THERE WERE two quite disturbing media reports involving Guyanese nationals yesterday, one out of St.Lucia,  the other from Barbados. Our concerns have to do with rights and justice. Whether at home or abroad, Guyanese are expected to behave with civility and show respect for law and order. By so doing, they win confidence and respect not only for themselves, but for fellow nationals, as well as the cooperation and support from citizens of the countries where they visit, either for pleasure or business.
In the case of the  news report from St. Lucia, as published in our yesterday’s edition, titled “The Guyanese Connection?”, it relates to ongoing police investigation in that CARICOM state of the seizure of a Guyanese vessel with six of our nationals aboard and with weapons and illegal drugs. The investigation by the St Lucia police subsequently resulted in the arrest and charges laid against Guyana-born David ‘Shakes’ Christopher of Linden, but of St. Lucian parentage, and his wife. Since the couple were ordered to surrender their travel documents and are scheduled to return to court on October 12,  we prefer to await the outcome while monitoring developments.
But it is the latest media report out of Barbados about continuing problems facing Guyanese nationals, even with valid legal permits, that requires some urgent official response, both in Bridgetown, and Georgetown.
During last year, the litany of bitter complaints by Guyanese of unfair, discriminatory and hostile treatment by Barbadian immigration became a sad norm, and compelled official interventions that led to some welcome changes, both in attitudes and processing of relevant documents. In the absence of a successor appointee to the late Guyanese Consul in Barbados, Norman Faria, Guyana’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs cooperated, as we understand, in the introduction of temporary new arrangements to facilitate Guyanese residing in Barbados to renew their passports without having to come home, and continue to advise on procedures for obtaining  new passports, as required, during home visits.
However, it is a matter of deep concern to follow reports out of that CARICOM member country about apparent new moves by the Barbadian immigration authorities to make life difficult for even Guyanese holding valid work permits and who have in no way contravened the law of the land.
For example, yesterday’s “Sunday Sun”, a publication of the Nation Publishing Company, reported under the title “No permit renewal”, about Guyanese and nationals of other CARICOM states falling victims to a new campaign by immigration authorities, among them being those with valid work permits and in stable employment. Some had already paid the required BD$1,100 (US$550) for each renewal of  work permits.
According to the “Sunday Sun”, a  Guyanese woman, “who resides in Guyana, lamented that her husband and son received letters last week to leave the island, even though both had valid work permits. Her husband has been here (Barbados) since 1999, and has had the same employer since then….
“The woman said that she was confused about the situation, because”, as the newspaper reported, “her 11-year-old daughter who was born here (in Barbados), had just entered secondary school…” While, on the basis of the latest media report, we look forward to an immediate intervention by the Barbadian immigration authorities to correct the unfortunate developments as they affect Guyanese and other CARICOM nationals with valid work permits, the preference, clearly, is for a new dispensation in relations between the governments of Guyana and Barbados that could result in deserving, respectful treatment of Guyanese citizens holding valid work permits and/or on legitimate business in that  country.