Dear Editor,
In response to Trinidad Information Minister Neil Parsanal’s explanation about the denial of entry into his country to our countrymen last Monday, I would like to suggest that we should be very diligent in dealing with Trinis who travel here and immediately return them to Trinidad for the least of immigration infringements. Additionally, we should look around and find the Trinis who are overstaying on immigration permits here and immediately send them packing.
Our generosity as a people has welcomed many of their companies to Guyana and there are quite a number of Trinis working here. Those without permits or whose permits have expired should be deported.
Guyanese have always been treated very harshly by the Trinis, Bajans and even Suriname. We must reciprocate in like manner.
We are like the stepchildren of the Caribbean and oftentimes we are placed in very embarrassing situations when we travel to sister Caricom countries.
As one who travels frequently, I feel welcome in the US and elsewhere – even Cuba – but not in the Caribbean.
On my way to Miami recently, I had cause to remark at Piarco that at Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados there is a ‘Guyanese bench’ but at Piarco, there seems to be an elevator.
I am a patriotic Guyanese and a true Caribbean man but we must stop once and for all this total disregard and disrespect for our countrymen when they travel right here in the Caribbean. This problem has persisted for decades now.
They must first respect us before being given one acre of land to plant food here. Times have changed drastically. We have land and food. They have oil.
They can drink it!
Yours faithfully,
Mahadeo Panchu
