Dear Editor,
A mother of a backtrack victim is urging Guyanese to reconsider sending their relatives to North America ‘backtrack.’ Her experience with backtrackers has become a nightmare for her. The mother lost her son in April when he drowned off the coast of the Bahamas while travelling on a boat in a smuggling attempt to the reach the Florida coast of the US.
The devastated mother wanted to re-unite with her son whom she had not seen for eight years, believing he would have a better life in America. The boat in which the victim was travelling broke apart in high waves. Several people drowned including a Guyanese computer engineer.
The mother came to the US to seek a better life for her children back home. She worked long hours, saved and sent money back home for her kids to further their education. On completing his studies, Rodwick started working at a local technology company as a teacher. He heard of the many opportunities existing in the US and encouraged his mother to get him there. The mother said they chatted every day and they yearned to see each other.
This yearning prompted his mother to try several ways to get her son to the US after the young man had tried unsuccessfully to obtain a visa three times. “I spent a lot of money to lose my son,” the tearful mother said. The cost exceeded $25K and that does not include additional money for funeral expenses.
It’s a sad ending for a mother.
The heartbroken mother warns Guyanese who are thinking of bringing their relatives here by any means possible, “Don’t do it… There are so many crooks out there who make promises but don’t deliver. They told me my son will be safe that he is coming with a yacht. Then these [are] your own people who would take your money and disappear.” Indeed several Guyanese have lost money at the hands of crooked Guyanese who took deposits to bring loved ones ‘backtrack’ and then simply disappeared.
In tears, the mother said: “He was such a good kid. I provided him with the best education… America is not a bed of roses. It’s better that your loved ones are alive in Guyana than to arrive in the US dead. My son had everything back home. Money was never an issue. He had a good job and if ever he asked for anything I sent it for him. He did not need to come here, but he wanted to see me and I wanted to see him so bad. Now I feel as though my life is over. I have no joy. I feel as though I am dead too. My son is dead and there are many unanswered questions…
“When I had second thoughts of emigrating, he encouraged me to go to America saying I would be able to work and help him and his brother to come to NYC. He waved me goodbye and told me he loved me. I did not see my son for eight years and only saw his death face. My son gave advice to people and was a good role model for other family members. Now he’s gone and he has taken my joy, my happiness and my will to live. I wish if he were caught by the police and sent back to Guyana.”
Backtrack, she said, was not worth it.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
