PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar met Guyanese residing in Barbados on Sunday last to apprise them of the developments in their homeland before a lively exchange with the group on matters affecting them. Over 150 of the nationals met with the Guyanese Head of State at the Amaryllis Beach Resort, Hastings, Christ Church as leaders in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) met their counterparts in Mexico at a special summit.
The President was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; Director General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Elisabeth Harper, and Guyana’s Consul General in Barbados, Michael Brotherson.
According to the Barbados Nation, the President berated the culture of ill treatment meted out to non- nationals on the island after hearing several complaints from Guyanese nationals about access to, and the prohibitive costs of, education for them, as well as the non-recognition of qualifications from the University of Guyana.
He was quoted as saying that by such alleged actions, a territory was robbing itself of the services of people who were available to them.
The President had days prior met Guyanese residing in Washington DC updating them on the political situation back home with the new configuration in the parliament following the November 28, 2011 general elections.
He made specific reference to the $21B cuts to the national budget of 2012, continuing his argument about the irrational nature in which it was executed.