LAST Thursday, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced the institution of visa requirements for nationals travelling to Guyana from Haiti as he addressed concerns that Guyana is a transshipment point for human trafficking.
This publication had also reported that immigration data for Haitians who visited these shores between 2015 and 2020 tell an alarming story.

“… of the 42,100 arrivals of the Haitian nationals for the stated period, some 38,187 of them cannot be found. Only 3,913 have been registered to have legally departed the shores of Guyana,” the report carried by this newspaper stated.

Just recently, 10 young Haitian nationals, five females and five males, were found by the police at the Swiss Hotel, in Skeldon, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). They had informed the authorities that the person who had brought them reportedly took away their passports, documents, money and other personal belongings.
The immigration data seen by this newspaper also show a steep climb in the number of Haitians arriving in the country over the last five years.

Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall, in addressing the situation said the position taken by the Government of Guyana is necessary, as it would avoid Guyana being at the receiving end of possible sanctions for enabling an environment for trafficking in persons (TIP).

Trafficking in persons has been described as modern-day slavery, and as such, all should make a concerted effort, including implementing supporting measures, to end this scourge.
Given the serious nature of this matter, all must also be vigilant, and while the police have a key role to play in the process, they should do their work with maximum professionalism. This is vital to avoiding credible charges of harassment.

Also important to note is that the matter with the Haitians is not one of race, as some political operatives are trying to make it out to be, but a matter of an illegality, which needed to be addressed without delay.
This situation cannot be better explained by Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall, when he said, “Trafficking in persons is one of the most serious offences afflicting the world today. Human smuggling is a major international threat in today’s global environment, and it is against that backdrop that one must view the decision of the Government of Guyana.”

He was also quick to point out that “Guyana is a very close-knit society”, while contending that, “I don’t think anyone can argue that 38,187 Haitians are with us in Guyana; it would be impossible and improbable for anyone to try to articulate such a contention. It is plainly and manifestly false if anyone would attempt to do that,” before asking: “So where did 38,187 persons go?”

This publication understands that the evidence suggests that the Haitians, once they arrive here, make their way to two of Guyana’s neighbouring countries.
It is important to note as well that the decision by the Government of Guyana to quash the visa-free entry for Haitians was carefully analysed for months, and involved discussions with Brazil, whose leaders expressed concern that Guyana is being used as a transshipment point for an organised human smuggling ring.

The government had also engaged Suriname and Cuba, whose leaders expressed similar concerns as Brazil’s. The government’s concerns were also shared with the United States, United Nations human rights organisations, and the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) before the decision was taken.
Those who have come out to criticise the decision of the government are either ill-informed, or are engaging in acts of misinformation. The attorney-general, in a recent interview, issued a reminder, which cannot be timelier, when he said:

“Guyana is part of a global village, and Guyana, as every country in that village, is required to sign on to international conventions, and is expected to execute certain protocols which are required internationally. Guyana is not without experience when it comes to sanctions being imposed on it.”