Amid stinging criticism of its new immigration policy, Barbados is prepared to consider the readmission of persons who have overstayed their time through a protocol or memorandum of understanding but will not swerve from its current policy to regularize undocumented Caricom nationals.
Barbadian Prime Minister David Thompson speaking to the media yesterday.
Prime Minister David Thompson, who arrived in Guyana yesterday for the 30th Meeting of Caricom Heads of Government that starts today, hosted a press conference, aimed at lending perspective to his recently announced immigration policy which has stirred feverish debate across the region.
Thompson said he did not believe the issue would cloud discussions at today’s meeting, adding that he did not think any of the heads were that “petty” that a simple issue could affect the entire process. “There is not that level of immaturity.”
Thompson told reporters that he intends to use the opportunity of his presence in Georgetown to discuss with President Bharrat Jagdeo, ways in which they could work together to better manage the migration situation.
He said he was also prepared to look carefully at a guest worker programme in areas where the labour market may justify it in future.
“In addition, I think it would be useful to establish a formal mechanism for regular consultation and information exchange between our Chief Immigration Officers and senior personnel,” he told reporters gathered at the conference room of Cara Lodge, in Quamina Street.
Thompson said he would also be reiterating to Jagdeo his hope that Guyana will give favourable consideration to setting up a High Commission in Bridgetown staffed with the appropriate number of professionals to handle the increasing consular needs of the Guyanese population in Barbados.
Thompson said his government has taken interim action to regularize undocumented individuals in Barbados in the absence of a consensus Caricom decision to move to full freedom of movement.
The policy also comes again the backdrop of the absence of a community policy on managed migration.
Those Caricom nationals who entered Barbados before December 31, 2005 and have been residing there without appropriate documentation for eight or more years will be eligible for consideration for regularization. However they must meet stipulated conditions, which include a full criminal background check. Those who fall outside this eight-year span and who have overstayed their time will be asked to leave, Thompson said, adding that those who do not leave voluntarily will be deported. He added that managed migration for his country has been a long-standing policy of his Democratic Labour Party (DLP).
Since the announcement of the policy, reports had surfaced about inhumane treatment by immigration officers; the homes of Guyanese being raided in the wee hours and belongings taken away and individuals not found with the necessary documentation being escorted to the airport and ordered to leave.
But Thompson yesterday said he had no doubt that the relevant authorities were affording those individuals their full rights. “I have every confidence that the immigration and law enforcement authorities of Barbados are acting and will act in strict conformity with the laws of Barbados and with full respect for the rights and dignity of the individual,” he said.
He added that his government did not condone the abuse of power or inappropriate behaviour on the part of its public officials and if evidence was produced that any of those empowered to take action have been excessive in carrying out of their duties they will be disciplined appropriately.
In this regard Thompson gave a commitment to investigate all complaints and a review panel to do this is to be set up shortly.
This newspaper had interviewed two Guyanese who were undocumented in Barbados and were sent home. They recounted early morning raids, barely enough time to scramble belongings and a trip to the airport and a plane ride home.
When initial reports surfaced President Jagdeo had said that he would confront his counterpart with his concerns. Jagdeo then said he had spoken with Thompson on the matter and Thompson said he had no knowledge of any of the allegation but that he would investigate any coming to his attention.
Media reports out of Barbados this week quoted Thompson as acknowledging the wee-hours raids. Defending the times at which raids are carried out, he said that if the immigration department were to carry out operations on illegal migrants they could only do so when they assumed they would be at home. “I am not saying that some of these tactics are not harsh, but this happens all around,” Thompson said.
Commenting on media reports, he said there were persons who opened the newspapers to look for sensational stories as to who was “rounded up like cattle and sent back. None of these things have happened.
“We have asked for information. We have asked for documented reports. How would it be in Barbados’s interest to adopt such a policy? It can’t be.”
Thompson said his country was grateful for the work done in Barbados by migrant workers. He said his government has seen some practices of exploitation being developed that it was not happy about.
He said other issues have also emerged which have given his administration cause for concern and to find mechanisms to have temperate discussions on the situation.
Statistics
Declining to respond to allegations of ill treatment during raids on the homes of undocumented individuals, Thompson challenged a reporter to, “bring me evidence and I will respond.
“When something negative happens to someone they always see everything that flows from it as negative.”
Thompson had told the Barbados media last week that only four Guyanese had since been deported for the month of June. He said his government has tried to avoid stamping passports “deported” because it understood the consequences of a deportation order and the implication for those persons trying to return there.
On Monday, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett told Stabroek News that the deportation numbers compiled by local immigration authorities had shown that 53 Guyanese were deported from Barbados since May.
Thompson said yesterday that many persons have been asked to leave voluntarily and it was in their interest to do so. With regard to the disparity in figures, he said this may have been due to persons who returned here having been asked to leave being classified as deportees. He added that sometimes some undocumented persons are told to put their houses in order but many of them remain undocumented.
However, he stated that even if the overall numbers, as a percentage of those persons who move between the two countries were “miniscule” and not worth an argument.
Looking at the statistics over the past few years, Thompson said that in 2005, 172,700 Caricom nationals landed in Barbados. There were 191,327 in 2006 and 170,670 in 2008. More than 70% of these were from Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago. In 2005, 572 Caricom nationals were refused entry and 1,165 in 2008. In 2006, 209 were deported and in 2008, 235; three-quarters of the deportees were Guyanese and Jamaicans.
Meanwhile, the prime minister said, between 2000 and 2008 more than 1,000 skilled Caricom nationals were legally admitted to Barbados and over 40% of these were Guyanese; 20% Trinidadians and 20% Jamaicans.
With regard to work permits, he said 5,381 were issued in 2006; 6,730 in 2007 and 5,608 in 2008. Almost 90% of the 2008 work permits went to Guyanese, he said.
In addition, of 1,717 student visas issued to Caricom nationals in 2008, 721 went to Guyanese.
He said that what was important was that in every instance, persons were treated fairly and to ensure that this happens in future, they could apply to a tribunal which would look at the circumstances and advise government accordingly.
Ludicrous
Meanwhile in response to questions, Thompson said it was ludicrous for anyone to suggest that the policy was discriminatory.
“This hysteria that has arisen out of offering an amnesty doesn’t make sense,” he said. There is no amnesty offered to American citizens… It is offered only to Caricom nationals so it means, regrettably, Cubans, Arubans, they are not offered the amnesty.”
To suggestions that the policy targets a specific set of Guyanese, Thompson said “total nonsense.
“You won’t hear that in Barbados but you would hear that elsewhere, where ethnic issues play a role in their economic, social and political development. I have never heard it in Barbados.”
He said while there were points of difference between Guyanese in Barbados of East Indian descent and other Guyanese, he felt prominent writers have tended to give the policy an ethnic flavour when none exists.
“But they are not going to import that into Barbados. I warned them. They are not going to bring that into Barbados. We have not had that history and we will not allow them to do it in Barbados. If they want to do that they should do that where they are accustomed to do that but not in Barbados,” he said.
He denied reports that a plane-load of Guyanese was sent back from Barbados many years ago, stating, “that has never happened. I refuse any such outrageous claim. It has never happened.”
Meanwhile, Thompson anticipates that those persons who qualify for the amnesty will come forward. He committed to the setting up of a dedicated programme to have the status of such persons regularised. He admitted that work permit extensions were taking longer than usual but said that was being addressed.
He stressed that Caricom is his island’s focus saying that Barbados will work to build the institution.
The issue of leaders “cherry-picking” items from the CSME which would be of immediate benefit to them has been raised and Thompson made it clear that his country was not cherry-picking.
“We met all our commitments under CSME. Therefore no one can accuse us of cherry-picking,” he said.
He said he felt it was worth pointing out that a recent CSME audit showed that Barbados was in full compliance with its obligations and all the identified restrictions have been removed and legislation amended where necessary.
He pointed out that to date only Barbados and Trinidad had national accreditation councils in place specifically for the purpose of establishing equivalency or according accreditation to degrees, diplomas, certificates and other evidence of relevant qualifications.
He said his country is criticized for doing the most rigorous checks in this regard but many false documents are floating around the region.
Meanwhile, two other Caricom heads have criticised Barbados’s policy with St Lucia’s Prime Minister Stephenson King saying he wants fellow Caricom leaders to take urgent action to facilitate the free movement of people throughout the region.
St Vincent’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves had blasted Barbadian authorities over the treatment some of his nationals had received in Bridgetown, adding that across Caricom some nationals — including those from his country, Guyana and Jamaica — have been targeted unfairly.
Thompson also reiterated Barbados’ commitment to the region. “I wish on this occasion to reiterate my personal and my government’s unswerving commitment to the tenets and ideals of the various treaties in Caricom to which we are signatory. Barbados’ record of support for and contributions to the building of our regional community are unparalleled.
Harking back to the 1989 Caricom meeting in Grand Anse, Grenads, Thompson referred to the late Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley reminding his audience that crisis, stagnation and economic recession had been the permanent bedfellows of Caricom since its inception, engendering as a consequence ”the long period of near-retreat from strategic purpose”.
Noting that 2009 has again found the region facing economic convulsions, Thompson said “These circumstances only reinforce my conviction that regional integration is the last best hope for the Caribbean. Going it alone or fragmenting into unworkable reconfigurations of the regional project cannot be an enduring solution”. The latter appeared to be a reference to a proposed alliance between the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and Trinidad and Tobago.
Guyana needs to get it’s house in order, and stop playing the blame game, admit that your policies are a failure and do somthing to keep guyanese from fleeing.
Amen-ra well said. Your suggestion much better than the nonsensical accusation of Barbados I see the papers carrying. Fix the problem at home first. Stabroek doing some irreparable harm to Barbados image and Caribbean unity but such is the nature of our politics. You don’t join me I’ll destroy you. This is why this country cannot progress.
If Indians in Barbados illegally send them back. How come now race matter and if targeted for living illegally Barbados policy is racist. This ent making sense. They voting PPP and running to live illegally in another country with a government looking like the PNC. How dat so. Send them back to work with the government they vote for. Or tell them don’t vote PPP if they have to run and live illegally in Barbados. Doesn’t that make sense.
Raj .You have said what others been hedging around for a long time. You have called a spade a spade. And yes Stabroek News has acted as an out of control bulldozer on this issue,with many mindless minnions blindly following in its tracks.
Well said Raj.
Guyanese are the most troublesome immigrants Barbados has ever had. Over the decades Barbados has had immigrants from all over Europe, Canada, the U.S., Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, most Caricom nations, and the list goes on. Before Guyanese started migrating to Barbados in large numbers, we rarely had problems with immigrants, except for an incident here and there. Most of them came in, settled down, and worked quietly. There are some groups that have been living in Barbados for decades that I have never heard a peep out of. Things have gotten to the point now that Bajans have to bend over backwards to accommodate Guyanese, because they won’t follow our laws or adjust to our norms. They are causing themselves to become liabilities instead of assets to Barbados. I think when immigrants cease to be assets to a country, the natives, for their own sake, should discourage them from migrating there. I didn’t want to comment on this issue anymore, but I had to get that off of my chest. I can’t wait until after January 1, 2010, when Bajan immigration officers can clean house and show Guyanese that Bajans mean business. I miss the peaceful, quiet Barbados that existed before the troublesome Guyanese arrived.
I love that RAJ!!!!!!!! lol…..
The house was out of order beginning in 1964.
tired of reading about the dot.
Enough already. Overdone topic!!!
Jagdeo does not have the kind of sense to (a) understand what PN Thompson is saying and (b) the vision to conceptulize solutions to the problems.
Brandon: I agree with you but I will expand, Jagdeo should look internally and try to find out why people are fleeing. Guyanese will flee to tim-buk-tu just to get away from Guyana. Some Guyanese are living in some countries that I never thought existed; and some of those countries does not have the wealth like Guyana. People just cannot continue to accept the atrocities that goes on in Guyana. People in general should be entitled to basic standards of living.
Brandon I get the same impression here and I bet Jagdeo wont pick up. Thompson is “code speaking” when he talks about “structured readmission”. “Code speaking” is a term salespersons use to refer to that situation.
It’s like trying to sell a woman personal items and she tells you she has to talk to her husband first. She’s simply saying “Go to hell”.
Why don’t they leave this man alone. The man is upholding the laws of his country.
T.SINGH
Tell Jagdeo and his Government that, they are just wasting the Guyanese people time playing hocus pocus politics.
T.Singh if he is doing such a wonderful job and no one should critize him then why aren’t living in Guyana enjoying the benefits of his wisdow.
Carl, you just did not read what T. Singh said or you did not understand.
TSingh- My apology.
Who does Thompson think he is? It is quite surprising that Guyanese did not turn up at the airport to hold a demonstrate against this man’s presence.
U know what amaze me is that the things the Guyanese should stand up for they are not. It wud be a waste of time to go protest. Go and protest for the MADministration at present to take care of Guyana and make it a better place, so that more Bajans wud head to Guyana like in the 60’s.
THEY WOULD BE RATHER WRONG FOR THAT, THAT WOULD BE FOOLISHNESS, HE HAS TO CARE FOR HIS LAND, GUYANA GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE A PAGE OUT OF HIS BOOK AND DO THE SAME, FIXXXXXXXXXXX GUYANA SO WE CAN CAN RETURN AND ENJOY BETTER KIVING, BETTER HOUSING, CARS, MONEY, LOOK AT THE EXCHANGE RATE, WHOS EFAULT IS THAT? THOMPSON I GUESS? NOO IT HIM, BARRAT
Why protest when the man only upholding the laws of his country
You people for real? You dragged the name of Barbados through the mud, insults its people and now its Prime Minister, and still expect to bully your way into Barbados’ affairs in an attempt to force the same PM to reverse his decision.
Until you people begin to respect your own people, your President , your own and other countries laws, you will ever be treated with the same scant respect that you afford to others.
After this carry on , it will never be business as usual between Barbados and Guyana. And at the last count many other Caribbean countries,are now following suit after being so critical of Thompson’s policy.
guyanese miss an opportunity to protest against this man at the airport
protest for what, what guyanese should do is protest against jagdeo and his ppp govt for screwing up the country, and making guyanese have to flee to other islands and countries.
Thompson Running Babados Not the Guyana Gov’t!
Damage control as I have never seen it before. Go ahead and do your deportations of overstays and criminals but do it humanely and with dignity. No more early morning raids and stopping of public transport to remove passengers. Is there a penalty for employers who hire illegals? If no why not? Employers are enablers of the system and exploit these unfortunate people. Make examples of them and there will be a reduction in the numbers coming to your country.
Utter Nonsense Borapork ! You want the Barbadian Gov’t to criminalize its citizens (employers) and allow the real law breakers to ‘crop over.’ Get real. Apart, when the real protests hit the streets, I hope there is not a cry from the soup drinkers. You can’t have it both ways. Time’s up . The third element is in play.
Borapork , many of the illegal immigrants were given time to leave and they chose to remain in Barbados , running and hiding from the immigration and police officers . These people made a decision not to leave Barbados so they had to be approached while they were sleeping because as long as the had time to get-away , it is gone they gone , banna . The immigration and police officers also deals with law-enforcement and they duty is to apprehend the illegal immigrants .
wiggy i totally agree with you…all illegals were give time to leave..be it canada united states britain..just like how bajans go to those courtries as visitors and over stay their time…from the time they land in a country as visitor they are given a time to leave…even when they go for extension…..so guyanese in bajan country is no different…they all know they were given time to leave
On his return from Guyana PM Thompson should make some amendments to the recent immigration policy.
(a) Scrap the term Amnesty.
(b) Notify all undocumented Caricom immigrants that they have from the 1st of September to 30 November to set their houses in order. ie dispose of possessions, arrange shipping,close bank accounts etc.etc
(3)Exit Barbados no later than by 1 December 2009.
(4)Those undocumented immigrants who believe that they are qualified for permanent status in Barbados,should apply to be regularised from their home country.
BORAPORK,at this juncture to make it an offence to emloy illegals or to rent accommodation to illegals would be most inhumane.Immediately we will have a lot of unemployed, hungry, destitute and homeless people on the streets,including children.
This may come after the Government is satisfied that those immigrants who qualify to stay here do so,and those who do not are back in their homeland.
do i hear a softer tone by the bajan pm?,excuses for his actions? surely a man not to trust.
What softer tone? The man is explaining himself so the mudheads in Guyana can better understand that he is not on a mission to hurt Guyanese in Barbados. Read Emile Mervin’s letter in today’s SN and see where the World Bank has highlighted that Indian Guyanese are a boon to the Barbadian economy, so how can Thompson be anti-Guyanese? Stop being misled!!
And when Thompson said he did not believe the ‘issue’ would cloud discussions at today’s meeting, adding that he did not think any of the heads were that “petty” that a simple issue could affect the entire process. “There is not that level of immaturity,” he really does not know Bharrat Jagdeo. Thompson should tak to Stabroek News and Gordon Moseley before he leaves Guyana.
you should read previous statements the pm said before he made his visit, am sticking to my opinion, the fact is he is a politician, you cant trust them, br. bob said it, peace.
Hope that president jagdo invite people into his country to create investment so his citizen could find jobs rither that run to other country,guyana has alot of resources and should not be in this position,proper management guyana need.
Invite people from where? Right now thanks to SN and its Anti Barbados bloggers who have, in the words of the British,”have the natives restles” we should be issuing an advisory to Bajans travelling to Guyana whether for business or pleasure.
What a politician. He comes to Guyana and spews all that rethorical cow manure then he will go back home and do nothing. These people are all the same. He is insulting our intelligence by attempting to minimize the issure by calling it “petty”. The way you treat Guyanese in your country is by no means petty. The man should be kicked out of Guyana, or at the very least walked out on when it comes his turn to address the conference.
why don’t encourage guyanese to kick out jagdeo, he’s the one who needs the kicking, if he had done a good job at managing the country we wouldn’t be in this predicament.
FOLLOWING MOST OF YOUR RESPONSES REGARDING THE EARLY MORNING RAIDS ON GUYANESE LIVING ON BARBADOS,YOU MR PM OF BIMSHAW,YOU HAVE BEEN CONTRADICTING YOUR SELF ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS.YOU ARE LIKE A RAZOR BLADE,FLIPPING FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.BECAUSE YOU HAVE MISLED THE MEDIA WITH YOUR REASONS FOR DEFENDING THE RAIDS DURIING THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING ON DECENT GUYANESE LIVING IN BARBADOS AND NOW YOU ARE IN GUYANA,YOU ARE TELLING THE GUYANESE MEDIA THAT YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK AVENUES FOR RE-ADMISSION TO BARBADOS FOR THOSE GUYANESE ALREADY HUMILIATED BY YOUR PEOPLE JUST TO MAKE YOURSELF ACCEPTABLE BY THE GUYANESE PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMELAND.WELL,MR.PM,I HOPE THE GUYANESE PM IS NOT AS STUPOID AS YOU THINK TO BELEIVE YOU. GUYCAN.
amen-ra stop ur nonsense about country being good. Why then there are so many bajans living in canada and when they come to work on the farms they don’t want to go back if barbados is so rosy?
That’s not nonsense james it’s the truth, why did we all leave guyana, it was for betterment, and guyanese still leaving although they said they bring back democracy and guyana will be better than what the pnc was doing, and they are doing worst than what the pnc did.
It’s true amen-ra, Jagdeo should be kicked out but I get depressed to think this might not happen.
Guyanese have been reduced to such a low level,despite all the promises from the ppp when it was out in the cold and wanted to get into power…everyone expected Guyana to flourish under this madministration, instead Guyanese are now the beggars for the scraps from the table of Barbados and the rest of the Carribean,where is the $4 basket of ration,that Jagan promised in 92…we still waiting