For the period 2010 to 2014 approximately 350 foreign nationals were granted citizenship by the Guyana government with the majority being St Lucians, Cubans, Chinese and Brazilians, Stabroek News has learnt.
According to information reaching this newspaper, 2011 was the year when the highest number of citizenship applications were granted, followed by 2013 and 2012. The year 2014 had the lowest number with less than 40 applications being granted.
Contrary to the widely-held belief that Chinese and Brazilians—given their visibility in Guyana—are the highest recipients of citizenship status, St Lucians and Cubans are actually leading in this regard, based on information obtained.
In 2010, British citizens topped the list followed by St Lucians, Trinidadians and Brazilians in that order. In 2011, it was St Lucians followed by Chinese and Brazilians. 2012’s majority applicants were Cubans followed by Brazilians, Nigerians and Jamaicans, while 2013’s were Cubans, followed by St Lucians and Indians. In 2014, there was a tie among Americans, Cubans and Indians and they were followed by the Trinidadians.
Citizenship can be obtained through three means: marriage to a Guyanese citizen; a minor born overseas to a Guyanese citizen; or by living in Guyana for five years if a citizen of a Commonwealth or a Caricom country or seven years if a citizen of any other country.
It would appear that the majority of applications granted were from persons living in Guyana for the required period of time (five or seven years).
Persons from more than 25 nationalities have been granted citizenship during this period, this newspaper was told.
Meanwhile, almost 3,000 employment visas (work permits) were granted from January 2012 to the end of 2015 and the Brazilians walked away with the bulk of these.
Brazilians topped the list for employment visas in the mining sector, for each of the years. They obtained work permits for jobs such as dredge operators, cooks, jet men and dredge owners. Americans, Australians, Colombians, Venezuelans, Indians, Filipinos, Ukrainians and Chinese are among the other nationalities that have also secured employment visas here since 2012.
Each year dozens of organizations, companies and individuals would sponsor foreign nationals for various reasons, including employment and visits. Thousands of sponsorship visas were approved with the majority being employment visas, this newspaper was told. In the health sector, more than 120 employment visas were granted for foreign nationals between January 2012 and the end of 2015. The bulk were Indian nationals with a few Cubans and Thais, this newspaper was told. One hospital had over 100 employment visas granted for foreign nationals, most of whom are employed as nurses.
Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix had expressed concerns during the last budget debate (last August) at the number of foreign nationals being employed for jobs that the locals can do.
“Under the previous administration, they had no regards for Guyanese labour… they build a Marriott with labourers from abroad… our people should not be left to look on at others who come in and enjoy the same jobs that they can perform,” Felix had said while assuring that the new government while concerned at the number of employment visas being granted to foreign nationals will be seeking to ensure “fair play”.
He singled out the interior regions where he said mostly foreigners occupied the land.
Felix had informed that in 2012, 1,050 persons received employment visas and out of this figure 991 were Brazilians and 24 were Chinese. In 2013, he said, 462 Brazilians were granted employment visas, while in 2014, of the 744 employment visas issued, 694 were issued to Brazilians. In 2015, he said, 304 employment visas were issued, out of which 236 were granted to Brazilian nationals.
It is also suspected that there may be scores of foreign nationals, mostly Brazilians and Venezuelans, working in Guyana illegally, having slipped into the country through its porous borders. Observers say that given the layout of the interior region it will be extremely difficult for the authorities to find those persons.
