While the European Union (EU) cannot immediately give a timeline on when Schengen visas will be issued to Guyanese here rather than in neighbouring Suriname, its new Ambassador here, René van Nes, says the issue has his full attention.
Just two weeks into his new portfolio, the European envoy said that he is already engaging member states to have in the first instance, a temporary arrangement, even as they explore ways to a more permanent solution later.
Ambassador van Nes said that in his first meeting with President Irfaan Ali, the issue was brought to the fore.
Guyanese currently have to travel to a processing centre in Paramaribo to apply for the EU-wide travel visa and the applications are then forwarded to the Netherlands embassy there.
“When I met your president, we did talk about this and of course it is an important concern that he voiced. And we hear him very loudly and clearly. It is a concern that I fully understand and that that is something that I really want to see addressed,” he said yesterday when asked by Stabroek News at a press encounter for an update on the matter.
“We have 27 member states and I will not promise you that it will be solved tomorrow. I would not be honest if I would say that, but it has my full attention. I am talking to member states about this, and we are really trying to get something into place that will first be a temporary solution, that will make it easier for the people of Guyana to get a visa, and then later on there will be a more sustainable solution.”
Last month, President Ali urged the EU to put arrangements in place for Guyanese to be able to access Schengen visas here for travel to Europe, rather than having to go to Paramaribo. He had given a three-month timeframe in which he said he would like to see some resolution.
Speaking at the launch of the EU/Guyana Chamber of Commerce, and one of the final engagements of former EU Ambassador, Dr Fernando Ponz Cantó, the president pointed to the urgency for the ease of travel between Guyana and Schengen visa countries.
“It is not a luxury for the EU anymore to take their time and grant us that facility. I think that the EU must understand that it is in their strategic interest to have that facility here in Guyana, within the next three months. And we have to find where we can get it done within the next three months; which embassy is in a position to get it done in the next three months, what you want us to do to help you to get it done in the next three months and get it done,” Ali said.
“It’s nonsense. Absolutely ridiculous! And in this modern world in which Guyana is strategically positioned, you have all the sophisticated inves-tors coming in to Guyana to invest, we can’t continue like this,” he declared.
Ponz Cantó in response noted that the EU was actively exploring the possibility of scheduled visits from consular officers from the Dutch Embassy in Suriname as a solution.
“We have already started work on that, on the different possibilities. The problem that we have is that this is not a responsibility of the European member institutions. This is a responsibility for the European Union member states. In other words, the delegation of the European Union cannot, does not have the mandate to deliver any visas. We don’t have it,” the Ambassador told reporters following Ali’s public call.
“It is still in the competency of the member states and in this case it was decided that the Netherlands would be the member state that would give visas to the Guyanese (in Suriname),” he explained.
Working
Yesterday, van Nes echoed that the EU countries were exploring possibilities of making the process less stressful on Guyanese. “I depend on member states to come up with these proposals. But I know for a fact that they are really working on this, and I really hope that I have soon good news for you, and that I can share that and say ‘okay, this is the solution that we are offering now, together with the member states’. And that will address that very real concern that you just expressed.”
Ponz Cantó had said that he will still do everything within his power to relay to the EU the concerns of Guyanese in this area.
“Now I understand that it is frustrating to have to go to Paramaribo to get the visas. We are working hard to try to find a solution. Guyanese should not see this as a disability, but we are trying to facilitate change of the system. Who knows, perhaps of course, without any commitment, one possibility could be that some officials could come periodically here and deliver the visas. We are exploring that possibility. We do not know whether it will work. It is true also that the system in place is unusual and I understand for the citizens it is complicated,” he acknowledged.
However, he reminded that persons travelling to other jurisdictions for visas is nothing new.
“In many other countries they have this system. For example, the US delivers the visas to the Cubans here in Guyana. And even Guyana delivers visas for some EU member states in another state, I believe. It is a complicated thing but an important one,” he added, while stressing that a bigger initiative would be removing the need for visas altogether
Ponz Cantó said that he hoped that “visa liberalization” would be created sometime in the future but emphasised that whatever decisions are made would have to be from the European Union, even as he pledged his commitment to help find a solution.
Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
