For many years it has been argued that Guyana needs a positive immigration policy that takes account of the stagnation in its population growth – a combination of heavy migration and a low birth rate. A low population density and vast open spaces suitable for settlement provide the opportunities for attracting migrants, or more feasibly, re-migrants. It also makes sense to try to boost population numbers as a larger internal economy is created and there is a greater growing of wealth. Had there not been the exodus of decades before, the population of Guyana today could easily have been over two million and providing the ignition for greater economic development. Today the population hovers around 740,000 with great concentration on the coastland and the sparsely populated interior.
It is unclear whether President Jagdeo was contemplating this conundrum when he met with Chinese nationals on Friday at the Chinese-built International Convention Centre at Liliendaal. Whatever his motivation, President Jagdeo delivered yet another puzzling performance that will leave policymakers and lawmakers wondering whether they have a role at all in the affairs of this country.
While there was nothing wrong with the Presi-dent convening a meeting with Chinese nationals, it was utterly unacceptable for him to unilaterally declare that Chinese nationals who were living here legally for seven years would now be entitled to citizenship of the country and that work permits would be extended from one to three years.
Worse, it appears that he was not properly advised on the matter. The Guyana Citizenship Act sets five years as the benchmark for citizenship applications once persons are of good character and intend to continue living here. It means that on the 1st day of the 6th year the application can be tendered. By declaring seven years, President Jagdeo has unwittingly signalled his intention to make Chinese nationals wait even longer for citizenship.
Nevertheless, decisions of this sort have to be located within the context of well-sculpted and defined policy. By what means has the President arrogated to himself the creation of regulations and amendments to the immigration procedures? The Minister of Home Affairs is the designated authority in these matters.
Isn’t there also now a legitimate expectation that all foreigners should be able to access a work permit for three years? Certainly citizens of our Caricom brothers and sisters should benefit from similar or more favourable provisions. Perhaps President Jagdeo has thought all of this out and is set on the course of a positive immigration policy. But surely there should have been some discourse in Parlia-ment or within the ruling party or within the government which was then channelled to the public for its consideration and input? More to the point, any shift in immigration policy should be embedded in a framework that moves the fulcrum of the country’s life and economy away from the crowded, vulnerable coast to the interior.
No right-thinking Guyanese would have any problem with law-abiding Chinese nationals becoming citizens of this country. They will however have serious problems with the creation of a favoured class of foreigners being supposedly fast-tracked to citizenship and work permits, particularly if there are ulterior motives behind such a move.
President Jagdeo’s government should now clarify whether other foreigners living here will now be granted expedited citizenship and longer work permits and if not whether this wouldn’t fall afoul of anti-discrimination provisions of the constitution. The hundreds of Brazilians who might have notched up years here must be hurriedly rifling through their documents to determine eligibility and so would many other nationalities.
There are other concerns. The suddenness of this engagement with the Chinese nationals raises questions about the politics behind this. Is the government courting the votes of Chinese nationals or is this move the result of the growing and substantial influence of the People’s Republic of China on the affairs of this country. Beijing continues to give substantially to Guyana in cash and kind. Loans, infrastructure, medical experts and help for the disciplined services are all part of the largesse that recognizes the special relationship between the two countries. It is only natural that it would then use this as leverage to extract more favourable conditions for its citizens resident here. The latter would seem the likeliest option but President Jagdeo, as would be expected in these circumstances, couched his move in the context of demolishing concerns of xenophobia in the country; a malady quite at odds with the legendary openness and warmth of Guyanese to all. Indeed, far more hundreds of Chinese than those who appeared at the convention centre on Friday have co-existed for decades in their varied businesses here with Guyanese without the hint of any serious tension. The President also framed his intervention in the context of obviating corrupt demands. President Jagdeo could not be unaware that such proclivities to corruption have seeped into every nook and cranny of this country and his government has studiously avoided root and branch reforms, fealty to accountability and adherence to the rule of law to attack this scourge. Its use in reference to the Chinese nationals is purely gratuitous.
There are numerous other issues that have to be considered. Not least of them is the expected harmonization of immigration policies within Caricom and, in particular, with neighbouring Suriname through which a lot of Chinese nationals come. If Guyana were to be seen as a magnet for Chinese looking for easy work permits and eventual longer stays it could pose unintended problems for Paramaribo.
There are other issues. It would be of great interest whether Chinese or other foreigners would be able to present sufficient documentation to prove that they were living here legitimately for five or seven years as that in itself would defy the normal migration pattern. For those in the business sector, would they be able to present documentary evidence of tax compliance?
It is also known that many Chinese and other nationals, at the earliest opportunity, use Guyana as a stepping stone for North America and the Caribbean. Some of this traffic is also mired in `backtracking’ and other illegalities. Businesses and jobs are handed over to others the minute the opportunity arises to go north. Would the authorities be sufficiently aware of this and have the ability to do the requisite checks?
There have been growing concerns about the labour and business practices of some establishments owned by Chinese nationals – completely separate from competition – that have riled sections of the local private sector. Would these practices be investigated before the granting of citizenship?
The welcoming spirit of Guyanese is legendary and completely accepting of Chinese nationals. President Jagdeo has, however, complicated and muddied the waters by creating misinformed policy out of thin air and by deliberately bypassing the public and Parliament. This should be rectified at the earliest.
