…to submit petition to gov’t this week

THE Working People’s Alliance (WPA) will this week submit a petition to the authorities regarding what it terms the “discriminatory treatment “meted out to Haitians by the Guyana Police Force.

And while the WPA crafted the petition on Tuesday afternoon at a forum to celebrate the life of the late Dr Walter Rodney at the National Library, Minister within the Ministry of Social

Protection, Keith Scott,who was present at the event, informed those gathered that the “current situation “ regarding the French-speaking nationals , will change as of today. He said that the government has recognised that Guyana, like Haiti, is a partner to the CARICOM free movement of persons.
“We have recognised we have made a mistake,” he said, noting that almost with immediate effect, there will be a change in policy towards those persons who have been mistreated. Recently, Minister of Immigration and Citizenship, Winston Felix, had said that eight adults and six children were sent back to Haiti last week Thursday after their return tickets were upgraded.

He noted that efforts were being made to return eight others, including a few children, who do not have funds to pay for their airfares, which says something about how they came. “As soon as we can get them out, that will be done,” he said.
“The rationale for having them depart is based on a police investigation and the advice given by the police legal adviser,” the minister said.
Notwithstanding Minister Scott’s assurances on Tuesday, the WPA moved ahead with crafting its petition, while moves are afoot to provide legal representation to the detained Haitians. At the WPA’s forum on Tuesday , tempers flared as the issue was brought to the fore by activist Mark Jacobs who chronicled the moves he along with others have been making in recent weeks to provide care and shelter as well as to unite the affected persons.

He explained that his actions have seen him visiting facilities where the Haitians are being held under police guard, noting that the persons detained do not speak English, while the detained children have been separated from their adult guardians since May 26th.
Activist Vanda Radzik noted that the issue is one of humanity and discrimination, as others lamented the treatment meted out to the nationals of a sister CARICOM country. The petition noted that the police have seized the passports and mobile phones of the detained Haitians, while their monetary valuables have been seized minus receipts.

In addition, while the WPA met to celebrate Dr Rodney, it called on the government to “act with haste” to first recognise the human rights of the people of Haiti to travel freely within the Caribbean Community. The party called for the immediate release of the detained Haitians. It noted that they have not committed any criminal acts. The party said that it expects President David Granger, the chairman of CARICOM, to act in defence of the regional integration body.