To some extent we have contributed to this disrespect. For instance, and this might seem trivial, if I want to follow cricket being played in Guyana, I have to depend on feed from Grenada or Antigua or Barbados. As far as I know, the Guyana media do not care about the embarrassment this causes Guyanese living abroad. I contribute to quite a few of the Caribbean message boards, and contempt for Guyanese has no limit. We are regarded as the poorest of the poor, and our country is regarded as backward and full of rain and mud. Could you imagine Michael Holding saying no test matches should be played in Barbados? One poster from Barbados even refers to us as rats.

I also have a serious problem with Guyana being so dependent on BWIA as a carrier. Are we that poor we cannot maintain a carrier consisting of two small planes? Honestly, we are the laughing stock - a people who are reactive not proactive.

This may seem simplistic, but if we start dishing out the same treatment to some of these islanders when they visit our country, you would see how fast you get the attention of their governments. Right now they are snickering at us in contempt. Did you really expect BWIA to issue an apology?

Until we develop a sense of national pride, we will continue to be dependent on these people, and they will continue to kick us in the teeth.

Overseas Guyanese