Frankly Speaking
The Diaspora – that dispersion or scattering of a people from their original homeland(s). The description gained currency and prominence ever since the Jews were dispersed outside of Israel from the sixth century (BC) when they were exiled to Babylonia – even up to their dispersal around the globe up to the present time.
Guyana’s diaspora, especially when the first and second generation’s offspring are included, accounts for perhaps four times the souls still residing within the country’s borders. Yes, and they are found everywhere – the USA, the UK, Canada, the Caribbean, amongst our continental three neighbours and (perhaps) in China (?).
The single point I wish to make here is one dealt with, months ago, by a Sunday Stabroek overseas columnist. It is that under-developed countries like Guyana, with hundreds of thousands of their countrymen living elsewhere – even as processed citizens of other societies – should establish well-though-out, properly structured, official agencies to connect with and court the contributions of those (exiled) nationals and their offspring. Even though those overseas- based “countrymen” would be either seeking to establish, or would have put down solid roots in their new host countries of settlement.
The Sunday Stabroek columnist had explored how other nations, which exported migrants, sought to initiate then sustain effective productive relationships with their overseas sons and daughters. Some countries have established full-fledged government ministries to deal with the communication with and contributions of their overseas-based citizens. There is some form of overseas development/liaison or remigration agency with full, meaningful, timely government support, if not control.
Countries very bullish on the realities of contact with and utilisation of its people abroad include Israel (conflicts and survival dictated Jewish international inclusion), India (an almost religious, spiritual connection with Mother India makes it easy for the motherland to benefit from its people’s success abroad), Ireland (the Irish “peopled” other developed states, Germany (you can guess why and how), China, Mexico, Jamaica and many others. Contact and co-operation are not concepts left only to liaison officers in overseas missions. Communication with those countries’ diasporas is one vital governmental policy – and programme. With an active view and objective to incorporating the diaspora’s resources to national economic development.
I simply posit: our government should set about such a “Diaspora Co-operation/Development programme” with advice and alacrity.
Returnees-categories and challenges
I suspect that, at the beginning of 1993 Cheddi Jagan and his new administration were filled with optimism that thousands of overseas Guyanese would have re-migrated to their Guyana homeland to contribute, to the “dawn of his new era”. Especially the Party’s supporters.
Besides his idealistic, unrealistic “dollar-a-year” incentive offer, he did propose that some professionals return to offer their services if only for specific periods. Alas, there was no “re-exodus” back home. Cheddi passed on and only dozens of favoured comrades remained or returned to enjoy political largesse. In principle, I am glad that some came. But, by and large, who are those returnees? Those come-backees and local expats?
We have the favoured few and those who made themselves victims of the foreign countries’ involuntary re-migration programmes. Yes, I mean the deportees! Can anyone say how advanced is the US/Guyana remigration/Deportee resettlement programme? Young journalists, assist me with this one. How many deportees are amongst us over the past decade and what are they doing?
I smiled wryly as I shared the concern of the PNC (People’s National Congress) about how grant aid from China or how Sweetheart deals/contracts can introduce hundreds of expatriate workers here, whose management can smirk at and ignore our labour laws. We ought to be hawk-like about this issue. But it is said that “we desperately need the little investment” (?)
I smiled because just as I acted as Deputy Chief Information Officer in 1979, the Forbes Burnham government of the day very nearly brought in hundreds of Asian refugees (Hmong or Cambodians) to live in the hinterland. I seem to remember that the American Evangelist Billy Graham would have been involved. Better sense scuttled that human resource/humanitarian idea. Even rumours about encouraging Haitians to settle here were scotched. (The PPP feared unfair” African outnumbering”?)
But we need more people here. Especially our own. The trouble is we are not even providing satisfactorily for the few of US who intend to stay here! Just look at the plight of the returnees from little Barbados. How can they be properly re-settled? Let’s think – and act – on these issues.
On Money – and “Laundries”
I know I’ll have to return to this one. Friends and acquaintances who claim to know – and who live in both New York and Georgetown, try to educate me.
“Clean money “is money/earnings acquired by legitimate means – and for which legal, official records are available. But, they say, clean money can be bad money, illegal funds made “clean” and legitimate by various laundry-like, dry-cleaning methods!
Poor me, I grappled to understand. I was told that some Guyanese businessmen, some professional crooks, some overseas-based bandit–entrepreneurs acquire millions through the drug trade. But to make that loot legitimate financing or takings or profits in Georgetown they lend or invest it in concerts, hotels, auto dealerships, sport, the gamut of local socio-economic endeavours and enterprises. They still take loans from banks who ask few questions. They look like ordinary businesses investors.
The police and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the “money laundering law” can’t touch them successfully. Explain to me why ‘til next time.
Ponder…
*1)Ha!-Ha!-Ha! Mayor Green of the capital says that the by-laws say that “no person should leave, place or store…any vehicle/cart, barrel, box, dustbin, tree trunk, branches…on any street, parapet or foot-path” Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!
*2) The boys in New York tell me about a potential “mafia hotel in GT” You heard about that? Silly?
*3) Next Week: Mashramani – and fooling me with music!
*4) Let’s see who the new Palm Court owners will be.
‘Til Next Week!
(Comments? Allanafenty@yahoo.com)
