…American legislators slam discriminatory remarks

A HAITIAN-AMERICAN group of legislators has expressed outrage at the publication of articles in the PPP-aligned Guyana Times newspaper which targeted the French-speaking nationals.

At the same time, while Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo appears to have changed his stance on the issue, a report in the Brooklyn-based Caribbean Life magazine stated this weekend that the issue has not only drawn the wrath of Haitian-Americans, but of other Caribbean-American legislators and leaders and calls have been mounting for the local newspaper to issue an apology to the Haitian community.

“We must take a stance in preaching as well as practicing unity and tolerance throughout the world,” said New York State Assembly member, Rodneyse Bichotte, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn.
Against the backdrop of racism being echoed in the publication of the stories by the local private newspaper, she said that, “as an elected official of Haitian descent and representing one of the most diverse and possibly largest Caribbean immigrant communities in New York City, I believe we have an obligation to fight discrimination and racism wherever it rears its ugly head.

“As a member of CARICOM, Haitians have the right to freely migrate to other CARICOM countries. Distinguished groups and organisations from the United Nations to CARICOM have spoken of the need to travel freely for the cause of economic growth and community unity. Therefore, as sister countries of CARICOM, Guyana and Haiti are expected to honor the same agreement,” Bichotte added.

HIV/AIDS ALLEGATIONS LUDICROUS
“The outdated charges of HIV/AIDS and cholera is ludicrous, and it is incumbent upon any media outlet to get their facts correct before publishing false statements; hence, this strident call on the Guyana Times to become aware of the 21st century science, stop the ignorant and racist posturing, stop publishing false stories,” the legislator said.
Critics have tied the stance taken by the Times newspaper as being racist in nature and Bichotte has noted that the sensitivity of the issue can me mapped to what occurs in the US as regards racism. “Failure to heed this call definitely puts the paper in the ranks of Trump and other ‘purveyors’ of hate,” the assemblywoman said. “We are demanding that Guyana Times issue an apology with a retraction of the ridiculous, divisive and false statements made against the people of Haiti.”

Newly-elected Haitian American New York City Councilmember Farah Louis, also told Caribbean Life that “the derogatory statements published in the Guyana Times are eerily similar to the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the Trump Administration and the stigmatisation of Haitians in the 1980s as carriers of AIDS disease.

“We have seen the detrimental effect of xenophobia as it relates to Haitians in the US and Dominican Republic,” said Louis, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 45th Council District in Brooklyn. “We cannot allow the disparaging words of one or more define who we are as a people or diminish our contributions throughout history.”
Another legislator, Kimberly Jean Pierre, a Haitian American New York State Assembly member, who represents the 11th District in Suffolk County, Long Island, said the allegations about the Haitian migrants were “unfortunate,” stating that the majority of Haitians are “merely seeking better lives for their families.”

“It is my hope that the Guyanese and Haitian governments can work in conjunction to ensure that those travelling through Guyana are able to migrate safely and that any bad actors, especially human traffickers, are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said.

Alicia Hyndman, a Caribbean-American New York State Assembly member, who represents the 29th Assembly District in Queens, said she was certain that the Guyanese Diaspora “fully understands the plight of immigrants struggling for a better life.”
“It is irresponsible to spread this type of fear among Guyanese people regarding the health of Haitians,” she said.

JAGDEO CHANGES STANCE
Meanwhile, in the face of mounting criticisms, Jagdeo said at his weekly press conference on Thursday at his Church Street offices that he is “bothered” by the issue and according to him, “Haitians have every right to come to Guyana.”
He said that persons have been targeting the French-speaking nationals, as he noted that they ought not to be targeted.

For months the opposition leader has been referencing the Haitians in his arguments as he accused the government of facilitating a smuggling ring here. At his weekly press conferences he has been providing figures on the arrivals on Haitians here, even as a larger number of other foreign nationals, mainly Cubans have been travelling to these shores. They all arrived on flights of the Panamanian-owned Copa Airlines, the PPP-operated Citizens Report online blog stated, although larger numbers of Cubans have been utilising the said airline to come to these shores over the past seven months.

The authorities have since provided figures which indicated the number of Cubans who have arrived here within the first seven months of the year, has climbed past 30,000, outnumbering the 8,600 Haitians who arrived here during the same period. In addition, the number of Trinidad and Tobago nationals who came here during that time also out-numbered the Haitian arrival figures.

A local group of young Haitians told the Guyana Chronicle last week that they felt targeted by the publication of the articles in the local private newspapers. They said that the publications have caused their relatives back home in Haiti to express concern about their safety.

The Haitian group told this publication that their compatriots have been coming to these shores in search of work and a better life. Citing the lack of a work permit, many have travelled east to Suriname while large numbers have been travelling to Brazil via Lethem. It was noted that the problem may be tied the fact that immigration officers are not making records of their departure at the immigration offices at Lethem.

The Haitians have also disputed the utterances of the opposition and the contents of the news articles which alleged that they have come here to vote in the upcoming elections.