Dear Editor,
It fills my heart with great joy to be able declare my Guyanese identity with pride. For so long we had been disrespected and treated like diseased people even by our closest neighbours. Now, I am proud to hold up my Guyana passport and gloat to those previous disdainers. That was until I had the unfortunate need to visit the VFS “office” on Water Street for a Canadian visa. Let me state categorically that I have no intention of migrating permanently to Canada. While that country boasts a high standard of living, Guyana is where I belong.
But family affairs do occasionally require me to visit Canada. To obtain a visitor’s visa, it is necessary for me to pay a visit to the VFS “office”. It seems that VFS has been contracted by the Canadian High Commission to provide visa processing services in Guyana. Should you have the unfortunate need to visit this VFS “office”, be prepared for the following:
1. Inappropriate location in a desolate section of Water Street.
2. Locked door with inadequate signage or instruction.
3. No shade or cover while you wait for the door to open.
4. Unpleasant door manners by security staff (when door
eventually opens).
5. Insufficient space in the “office” for the conduct of personal
matters.
6. Poorly attired staff with limited training on customer
interaction.
7. Requests for documents which are not asked for by the
Canadian Visa Office.
8. Ridicule if documents are not as expected.
While the Canadian High Commission may respond to this letter by stating that VFS is a private contractor, surely there must be some minimum level of service delivery that the Canadians expect. For many, this is their first interaction with anything Canadian. I support the public calls for removal of visa requirements for Guyanese travelling to Canada. I was greatly disappointed when the Canadian Government recently decided to remove visa restrictions on many Caribbean countries, except Guyana.
Hopefully, the experience of the UK’s visa removal will help the Canadians decide on the need for visas – Guyanese come, visit, spend our money and return home. This is where we belong.
Sincerely,
Juanita Gomes
