-Thomas
The David Thompson administration’s targeting of Caricom nationals in its crackdown on illegal immigrants is an act of profiling, which Distinguished Professor Clive Thomas says needs to be met with the strongest possible protest.
Since the policy was unveiled on May 5 this year Barbados has been severely criticised, but Thompson has defended his government’s actions as a sovereign right, while saying on Sunday that there are “sinister” attempts to tarnish the island’s image.
In an interview with Stabroek News, Prof Thomas voiced his disapproval particularly with reports of the homes of illegal migrants being raided, calling it “degrading and discriminatory. I strongly believe that it violates the spirit of the CSME [Caricom Single Market and Economy],” he declared, “Caricom has worked to promote and agreement aimed at creating a single economic space and so this is very offensive to Caricom.”
The United Nations Convention on Migrant Workers spells out the treatment which should be meted out to migrant workers even if they are arrested or committed to prison or any form of custody pending trial. However, while Guyana and several other Caricom countries have ratified the agreement but Barbados has shunned it. But according to Thomas, it is not any excuse for their unacceptable treatment to fellow Caricom brothers and sisters.
Early morning raids on the homes of Guyanese who are immediately ushered to the airports stand part of how the government has been executing its policy to rid the island of illegal Caricom nationals. Though Thompson has since denied any knowledge of this, reports of such cases are still being made. Persons with whom this newspaper spoke in Barbados had confirmed these actions.
Thomas suggested that such actions by the island’s government could erode respect for the country as a whole, in the long term. He questioned why it was that only Caricom nationals were being targeted when nationals from other countries also overstayed their welcome in Barbados. “This is profiling and this is very offensive. If we don’t see our people in an equal way as how we see those from other countries then we are not making any progress,” he said.
Meanwhile he acknowledged the difficulties which could arise from a large influx of Guyanese returning home, citing the current financial crisis affecting Guyana and the wider world. Against this background, he emphasised that a stand would have to be taken. “In the same fate, our government will suffer in the long if it does not take a stand now because our citizens living abroad will also get the feeling that our government will not stand up for its people. We have a responsibility to put up the strongest protest,” he maintained.
Thomas said he felt strongly about the issue and declared that nothing should stop Guyana from taking the position that something has got to be done about the current situation.
“We have a responsibility to speak out. We cannot allow the Barbados government to get away with this. We cannot condone such action it is degrading dehumanising, indiscriminate and inhumane,” he insisted.
He also pointed out that countries all around the world experience an inflow of illegal migrants but found ways to deal with it and administer better treatment in dealing with minorities in the face of the law.
Sinister objectives
Meanwhile, as the debate rages reports out of Barbados quote Thompson as saying that his government has a right to deal with the immigration issue and has emphasised that the way some members of the Immigration Department dealt with the public should not be seen as the island shirking its responsibilities as mandated by the tenets of CSME.
The Barbados Nation yesterday reported that Thompson, addressing the issue once more before the Caricom Heads of Govern-ment Meeting to be held here next week, indicated that the misunderstanding of the CSME and its obligations by member states may have some Caricom leaders “mixed up” about immigration policies. He was being interviews on Sunday during STARCOM Network’s In Profile radio programme where he was the featured personality.
Responding to recent charges of xenophobia from some people across the region who indicated Barbados was in breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, Thompson maintained immigration policy was a sovereign matter, the report said. “Countries have the right to develop their own immigration policies, even within the context of [CSME]. There are a lot of people who obviously don’t understand what our obligations are under the CSME so they get very mixed-up,” he declared. He also said that problems with immigration officials and the way they carry out their duties, was a separate and distinct matter from the island meeting its obligations under the CSME.
According to the report, Thompson indicated that a “recent audit has established – despite the cacophonic noise throughout the region that we’re now hearing from Prime Ministers of Trade and everybody who seems to be jumping on this bandwagon to say something of Caricom – Barbados ranks number one in terms of meeting it’s commitments under the CSME. The CSME unit itself has said so.“ He added that there were “sinister objectives” behind trying to tarnish the island’s image in the region.
During his interview also, the Nation reported, Thomson said while he was not addressing Caricom leaders on the airwaves, he invited critiques be brought to the table indicating where Barbados did not honour its CSME mandate.