During bilateral discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon, yesterday, President Irfaan Ali raised the difficulties Guyanese face in having to travel to Suriname for Schengen visa interviews and discussed this country’s nomination letter for visa-free Schengen status and the possibility of an interim in-country processing of Schengen visa applications.
“President Dr Irfaan Ali met with Slovenia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Tanja Fajon to discuss potential trade between the two countries in agriculture; renewable energy; Guyana’s nomination letter for visa-free Schengen status and the possibility of an interim in-country processing of Schengen visa applications,” Ali said on his Facebook page.
The President met the Slovenian Prime Minister on the sidelines of the European Union-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) which wrapped up yesterday in Brussels, Belgium.
Before leaving for Brussels, Ali had told the Stabroek News that the Schengen visa-free status, and in the short-term, the possibility of processing being done here for the visa was something he would “definitely” raise when at the meeting.
As it stands, Guyanese must travel to Suriname to apply for a Schengen visa which allows travel through large parts of Europe, a process outside of the application that takes a minimum of three days. The government here has been pressing for a change in these arrangements.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd, told this newspaper that Ali’s discussion on the visa issue was all a part of government’s foreign policy advancement and by extension Guyana’s holistic development agenda, as having European business partners here for the private sector was of key importance.
“The president is in Brussels advancing our foreign policy agenda. He is undertaking that engagement. You would recognise [that] the EU community is very attractive to the private sector. So… the hassle and bottlenecks, in terms of process and travel, time and cost to get the interview itself, doesn’t really fit in the contemporary economic environment of Guyana right now,” Todd reasoned.
“What the president has been advancing is, as a country that is expanding, it only makes sense that there be ease of access to the EU in the first case; which in turn sees an ease of [getting] business contacts and opportunities. This can also lead to more people to people contact, people to people engagements… all a part of our economic diplomacy agenda,” he added. He noted the aim is for Georgetown to bring more attention and focus here for investments and development and in doing that, “the policy makers will have to create enough policy space to get the private sector engaged and this is part of the process of getting the business community engaged.” In this way, the Foreign Minister added, it would tie in “with the development trajectory on the foreign policy side.
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.
Nearly one year since 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, there has still been no commitment, although the current EU Ambassador to Guyana had said that that it has his full attention.
Ali had then 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, last year, and one of the final engagements of former EU Ambassador, Dr Fernando Ponz Cantó, the president had pointed to the urgency for the ease of travel between Guyana and Schengen visa countries.
Not a luxury
“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 investors 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.
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.
The current EU Ambassador René van Nes had echoed that the EU countries were exploring possibilities of making the process less stressful for 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.”
During an interview with the media last week, van Nes said that there was “no new update” on the issue.
