Dear Editor,
With Guyana’s booming oil industry and rosy economic prospects many foreign investors have flocked to our shores and set up shop. And even before the massive oil discoveries, big foreign owned/headquartered companies came and made their mark on the Guyanese market and psyche. These companies rake in billions in profit annually off the consumers, resources and/or opportunities present here. And there are many foreign professionals, including CARICOM nationals, working in various sectors/institutions in Guyana including the oil and gas industry. While these foreign workers and conglomerates do contribute to the economic development of Guyana is there reciprocal treatment when Guyanese seek to work or set up a business in those countries particularly the CARICOM region?
For instance, under the CSME arrangement there is the removal of many restrictions which results in benefits for member states, such as the free movement of skills/labour. However, what is on paper and the reality on the ground can be vastly different especially for ordinary CARICOM nationals. I had a dose of this while in Trinidad and Tobago which I have chosen to highlight because I don’t believe nationals of that country face the same hurdles when they come to Guyana.
During one of my stays in Trinidad I decided to explore employment opportunities, so enquiries were made about working there from the relevant authority. I was informed that I needed to apply for a Certificate of Recognition of Caribbean Community Skills Qualification (Skills Certificate) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Trinidad although I already possessed a Skills Certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Guyana) which was granted under the approved category of university graduate.
At the time, this requirement seemed strange because when I received my Skills Certificate in Guyana, I was told that it had no expiry date and it would allow me to work ‘freely’ in participating CSME member states which included Trinidad and Tobago. While overseas employment was not my main reason for applying for the certificate it was touted as one of the benefits. I actually sought it because I thought it would lessen the hassle and ‘subpar’ treatment meted out by immigration officials while in transiting and visiting that country. Although a bit baffled, I forged ahead with the application process. I was told to get my university certificate from the UG verified by The Accreditation Council (T&T) and to present some documents such as my passport and a police clearance certificate from the GPF.
The verification process by the ACTT was hassle-free but the interaction with the officials from the MOFA (TT) was problematic and discouraging. After gathering all the required documents and presenting them to the MOFA official I was informed that the Police Clearance Certificate issued by the GPF looked ‘fake’ even though it was accepted then another condition was thrown at me; I had to produce a police clearance from Cuba where I briefly studied as a GOG scholarship student. I had no idea how one goes about getting a police clearance from that country. Fatigued and having lost interest in working temporarily in T&T I abandoned the application process.
Editor, I wonder if Guyanese equipped with CSME Skills Certificates are still asked to obtain Skills Certificates from the MOFA (T&T) and if other CSME member states have laid out the same condition for Guyanese? If this is the case, it becomes pointless for eligible Guyanese to apply for a Skills Certificate here that is worthless outside of the country. Also, if the treatment meted out to Guyanese on the ground is different to what is prescribed on paper, then this situation further illustrates the disdain some member states hold for Guyanese. Not surprisingly, I was informed by the MOFA (Guyana) that Trinidadians who come to Guyana with Skills Certificates seeking work are not required to obtain a certificate here. And it seems like the local authorities are also quite investor friendly given the number of foreign owned/headquartered businesses in Guyana. Regarding the CARICOM region’s presence, huge Trinidadian companies have long dominated Guyana’s business landscape although from observation only it seems like Guyanese businesses have no real impact/presence in Trinidad and Tobago.
Editor, while foreign investments and labour in one’s country generally aid economic development by providing employment and employees in vital sectors these businesses and individuals are not charities; they come because they see economic opportunities and/or profit. Given Guyana’s close involvement and history of cooperation with CARICOM member states why should some countries treat Guyanese citizens in such a discriminatory manner particularly when their nationals and businesses are not treated the same but in fact, are benefiting (significantly) from the opportunities here, especially those created through the oil and gas industry?
Sincerely,
Narissa Deokarran
