In wake of disturbing new immigration policy…
GUYANESE in Barbados, concerned about their immigration status as of June 1 next, following Prime Minister David Thompson’s recent announcement of a new immigration policy, have bonded themselves and are discussing ways in which to deal with the situation.

On that date, a new immigration policy will take effect, throwing not only the lives of the undocumented in disarray, but even the lives of some on the island legally.

According to the Prime Minister, undocumented immigrants have from June 1 to November 31, to present themselves to the Immigration authorities and have their status regularised, or face being forcibly removed from the island. The amnesty would only apply to persons who had been in the island eight years or more prior to 2005, and all others “would be removed.”

The ruling would not only affect Guyanese nationals, but several other Caricom nationals, including, Jamaicans and Vincentians.

One of the suggestions raised during a meeting reportedly held on Tuesday, according to one of the concerned Guyanese, is to seek an audience with the Prime Minister since they (Guyanese) are of the view that the terms of the amnesty under which the undocumented immigrants have to get themselves regularised are “a bit too steep”.

The Guyanese grouping which is seeking, too, to have other groups representing other undocumented Caricom immigrants come on board, are worried that many of the Guyanese who now live on the island legally may also not qualify for immigration status under this new policy, a source told the Guyana Chronicle.

It was pointed out that under the present terms for qualifying for immigration status, a non-resident is required to be living on the island continuously for five years, but the understanding of the new policy is that the basis for qualification means the applicant would have had to be residing on the island for at least 11 years.

“This means the majority of Guyanese, even many of those who are here legally, won’t qualify, and that is kind of hard,” the source added, noting that while some Bajans are rejoicing over the new immigration policy, some are in sympathy with the Guyanese and other nationals who would be affected.

Among the worried Bajans are those who earn revenue by way of renting their homes to Guyanese and other immigrants, and contractors some of whom openly boast that they get their monies worth from foreign workers.

On Saturday, Caricom leaders are due to meet in Trinidad and it is expected that the situation facing undocumented immigrants in Barbados would be discussed, since Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines has been quite vocal in defence of his countrymen living in Barbados.

The Vincentian Prime Minister views the new immigration policies by his Caricom Head of Government colleagues, as “discriminatory” and one that will eventually result in the collapse of the much-talked about Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

In a statement to the Vincentian House of Parliament, Gonsalves said it was sad that some political leaders are “stoking chauvinistic fires which are latent in our Caribbean societies,” though he did not specifically name Barbados.

“This has led here and there to an outpouring of a malignant xenophobia particularly against Guyanese, Jamaicans, Vincentians, St Lucians and Grenadians,” he was reported as saying, adding that if the discrimination does not stop, then “Caricom would shortly be rent asunder.”

Thompson has spoken about “an unsatisfactorily high level of unemployment in Barbados among Barbadians”, a situation, he said, that led him to instruct the Immigration Department and other agencies of the Public Service, as well as putting the private sector on alert, that Barbadians must at all times be given preference in employment.

But Gonsalves had reminded him publicly that if the new employment policy includes holders of Caricom skilled certificates, it would mean a violation by Barbados of the letter and spirit of the Revised Caricom Treaty.

For some of the undocumented Guyanese living and working on the island, the wait to hear “some word in their favour” seems like a lifetime.

Word from the island is that both documented and undocumented Guyanese are becoming increasingly worried, as there is an apparent increase in raids by the Police/Immigration to hunt down the illegal ever since the Prime Minister’s announcement.

Raids are being conducted around midnight and in the wee hours of the morning where many of the Guyanese live, and the entertainment spots they frequent, especially at weekends, and at construction sites during working hours.

“The Prime Minister has given an ultimatum and the Police are not even giving people a chance to present themselves, they are coming to you in this aggressive manner. I shudder to think what would happen come June 1 and thereafter” said one documented Guyanese who said he is now beginning “to feel a bit unsafe” when travelling on public transport, as ‘some Bajans have resorted to pointing you out, in particular Guyanese, to the Police/Immigration personnel’.

“It’s like being a Guyanese, you are targeted. You are now seeing a change even in the Bajans themselves who once befriended you …, like they are afraid to be seen in your company,” the young man said.

However, two other Guyanese noted that while there is a cause for concern by all who are still to gain resident status because of the new immigration policy, they feel the situation regarding the raids is “being blown too much over-the-hill”.

“This raid thing to catch people who are not straight is nothing new, it’s an everyday occurrence, you’re accustomed to them coming on the bus and asking for your documentation,” one explained during a telephone interview, adding that even before the announcement, some undocumented persons had said they had become fed-up of “not living straight” and had planned returning home to Guyana.

On the other hand, there are those who have bluntly said they have no intention of leaving voluntarily, since they have much to lose, including Bajan wives and husbands and even children, and as such are “prepared to face the consequences.”

Guyana’s Honorary Consul Norman Faria is on record as saying his office has now been inundated with telephone inquiries and walk-in traffic about the implications of recent changes to the Barbados Immigration regulations.

He said he has received several reports about Guyanese being ‘stereotyped’, simply on the basis of their appearance.

Barbados Opposition Leader, Mia Mottley, recently challenged

Prime Minister Thompson on his new immigration policy statement, saying that the structure was unfortunate as it gave the distinct impression that the Barbados government is only concerned with the illegal immigrants from Caribbean countries, but not those who are there from outside of the region, that is from Europe and North America.

She added, “This action coming on the heels of the Prime Minister’s statement in Guyana of ‘Ever so welcome, wait for a call’ and the draconian way in which many Caricom immigrants have been unceremoniously removed from Barbados over the last year will undoubtedly have implications for Barbadians working and moving in the wider region. The stated policy of the Barbados Custom Department to remove the green line at the airport for all regional flights compounds the situation.”

However, Barbadians must be told she said, that the quality of life they enjoy is significantly contributed to by interaction with the Region. Some 52% of exports go to Caricom countries, 20% of tourists come from Caricom countries and many enterprises, both large and small, invest in the region as their first option for investment outside of Barbadian shores.

“In addition, our only hope to sustain our quality of life and our economic development without the constraint of small size is dependent on our ability to do business, sell our services, trade and invest within the Caribbean Region. Barbadian prosperity cannot be guaranteed by Barbadian labour and Barbadian capital alone,” Mottley said.

The Barbadian opposition leader added that it is urgent that Prime Minister Thompson, the lead Prime Minister of the CSME, show leadership and ensure the urgent settlement of the long awaited Protocol on Contingent Rights that will settle what benefits Caricom citizens will access if they live in another Caricom country.

Mottley is also on record, some three years ago, while holding the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs of Barbados, as coming out in defence of illegal Caricom national in Barbados, in particular Guyanese, in the face of a rising emotional campaign driven largely by radio call-in programmes.

Guided by official data and speaking on a CBC televised programme, Mottley drew attention to the fact that that not just Guyanese, but nationals of many other Caricom countries, as well as from America and Britain, were living in Barbados illegally.