Dear Editor,
I would like to compliment President Bharrat Jagdeo and his legislators for the recent legislation passed in parliament allowing the free movement of Caricom nationals to our shores without being hassled. The President and his team have shown pride in not only themselves but the hardworking and proud people of Guyana. They have all displayed a sense of maturity, pride, confidence reliability and trustworthiness that some of the leaders of the wider region are totally lacking.
I am a resident of the Federation of St Christopher and Nevis and I am shocked by the way my fellow Guyanese, who are making great contributions to the twin island federation, are being discriminated against by the government and people of these islands, in particular Nevis.
Guyanese here are known for their hard work, team spirit and dedication. Most of the local businesses prefer to employ Guyanese nationals because they claim that they do more work. I think the idea of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) is not bad, but what I am gathering from the debates by Caricom leaders, with the exception of the Prime Minister of Barbados who constantly speaks out for his brothers and sisters of Guyanese descent, is that some of them convey the attitude that they are under pressure to do things which they are not desirous of doing.
From the inception when discussions were held with regard to the implications of the CSME the present Government of Nevis which was in opposition at the time, cast remarks in the press and on political platforms that Prime Minister Douglas was making way for Guyanese choke-and-rob and Jamaican gunmen. And believe you me, I have been living here for exactly nineteen years and there has been an escalation of crime but not one single Guyanese has been convicted or incarcerated for any capital offence or felony; instead Guyanese have been tortured, killed, and victimized with no justice served.
We are yet to see if the Government of St Kitts and Nevis will follow in the footsteps of President Jagdeo. At the moment the immigration officers at the airport allow Caricom nationals three weeks’ stay on entry, and this can be extended by visiting the government administration office Nevis, and National Security in St Kitts. At the Nevis administration office resentment has been shown to Guyanese, who have been asked to leave the island. Some of them are then forced to remain on the island illegally, and if caught are placed in the lock-ups.
If illegal immigrants are found, their relatives have to find travel tickets to ship them out or they will be kept in the lock-ups for long periods until travelling arrangements are met. I knew an instance of a young woman who was married to a national, and when the matter was contested in court by the husband the then attorney general was able to convince the judge of the need for the continuation of the deportation order. The woman was allegedly beaten by the police and was taken to the airport to be deported unknown to her husband. The husband then had to give up everything in his homeland in order to join his young wife in Guyana, where he is now resident and is not being harrassed.
Caricom heads need to discuss these matters of great concern as they affect not only Guyanese but other non-nationals within Caricom. It’s not nice to know that you can go into my house and be welcomed with professional treatment and in return when I am at your house I am being treated like an outcast having to dodge day in and day out to make a living. Even citizenship for Caricom nationals who have entitlement are being kept on hold for long periods.
Once again I applaud President Jagdeo and his team. May everyone at home have a wonderful and accident free season and a prosperous New Year.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
