-Jagdeo
Barbadian Prime Minister David Thompson has assured that his government’s new immigration policy is intended to deal only with undocumented Caricom nationals living there and has denied knowledge of raids on the homes of Guyanese living on the island, President Bharrat Jagdeo said yesterday.
Jagdeo made the disclosure at a press briefing at the Caricom Secretariat Headquarters at Liliendaal yesterday, in response to a question by this newspaper.
The new Barbadian immigration policy has already taken effect and would see undocumented immigrants living on the island illegally being deported. An amnesty has however been granted to persons who had been in the island eight years or more prior to 2005, although they would have to meet certain criteria.
Jagdeo said he got the assurance from Thompson when Caricom Heads met last month in Trinidad.
He explained that he raised concerns about the allegations that the homes of Guyanese were being raided as well as some of them being taken off buses and deported. “He said he didn’t know of any such cases and that that is not the intention of his government,” Jagdeo told reporters. Further, he added that Thompson has committed to meeting with Guyana’s Honorary Consul Norman Faria to discuss and investigate any such cases.
According to Jagdeo, his Barbadian counterpart stressed that while he was prepared to meet his obligations under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the issue of undocumented immigrants has to be dealt with.
Against this background, Jagdeo pointed out that while his government has to defend Guyanese, “We also have to ensure that the standards we are calling for Barbadians to enforce, these are the same we are enforcing here in Guyana.” Therefore, he said the matter was a little “troublesome” one. He drew comparisons to previous calls made for a clamp down on illegal Brazilians residing here and noted that Guyana has taken a different approach. “But I will not stand by and see Guyanese be treated unfairly anywhere without speaking out for them,” he reiterated.
Resettlement
Many Guyanese with whom this newspaper had spoken with in Barbados, during recent visit there, had indicated a willingness to return home if they fail to meet the criteria for proper documentation in Barbados. But they called on the Guyana government to implement a system that would help them to resettle.
Asked about the administration’s plans in this regard, Jagdeo said the government would have to see how it can help people who want to come back home. He further stated that the matter will again be raised at the Caricom Heads of Government Meeting slated for next month since some leaders have raised arguments about the pressure being placed on their social security system. He said he sees such arguments as invalid.
“We recognised that there will be brushes on social security, but some gain from the capital they export, they benefit from money being repatriated,” he argued.
In general, Jagdeo admitted to being more cautious and balanced about the way Guyanese are being treated in some Caricom nations but said this did not mean that he would not defend Guyanese interests.
What we say
Meanwhile, he urged Guyanese to be careful about what they say of their country. “Because when we run down our own country all the time, then every immigration officer feels that every Guyanese wants to run away,” he said.
However Jagdeo was sure that many of his countrymen did not want to live in Barbados. “Frankly speaking, a lot of people won’t live in Barbados for anything,” he said. He also noted that Guyanese contributed to the treatment they sometimes endure overseas based on their own characterization of themselves and he emphasised the need for caution in this regard.
Further Jagdeo said that recently a parliamentarian during a debate in the national assembly referred to Guyanese residing overseas as thieves and prostitutes. “If you are going to say that in our parliament about people overseas, what would be the impression of the nationals of those countries about Guyanese? And I know Guyanese are neither of the two more than any other country. They are hard working people who make a significant contribution to any society in which they live and work,” he said.
