Close to 30 Guyanese residing in Trinidad illegally were on Wednesday rounded-up and have been given deadlines by which they must leave that country.
The move comes in the midst of heightened debate on a new immigration policy announced by the David Thompson administration in Barbados, which has since been marred by complaints of raids and unjust treatment being meted out to Guyanese in particular. The policy is intended to target undocumented Caricom nationals, spurring concerns about the profiling of nationals from these countries.
However, according to reports out of Trinidad, the illegal Guyanese who were rounded-up in that country have received fair treatment. Individual cases have been determined and deadlines granted accordingly.
Guyana’s Honorary Consul to Trinidad and Tobago Ernie Ross confirmed the activity. On investigating, Consular Officer Denise Deano learnt that the police had swooped down at a tenement yard in Tunapuna where the group was discovered.
Speaking to this newspaper from her St Clair, Port of Spain office yesterday, Deano said the police had gone to the Tunapuna tenement on Wednesday to investigate an unrelated matter and found a large number of Guyanese there. She related that the Guyanese were all discovered to be in T&T illegally, having overstayed their time, but each of them was granted due consideration.
She told Stabroek News that no one rule was applied to the individuals. Many, she said, were either married to Trinidadians or have children born on the island. Some have been given time to collect their salaries and then return home.
Deano said after the discovery of the group of illegal Guyanese, the consulate was contacted and representation was made for each person.
“So they have time to sort out their stuff, but all of them will have to leave. Those married to Trinidadians and with children born here will have to then re-enter and make the appropriate application upon re-entry,” she explained.
Pregnant women among the group have been granted enough time by the authorities to give birth, look into documentation for their babies and then return home.
Deano said many asked for and were granted time to collect salaries from their places of employ and soon after, are to return home.
She stressed that the T&T immigration authorities did not conduct a raid, but added that the police would not come across undocumented immigrants and just leave them.
However, she said, the Guyanese were thankful for the understanding showed by the immigration department, especially since none of them was detained. Questioned on whether there seemed to be a heightened interest in illegal immigrants since the Barbados issue, Deano said this was not the case.
With the implementation of the Single Market component on the Caricom Single Market and Economy it was agreed among Heads of Government that five categories of persons would be allowed to live and work freely in sister states without a work permit. However, persons qualified under one of the categories would have to apply for a Caricom skills certificate in their home country and on this basis be granted extended stay in another Caricom country.
Many of the persons who migrate often do not qualify and so overstay their allotted times and become undocumented immigrants.
Despite calls by some member states for the categories to be extended to include teachers and nurses, others have had reservations resulting in no consensus with the proposals.
In essence the same as what Barbados did.
What the Guyanese People have to Do is stop buying any products that originate from Trinidad and Barbados.
Great way to hit them where it hurts
Julian, you got it. And as things get harder everywhere else more countries will start doing the same. Obama plans to work on immigration reform here in a matter of months and that means lots of Guyanese who overstayed their visas could be on their way out too. Governments around the world are being pressured by their citizens to act and protect their jobs and social services.
In a letter like to Stabroeknews like a week ago Eric Phillips (I think) expressed his disagreement with the government’s over reliance on remittances. He was roundly criticized by one “Ms. Daly” who seems to represent the government’s position. I hope the government, at least, now realize that you can’t send your citizens around the world (or encourage them to go) and then depend on them sending you money so that your country can exist.
Guyana government it is time to stand up and show your worth. Create good paying jobs for your citizens so that they will want to stay home. Loosing 8 people per 1000 of your population through emigration ranks almost the highest in the world. Migration rates are at crisis levels and require an urgent national policy to bend the trend line. Until the government recognizes this and is willing to correct the problem Guyanese will continue to be viewed as nuisances to some countries around the world.
I am sympathetic to the Guyanese who find themselves in these situations but angry that Guyana’s politicians are not addressing the root cause of the problems
now let me just clear something up.I have been living in trinidad for the past ten years.guyanese in trinidad are not loved because of their behaviour.there is a particular street in port-of-spain where a lot of them sells,pass there and you would be ashame of them and even denounce yourself from being a guynese.It is very terrible the way they behave.and lastly the immigration is always soft with them.if it was just one of them,that person would have been given a chance to stay and advised to relocate to another area,believe me. those of them that were sent back were the innocent paying for the guilty.
SN this is no longer news, you are a day late, just call it a follow up story.
well, what a difference in treatment/respect to other humans.
job well done by the T@T authorities.
Well freespeech,that will not stop the doomsayers from their usual criticism of the TT government,that administration has had its fair share of Guyanese abuse,don’t forget, Manning was said to be the worst since Burnham,I hope these people can pick up their lives when they return to our dear land of Guyana and Jagdeo!!
Barbadians please go to Trinidad and learn how to deal humanely with people. Now those who were given the opportunity to leave voluntarily please do so and not further tarnish the name of Guyana. Return and enjoy the paradise Captain Borat, our flying beggar president has created.
Sorry Borapork, there will be a lot of tarnishing of the name of Guyana. By telling Guyanese up front that they will give them time to get their affairs in order if they are caught in an immigration raid, Trinis will now encourage other illegal aliens to come there, because they, the illegals, know if they are caught they will be let go and can then abscond. Many will abscond. I can assure you of that. There is nothing for most of them to return to in Guyana and nothing for them to lose by absconding. They won’t care about Guyana’s image.
Yea, right! Almost as humane as pulling them off the work site, shot in the back of the head and then dump in the river.
bajeal,there is procedure in place where they log their passportand when they return to the immigration office with their ticket,the is then picked up at the airport upon their departure.ok.oh beautiful guyana.
Stale news (already reported in other news media).
Editor yesterday: “Banna reporter, don’t mind Reddy getting support about de milking Barbados ting and crime and violence so people can post blaming the government and be happy…..We showing we can diversify wid the Trinidad story today but tommorrow self we gon mek he squirm wid one, even two more, stories bout Barbados. Let he tek da and stick in he craw! Chomp. chomp, chomp,chomp…..”
Reddy, you start working on the report as yet or you are sitting on your hands as usual? Maybe you should sit on your tongue for a change.
Reddy when you does get fuh do yuh wuk man,you always deh pun Stabroek news website,thank God for SN,some of us can come on and gaff an gee nuff laugh eh? You would miss this site,if it don’t wuk fuh one day,we gon miss you to,govment mouthpeice!!
Faria aka Reddy, more votes for your beloved ppp in 2011.Anyway, you could not realistically care less about Guyana since you were BORN in bimshire where you are stationed by Jagdeo.
The truth has finally come to LIGHT.Thus, if your ppp govt losses the next election,you can remain in Barbados.What a master stroke.
everybody sending we home now. Rohee, ya still thinkin that nat a lot a guyanese coming back?
At least trinidad is giving guyanese time to get their stuff and leave, unlike barbados who is shippin you out on the next flight.
Did you guys read kn guyanese fight in iraq while his wife fight deportation.
amen, very interesting, it did not surprise me, because i have seen worst on ‘pbs front line’ or on ‘democracy now’
Now Trinidad. This will in due time turn out to be a blessing is disguise. Hopefully enough people will return home with a better perspective on life – wanting better for themselves and children and to hold their elected party (both PPP and PNC)accountable for the state of the country. This should galvanize people into action for change. No more lame excuses: Burnham DID this and that or Cheddi did NOT do this and that. The country shoul be beyond the febble cop out and each government be held responsible for its own actions.
I am certain that St Lucia,Antigua and Surinam have sizeable pockets of Guyanese residing illegally. The current administration will be in order if it establishes a division/department to address this issue of Guyanese nationals being deported back to Guyana for being illegal in another country.
This continuing saga is an indictment on our system of governance and the attitude of our current crop of leaders.
indian with the economic turmoil well see a lot more.
i saw a program a week ago about another economic burst, when that hit the fan we will be glad to be back home.
“ABOUT 75 MILLION STUDENTS ARE DEFAULTING ON THEIR STUDENTS LOAN”
remember u c it here first.
And so continues a new trend. lets see what country it leads to next
America?
You see this is what happens, Barbados now Trinidad, who will be next. The Guyana Government should either start representing the interest of their citizens living abroad or start doing the same thing to Caricom nationals living in Guyana. Why haven’t we heard Trinidad rounding up illegal Chinese and posting them back.
How much more can we take from this incompetent administration
I disagree with rounding up people and sending them back to the home countries. If they are in Guyana, legal or illegal, and they are not involved in criminal activity, then start to look at regularising the status of those who are illegal so as to ensure that each person pays the necessary taxes to support the economy.
Now there is also an urgent need for a government agency to register the skills of returning Guyanese and begin the process of re-integration into the system.
It is time for all hands to be on deck – government, private sector and civil society. Ensure that returning Guyanese are able to secure livelihoods.
The next country to start deporting Guyanese will be Guyana…….But wait!….Ent Guyana started deporting Guyanese first????
Guyarabian, all of Caricom and the rest of the world will be next in deporting Guyanese. There is a worldwide economic crisis going on and good governments around the world are seeking ways to provide for and protect their own people. Unfortunately for you, you have a government that is either incompetent or doesn’t care about you. The Guyanese government should be providing a relatively good standard of living and a safe and secure environment for the Guyanese people. It is not doing that, so Guyanese are fleeing. You cannot blame foreign leaders like Prime Minister David Thompson of Barbados for being competent and mindful of their people. They have obligations to accommodate their own people before all others. Guyanese need to stop racial voting, put a competent and caring government in place, and work together to develop Guyana. Stop blaming others for your problems.
Yes GDF EX Officer,,,Burnham started the deportion since in the late 60’s all the way to the early 80’s ,
Yes Soldier, it may have started with Burnham but it certainly continued under the PPP and in larger numbers too. I am not about laying blame on any one party. I lay blame on us the Guyanese people. We as a people do not have the balls to stand up to the administration, be it PNC/PPP, to change things for the better. Instead, we all run like hell. Do you see what is happening in Iran?How many of us are prepared to die for our rights?