THE “BAJAN” REJECTS
Freddie Kissoon Column
Kaieteur News
February 28, 2007
The continuous rejection of Guyanese after they deplane at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados further weakens the status and standing of Guyana in the eyes of its neighbours in the Western hemisphere.
But, more importantly, it reminds this entire country of a time when Guyana was so poor, so politically oppressed, that it was an international pariah; no Caribbean country wanted us. We poured into other people's lands only to live illegally, hoping never to return to the country that gave us birth, a land that had run aground.
That was so long ago. Hardly anyone under 26 years of age remembers that sad past. A majority of Guyanese alive in Guyana today were too young to remember, or even know about, the wretched treatment we got from large parts of the world.
Our ostracisation was easily explained. Political murders had occurred, including that of an international scholar, Walter Rodney. We had no democracy. Food was scarce. The economy had collapsed and a wave of refugees was sweeping the skies.
The Canadians pulled out their Consular section on Young Street and merged it within their High Commission in Port-of-Spain because they were overwhelmed by the influx of asylum seekers and potential illegal migrants. But the High Commission's officers had succumbed to temptation. Two of its senior personnel were jailed for bribe taking. That was over twenty years ago, but never for a moment would the Canadians think of returning their consular services to Young Street .
I always wondered why.
One would have thought that it was logical, after the return of democracy in 1992, to come back to Guyana . But I believe Canadian analysts may have seen into the future. They may have predicted what patriotism prevents Guyanese analysts from seeing – this country will not change, and the return will bring more headaches for the Canadian High Commission. Given what is taking place in Guyana since 1997, the decision by the Canadians not to come back is now a permanent one that, perhaps, may be reversed one day, long, long from now.
Commentators often criticise the US Embassy for unfair visa refusals, but the embassy officials must be laughing. Obviously, they must have said that if our Common Market partner, Barbados , which is bound by the dreams of Caribbean unity to allow hassle-free travel from Guyana , will have none of it, then why should the US .
However you look at it, the Barbados disease takes us back to the dead age of Forbes Burnham. But why? What is there about this country that makes the outside world frown upon us? More importantly, when is this perception ever going to change?
I remember when the Maastricht Treaty was signed by EU members, removing visa restrictions within the European Community. Only Guyana among the big Caribbean countries was still required to adhere to visa requirements to travel to the EU. Even a violent country like Jamaica was treated with more respect than us. Jamaicans now have to apply for visas to go to Europe, but the status of Guyana has not changed.
Something is wrong somewhere. And Guyanese intellectuals and politicians have to deeply reflect on why we are still living in a dead age.
Jamaicans and Trinidadians are not treated like this at Grantley Adams Airport . Why only Guyanese? Surely, any country must survey carefully the type of visitors that enter its territory. We know there are Guyanese living illegally in Barbados . We know that there are many others who want to sneak in and put up permanent residence there. But, surely, those dubious characters cannot be more than the number of bona fide travellers.
The explanation for this airport mistreatment lies in the unchanging opinion Caribbean people have of us: – Guyana is in a permanent fix and its people want to get out.
This somewhat valid though not completely logical perception will remain unless we do something about it. I am not talking about retaliation.
Peeping Tom once suggested a series of retaliatory measures against Barbados . I had replied to that because I thought it was not a principled position.
It had a touch of moral opportunism to it. Unreasonable decisions against many Guyanese visa applicants are committed by the United States Embassy. Why pick on little Barbados ?
If Peeping Tom was a person with a face and name, then he would have been given heart breaking information about what the US Embassy does to some Guyanese travellers by many Guyanese citizens. Wendell George, former WPA activist (who always speaks his mind over the twenty-five years I have known him) once gave a short list of insensitive rejections by the US Embassy in this newspaper.
The Peeper should read Wendell's letter. I know of cases where people could not see their dying parents or children even though there was no basis for the rejection of the visa by the US Embassy. I keep telling Guyanese that, when this happens, they should seek to get Oprah Winfrey involved.
I am betting my last dollar that if the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington , D.C. refuses an American citizen a visa to travel to Caracas to see her dying mother, Oprah would kick up a storm. So, are Guyanese less human?
Guyana continues to express social and political behaviour that is reminiscent of a bad, dark period.
A nagging and persistent eyesore in Guyana is the level of income. The lower classes are hard pressed to live comfortably in this country.
Lower middle class citizens with qualifications behind their names feel that they will have a better quality of life as illegal aliens in the US . This type of attitude reinforces the stereotypes of Caribbean people when it comes to Guyanese.
We have to change this country in profound ways, both politically and socially. Only then will respect come.