President Bharrat Jagdeo says there is little his government could do presently for Guyanese living illegally in Barbados who have been given a June 1 deadline to turn themselves in but he slammed the Bridgetown government for what he said was un-Caricom-like behaviour.
Speaking at the Office of the President yesterday, he said his main interest in attending this weekend’s special meeting of CARICOM heads in Trinidad is to represent the interest of the Guyanese people.
He also said his government is willing to engage the opposition to see if there was a specific initiative that could be pursued since for now all that could be offered to Guyanese in Barbados is solidarity.
The main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) at its press briefing on Thursday criticized the government’s approach over the years to complaints from Guyanese travelling to Barbados, saying that inadequate representation has contributed to the current tenuous situation.
The issue relates to the announcement by Barbadian Prime Minster David Thompson on May 5 in which he informed his parliament that a special committee had come up with a policy to deal with the problem of illegal immigration and undocumented CARICOM nationals who entered Barbados prior to December 31, 2005 and remained that way for a period of eight years or more.
Although the Barbadian government has not named its target group, many Guyanese have already complained of not being able to renew work permits since they believe that there has been an unannounced suspension in their issuance.
The special CARICOM meeting slated for tomorrow is to discuss the global economic crisis but Jagdeo said it boggles his mind why an extraordinary meeting was needed to deal with this matter. While he agrees that the matter needed to be discussed, this was done in the past and nothing adverse had evolved since. He pointed out that CARICOM’s position has been that it wants a seat at the table when the United Nations creates its new global financial architecture.
“I doubt whether we will create this in Trinidad and Tobago … but because I know how these meetings go and how important issues get attached … I will attend the meeting even only for that reason … to ensure that the rights of Guyanese are protected. I have to go, it’s my people’s interest so I have to be there,” he said.
He said he was concerned at the ad hoc meetings since many of them build expectations and when nothing comes out people begin to lose faith in their leadership.
Jagdeo noted that Guyanese and West Indians are continuously treated in a despicable manner by the Barbadian government.
“… those actions are done unilaterally by the Barbadian government and unless we can change their position on the issue then I expect the nationals of many countries would continue to be subject to this un-CARICOM-like treatment that doesn’t reflect the spirit of what we are trying to build in the region.”
According to him, Barbados of all the countries should be the one promoting the CARICOM Single Market (CSM) in its totality. Former Barbadian Prime Minister Owen Arthur was very vocal about initiating the single market and the free movement component as lead minister in this regard.
Jagdeo said it was obvious that some nations were looking narrowly at their own interest, but warned that this would cause the CSM to unravel.
The Guyanese leader recollected that he had in the past made it clear that the CSME could not be fully implemented unless each nation moves ahead equally with all of its components. He restated that free movement of labour was one of the significant pillars.
To this end he argued that countries could not cherry pick the components that would benefit them and which would not.
“So the capital exporting countries of the Caribbean cannot urge the free movement of capital and be anxious about the freedom to establish enterprises accorded national treatment by those countries and then they don’t want to implement other parts of the CSME that may create problems for your society,” Jagdeo said.
For this reason he said he understood the passionate declaration by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves since some countries are not capital exporting in many ways but just open their markets for goods and capital. Jagdeo said those countries mostly export only their labour and are faced with that treatment.
Gonsalves, according to an article in the Barbados Nation two weeks ago, following Thompson’s announcement, charged that Vincentians were discriminated against by neighbouring territories and hinted that his country might also consider withdrawing from the CSME.
It said in his speech, which was punctuated with emotion, that every member state was not abiding by the letter and the spirit of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. He said his office received heart-rending stories of Vincentians who have been subjected to unfair, unconscionable, and discriminatory treatment by some immigration authorities within member states of CARICOM.
“It is sad to note that in the 21st century some responsible persons, including some political leaders, are stoking chauvinistic fires which are latent in our Caribbean societies. This has led here and there to an outpouring of a malignant xenophobia, particularly against Guyanese, Jamaicans, Vincentians, St Lucians and Grenadians. This must be stopped if not CARICOM would shortly be rent asunder,” Gonsalves was quoted as saying.
