Dear Editor,
I came in with a planeload of Haitians last Friday evening aboard LIAT. At the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad, the airline staff appeared to be well informed about the Haitians who were scheduled to join the flight. They knew how many Guyanese and visitors were supposed to be on the plane, and from the way they operated at the airport, they were familiar with the ‘drill for the special flight.’
My first observation was that all the Guyanese were assembled in the airport before we were allowed to proceed to the aircraft. While walking towards the plane, the airport staff asked if I spoke English to confirm my nationality. I found the question strange since I was never greeted with such a question while traveling over the past 15 years throughout the Caribbean. The airport staff instructed me to stand at the bottom of the aircraft as they whispered with each other. Once clearance was granted to board the plane, I was placed in the front row of the plane with the other Guyanese. I suspect the airport staff did not want us to mingle with the visitors. In any event, interactions with the visitors would have been impossible, given the language barrier; they spoke French, and I only know English. From glancing at the visitors as we flew towards Guyana, I observed they had difficulties filling out the immigration forms. I suspect this was due to the fact they had problems with English. I am not sure if they managed to fill out the forms on the aircraft or waited until they landed at the Ogle Airport to receive assistance.
At the Ogle airport, I was taken out of the line leading to the immigration officers with the three other Guyanese to be processed quickly, like VIPs. I am not sure if this was done to limit the amount of time I could observe the handling of the visitors. However, from the way the immigration staff processed the visitors, I was convinced they were working with the instruction and advice from others.
The incident last Friday is one that concerns me a lot. Unless the visitors opened their mouths, it was difficult to distinguish them from the locals. Most of the visitors appeared to be in their early 20s, and just a few had children. After expressing my fears about what I observed, I received reliable information that many foreigners often visit the place where work permits are issued in Guyana and that the incident I saw was a routine operation at the airports.
The International Community and Free Press, therefore, need to be involved. The Haitians may be part of a regional ring involved in Trafficking in Persons (TIPs). I recall the International Community’s hard stance on Guyana a few years ago on TIPs. Silence from the International Community and Free Press about the influx of foreign nationals must stop, mainly because the official records suggest these nationals are not leaving through the legal channels or may be overstaying in our country.
Guyanese interested in free and fair elections next year should also be vigilant while the political parties develop mechanisms to prevent any illegal voting at the upcoming polls.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address supplied)
