how we feel about the treatment of Guyanese in Barbados by our erstwhile “Caricom brothers and sisters.’ We should not spare their feelings.
Arnon Adams
“We should not spare their feelings” – That’s how Bajans feel towards Guyanese right now after years of feeling like strangers in their own country, thanks to Mia Mottley and the former BLP administration who loved the Guyanese, not because you are so skilled, but because you are so cheap to hire. Your President should be the last person to lecture our PM.Don’t worry though, there’ll still be about 27,000 of you left after a few thousand are sent back, so some money will still keep flowing out of Bim. You can’t be breaking the law and expect to be treated like a celebrity.
I’m sure the views of “BAJ in NYC” are widely held. As an UK national living in the Caribbean, I’m not sure which I find more offensive – the bigotry, the hypocrisy, or the smugness. The Bajans believe in free markets when it suits them, but for convenience choose to dump on foreigners as an excuse for their own societal shortcomings.
Did you see the number of Guyanese who will be left in Barbados? Barbados is hardly a dot on maps, how hospitable do you expect Bajans to be? We have a ton of other Caribbean people living there so stop your crap.
BAJ in NYC I’m Guyanese, how come you are a bajan and you don’t know who was the last Prime Minister of Barbados before Mr Thompson, seems as if you left too long my brother and why the Thompson administration not deporting the Europeans and North Americas that is living in Barbados as illegal immigrant just like the Guyanese. By the way Mr Mia Mottley is the oppisition leader of Barbados.
i had to laugh within the first few lines which says “a deliberate attempt to pull the wool over the President’s eyes ” LOL !! the presidents eyes must be open first !!
Mia Mottley was never Prime Minister of Barbados, that would be Owen Arthur. Mia is the current head of the Opposition BLP. I implore you not to hold her up as a symbol, because she does not care about Guyana or its people.
I actually like the take of this article. It is important, because, I hope in some ways it frames the discussion about legal vs illegal immigration and Barbados’s stance. Barbados has ALWAYS been a country of immigrants from in and outside the region. They have brought with them capital, expertise and training that can be helpful to Barbados. Barbados does not and cannot turn a blind eye to their contributions.
The contributions of immigrants to Barbados abound and are not limited to the tourism sector. Also, regional trade and its benefits cannot be downplayed and, to me, are more important and should not be lost in the debate on repatriation.
The mudding of the waters of free trade and skilled labour movement with what should be done with unskilled labour makes it difficult to have discourse that is beneficial to all. I hope the Summit is not sidetracked by this.
Yeah Baj in NYC hope u legal out there. Anyway why not blame your Baj Trade Unions for the cheapness of hire I’m sure there’re Bajs working for similar fares in Bim.
Fire!
tonythursday, yeah I’m legal, and a citizen as well, Bajan mother, Peach State (Georgia) father. Why is that the first thing everyone keeps jumping to and ignoring the fact that Barbados can barely hold the Bajans there and keep letting in so many from around the Caribbean who refuse to leave?
BURN!!!
Everyone believes in free markets when it suits them, that the nature of trade, “hmmm.”
How you feel your beloved EU kill West Indian sugar, because it no longer suited them to give preference to the West Indies.
Now those small economies which depended on favorable agreements have to look for other ways to secure capital and economic stability for its people. Barbados has no “big hand” in any trade agreement.
It must be nice to be from the UK and be able to talk your talk about trade agreements when the UK and EU have the biggest upperhand in trade agreements worldwide. That’s smugness at its best.
I just don’t understand why the Bajan peeps reading the Guyana news. I guess the Bajan papers have nothing important to read about. Leave the Guyanese peep alone….as I understand without them ya’ll wouldn’t have houses to live in. They are an asset to your country so give them a break.
@GuyUS
Are you for real? Do you actually think that the Bajans will not have houses to live in without assistance from the Guyanese?! lol!
It is good that Bajans and other Caribbean nationals read the Guyana news. It tells us how some of you are thinking!
In terms of accuracy, who doesn’t know that Ms. Mottley is the Opposition Leader in Barbados?!
To Mr. Sanderson Rowe and all the other Barbadians who perpetrate the acts of cruelty as well as those who condone them:
Words and actions are two different worlds. There have been umpteenth CARICOM meetings of various descriptions, and your PM’s press conference was just another Public Relations exercise.
I must commend you for your honesty in confessing: “…but alas, its their compatriots (Guyanese) back at home and in Barbados who feel the pain.” There you go! So that is exactly what the problem is: BAJANS BEATING UP GUYANESE. Have you known of situations where Guyanese beating up and perpetrating other cruel acts against Barbadians, or any other Caribbean nationals? No, but rather Guyanese being beaten up by them, if you are honest and decent. And this has been going on for some time now. It’s nothing new. So, let’s at least acknowledge that this is really the problem , and stop beating around the bush. It’s not about the so-called new immigration policy. So, why are you dodging the real issue? How would you personally feel if you were beaten up by a Guyanese in Guyana, and forcibly put on a plane to go back to Barbados?
History research will tell you that Guyanese didnt beat Bajans, Trinis or any other Caribbean nationals when the were living in Guyana. Never curse the bridge you crossed.
Guyanese were treated like royalties and sent back to Guyana. The police didn’t beat any, and none of them had their houses being raided,etc.
trust that goodwill would prevail as Barbadians repent for their sins against people they call “aliens”, lest the judgement of God come upon the island.
I Watch your words, Mr. Wiggins and all the other bloggers who pointing fingers at the wrong people.
First of all, you aren’t Guyanese and you aren’t residing in Guyana, so you don’t “see the realities” in Guyana. It’s unfortunate that sections of the media are unjustly criticizing the government, and that is exactly what you are peddling right now. I’m neither affiliated to, nor support, the PPP Government, but I deal with things objectively and fairly.
Many of the issues happening in Guyana are the brainchild of those who want to make the country ungovernable, those who practice “ slow fire, more fire”, who are directly or indirectly involved. So, you don’t have a clue as to what you talking about.
You provide the evidence, the facts and figures to prove that the Government failed and then we will discuss a little more. Time wouldn’t permit me to talk about symptoms; I have only time to talk about root causes and solutions.
Remember, when we point a finger at someone, 3 of our fingers pointing right back at us.
Barbadian bloggers, most of you are dodging the real issue, and 3 fingers point right back at you.
Talking about Guyanese fleeing: Haven’t Bajans and other Caribbean nationals been doing that too?
Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo has done outstanding, and he is being recognised beyond the Caribbean Sea.
Which one of you can stand up to him in a live debate? Reply with yes to this, and I will coordinate the occasion.
If the PPP government were a dictorship, sections of the media wouldn’t have had the opportunity to disseminate misinformation, which you are now feeding on.
Why don’t you take some time and read the reports of independent international institutions, for instance the IMF and World Bank?
So, I’m still waiting for the facts and figures from Wiggins and the others, to prove that the PPP Government failing. I’m also waiting for them to confess that Bajans maltreated Guyanese. So far, none of you bloggers has had the moral integrity to acknowledge that this has happened, and your very words have spoken of the calibre of people you are.
So, I’m still waiting for the facts and figures from Wiggins, Sanderson, Raj and the others, to prove that the PPP Government failing. Do that and I will join you in spreading your views. I promise you.
stop the B.U.L.L.
End of story.
BAJANS – Since achieving uno independence in 1966, the island of Barbados has transformed itself from a low-income economy dependent upon sugar production, into an upper-middle-income economy based on TOURISM and the OFFSHORE SECTOR. Barbados’ economy today dependent upon TOURISM, THE OFFSHORE SECTOR, AND FOREIGN DIRECT-INVESTMENT. Tourism is Barbados’s crucial economic activity and has been since the 1960s.
THAT SAID, UNO KEEP SENDING MY GT FAMILY BACK TO GUYANA. UNO BAJAN DON’T WANT FI WORK. THAT’S LIKE THE NORTH AMERICANS TRYING TO GET THE MEXICANS OUT OF THE USA.
I CAN IMAGINE WHAT YOU BAJANS DO FOR A LIVING.
If Guyana have any Bajan Illegals they should be deported
Man, evahbody putting some blows in Barbadians, the Brits, Guyanese, Canadians, Trinidadians, even Bajans, I know wunna like dah, so evahbody else could join the mêlée and make it one bumpa party on dat 2×4 island Buhbaduss! The invite gone out!
I am a Barbadian immigrant living elsewhere in the Caribbean, so I know what it can be feel not to be liked/wanted in a host territory. So I have a proposal, that I feel is do-able: All Barbadians should immigrate, those persons left behind could govern Buhbaduss as best they determine. When we return for a visit, “do we back”. They could extend their governance to include a “jook-out dem eye” ban on the worldwide web so we can’t read whatever we want to. I hope evahbody laughing!
A study was done in England, they took students who are A students today and gave them an exam of their subject area from 10 years previous. Those A students got B’s. They gave the same A students of today a test from 20 years ago and they got C’s. They gave the same A students of today an exam from 40 years ago and they failed. I say that to say this people are progressively being dumbed down.
How else to explain that
1) if a country needs 100 carpenters, the same country would allow 10,000 to come, and when trying to bring order to the chaos would be castigated by agent provocateurs and most are so blind as not to see.
2) a country with limited resources and more densely populated than China who has over 500,000 visitors per year with a population of 280,000 having it’s people called xenophobic.
3) a trickle of illegal non nationals have thus far come into the Immigration Department to make their status right during the Amnesty but after the end of the Amnesty these are the ones who are not to be round up and deported? But rather we are to humanely request that they come in since they have proven to be such law abiding individuals.
In a submarine compartments have double sealed doors that can close off a compartment when leaks enter that area thus saving the vessel and the lives of the crew. The nation state serves the same function globally. Be wary of those who wish to push the concept of mass migration it has been used throughout history as a way to weaken societies when the influx is too rapid. The more “educated” we become the more we need to get back to basics and old fashion statements that are filled with wisdom, one that comes to mind is, “good fences make for good neighbors”.
Any small country that have 31,000 caricom nationals remaining in the the Island illegally between year 2000 and 2008 is will fail socially in ten years. Figures provided by Senator Maxine McClean Forgein Minister. Can you name any country big or small that provides free education from nursery to university; free text books in secondary school;free health care;free transpotation to school and camp on goverment buses, free national summer camps for ten weeks per year meals included;
That is why we have to perserve this little rock for all legal citizens, regardless of where you came from. The thousands of legal Guyanese who reside here are begging you the stop stirring up emotional trouble. CSME DO NOT MEAN EVERY ONE CAN DECIDE ONE DAY THEY WANT TO GO TO ANOTHER COUNTY AND LIVE.