The US$3m ($615m) United States project, which aims to provide tailored assistance to deportees returning to Guyana as part of a pilot project to support their reintegration into the society, has begun operations and is inviting remigrants experiencing difficulties to contact it.
According to an advertisement in the newspapers yesterday the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which signed an agreement with the government in June of last year, is asking persons who know someone who has been deported to Guyana or those who would have found it difficult to resettle in Guyana to dial telephone number 226-4732. Those who find it difficult to secure a job or are considering opening their own businesses can also dial the number.
It was revealed last year at the signing that the project has budgeted for some 250 returnees here. Funds were also earmarked for a similar regional programme in The Bahamas. The US had previously implemented the project in Haiti.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee at the signing had said that deportees can expect tangible support from government in light of the agreement being inked with the United States to contribute to the long-term reintegration of returnees into the society.
The cooperation paved the way for the US to implement programmes here in various areas including capacity building, advisory services and technical cooperation on migration issues beginning sometime in July or early August.
In yesterday’s advertisement it was stated that the IOM is an intergovernmental organisation (established in 1951) that is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. It said its presence in Guyana is to support the resettlement of deportees from the US to this country.
At the signing Minister Rohee had revealed that some 2939 Guyanese nationals convicted for criminal offences were deported during the period 1996-2007 at an average of 245 criminal deportees a year. He had added that the figure excluded persons deported for immigration offences. During that same period 1528 criminal deportees were returned from the US, at an average of 127 persons per year.
Further, he had said that the deviant behaviour of most deportees is a product of the environment in which they have resided and that those countries therefore have the moral responsibility for their rehabilitation.
He said too that many deportees are without relatives here, and that they face severe difficulties reintegrating into the society.
Rohee continued that they become a social burden on the state as well as prime targets for recruitment by organized criminal gangs. He added that many deportees here have no roots in the country or have been ostracized by relatives. “It is therefore incumbent on the government to find appropriate living facilities for deportees and provide them with basic needs while working to reintegrate them into the society”, he had stressed.
waste of money…
I don’t know why some Guyanese go overseas and don’t have the time to look after a passport…get themselves involved in stupid crimes then they get deported, all you guys here from overseas who know they are playing it wise and looking after your “papers” say YES!!
You are absolutely right Sandhurst. Deportation to Guyana should not be taken lightly, as there is stigma attached to deporation to Guyana. The first deportee I encounted was in 1964, a middle aged man roaminng the streets of GT. This man was deported to Guyana from England but I never found out his crimes, as he could not talk due to heavy drug use. It was very sad, for he begged in the day and slept in St.Philips Green at night, very sad.
After deporting these people, some trained and nurtured in crimes on the streets of the U.S.A., Canada and the U.K., a few crumbs have been thrown our way. These countries are like typical parasites only wanting our best and talented and at the first sign of trouble dump troublemakers on our doorsteps. Undeveloped countries with little social networks can’t do what the developed countries were incapable of obtaining. Migrating Guyanese must also see themselves as ambassadors and follow the straight and narrow path.
Agree with you Sandhurst; lots of people come here with green card status and then become careless and neglect to get their citizenship.
Even with US citizenship one can still be deported, however its more difficult to get deported if one is a citizen.
If a Guyanese commits a crime in the USA or Canada, those countries can strip off your obtained nationality and send you back to Guyana. Britain, Holland, and other EU countries, cannot do that. European laws are different. In my opinion, providing an aid programme is the least thing these countries can do. They let them in, so they should solve the problem too.
Good comment Borapoke…
Sister ! Deported from England – The Mother Country ? I would imagine he was travelling on a British Passport. Landed rights ?
Georgie, I would imagine he traveled on a British passport. All I heard fromt he people ont he pave, and in those there were not many people on the pave, is the he got mixed up with druges and was living on doal(sp) in England and was sent back to BG. Now he might have murdered someone, but we use to give him a little money when we saw him on the pave.
Johnny once you become a US citizen you can’t be deported ..only if you lied on your application.
Kenyatta, I didn’t know that. An acquaintance of mine in Guyana is a deportee from the US. I guess he wasn’t a naturalized citizen of the US. I never asked it because I know it’s a very sensitive issue.
well is a very good move to help those that were innocently deported..on the other hand those that commit crimes should not be able to benifit from the programme..those that were invole in petty crimes yes… to the drug lords,,murders…rapist,,,fraudsters,,,no ..
come on… give them a second chance… consider this, if they are not given some sort of assistance, guidance or support to begin to be decent citizens, then they will resort to criminal activity in Guyana… Look at it from both sides – they benefit and the country benefits.
They will sometime in the future ,given a second chance.When the Brits pull out of Afghanistan and leave the US on its own,such men will be given the option of bearing arms for uncle sam.
many of the criminals in Guyana are not deportees, many who return hook up with a woman and live their lives…they might be a few who turn to crime.
Good observation. Though I have little patience with people who squander their opportunities,I’m sure many of them make an effort to pursue the straight and narrow once deported and these deserve support and encouragement to salvage their lives.
245 criminal deportees per year is troubling, indeed. I have a few practical questions. If I’m walking say, in Georgetown, how would I know that man crossing my path is a deportee? Is there a tag around his neck or a brand on his arm? If the man grew up in Canada and America he would certainly look “shine” whether he is a criminal deportee or not, right? So, if Guyanese are as friendly as people say, wouldn’t they smile, make friends and offer hospitality and assistance to that shiny looking guy? Won’t Guyanese girls particularly be attracted to him at face value? If so, he shouldn’t have a problem integrating into society.
Yasuman71: A deportee who entered his/her new country at a young age would have the same speech pattern as those born there. In Guyana, during a job interview the interviewee would be curious about the foreign accent and reason for his return. Oh! Oh! The job market is close to him/her unless they become self employed because not many Guyanese with the opportunity to live abroad returns home permanently unless deported or their lives threatened. Even those deported make efforts to return.
Yasuman, I prefer to be walking between deportees than to be walking in war zone guns and Drugs or to be sitting in a store where Drugs, and Drug Lords are the major players on how business is conducted, and bullets flying and killing innocent people.
Yasuman…..can you remember what one prominent Minister said, don’t buy from Drug Lord’s Store.
What happen to her after she said that? Captain Rohee became the next Minister of Home Affairs. When will you open your eyes and see Guyana different?
Did you see the News or read the papers today. One of the PPP big boys in Queens have turned himself into the Feds. Yasuman, the PPP mix has produce a poor slump, and that slump cannot be used for nation building.
instead of US giving dem money to reintegrate dem…
deport deses deportees right back to where they came from…
let dem rehab dem wid duh money…..
ah tel yuh one ting though…fuh canada…i speak…
yuh come hey…an yuh tun a thief or yuh comit an unspeakable crime an yuh get deported..no sympathy here fi yuh yea….if was me in charge yuh ent getin nutin..yuh deh pon yuh own..and if yuh comit crime in guyana ah jail yuh fuh life to….
This is one of the main reasons fot the steady decline in crime rate in the US dating back from 1980’s.
Everyone said positive remarks. I would like to see that the agency that are making this possible for deportees should have in place/contract that these deportees should do community services at a minimum wage, they should have them clean all the trenches, canals, roads etc. Let them clean all the cemetary, plant trees etc, there is a lot they can do and be paid. since Mr. ALi is giving house lots he should put all deportees to live in one village, find a place have them clean the area, give them the materials and supervise them to see that they build a little home for themselves. Mr. Rohee needs to have things in place before rushing into helping these deportees.
Tee ! What next ?! Oh ! The letter ‘d’ on their backs. Get outta here.
Govt must be commended for pursuing this initiative with the US. Let’s hope that the deportees and others take advantage of this situation and change their attitude toward crime (for those who were involved in such activities).
This can lead to further development and stability in Guyana, of which everyone should be proud.
Borapork you talk about these countries dumping deportees back on our doorsteps, but I have one question for you how come you me and millions of others are living in these countries for so many years without getting involved in things we should not do hence conviction and deportation. It is simple stay on the straight and narrow and you have no problem.
no comment on this one
Well its very hard these days to get your “PAPERS” some country you can marry to a citizen and get your papers while in the country, the immigration laws are changing on a daily basis, some parts of the US you cannot get your papers even if you marry there and you are there illegal, you have to go home for your papers to be processed. With that said people needs to be careful and not want to live like the rest of the “citizens”
cargie, not just some parts of the US all over the US even if you marry you have to leave to get your papers…