THE Guyanese diaspora’s influence on Guyana’s socioeconomic and political development cannot be understated. This is true of Guyanese in every part of the world where they have settled after leaving their place of origin in search of better prospects and a better life.

The reasons they left their own country and the contributions they made afterward have a long history that dates back to the oppressive PNC era. As the economy deteriorated and living standards fell, many Guyanese started to lose faith in their ability to provide a decent and secure life for themselves and their children.

When staple foods such as wheaten flour, split peas, potatoes, milk, cheese, sardines, and a variety of other goods were outlawed in the late 1970s, the situation only got worse. A large-scale flight of Guyanese to foreign lands was made possible by political and racial discrimination, the imposition of mandatory national service, nepotism, bribery, corruption, and a host of other vices.

One effect of the blanket ban on staple foods was the formation of the so-called “underground” economy, when goods that were illegally imported were sold at excessive prices. Only wealthy people could afford to buy those products, even at great danger of being apprehended by police and brought before the courts.

The huge flight of Guyanese, however, to neighbouring nations such as Suriname, Venezuela, the Caribbean, and North America, particularly the United States of America, which is now home to the majority of overseas-based Guyanese, occurred at a more fundamental level. The majority of them have settled in nicely in their new country.

Many people in the diaspora sent barrels of food, clothing, shoes, and other items to their loved ones back home in addition to sending remittances. That offered many Guyanese who couldn’t make ends meet on their meagre earnings a crucial safety net.

The diaspora’s support to Guyana went beyond just giving cash and supplies. Diaspora participation in the political life of the country came to be known for its love of the nation and zeal for change.

Today, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), after restoring confidence in Guyana in 1992 and again in 2020, is now looking to further incorporate Guyanese in the diaspora into the national development process.

In fact, President, Dr Irfaan Ali emphasized this point during his remarks at the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in India.

Dr Ali, the chief guest, stated that Guyana had closely watched how India managed its relationships with its diaspora and would take what it had learned into account when it began to deepen its contacts with its own, widely dispersed diaspora.

The President continued by stressing the significance of nations constantly exchanging insights into how to involve their respective diasporas.

President Ali said that Guyana has a sizeable diaspora that is among the largest in the world in terms of its proportion of the country’s population, and one study even went so far as to claim that 40 per cent of all Guyanese are thought to dwell abroad.

Considering this, the Guyanese Head of State said: “We are also keen on transforming the brain drain into brain gain. The technology now exists to also tap into our highly-skilled diaspora. The diaspora possesses the skills and expertise that are needed for the modernisation of our economy. We hope to be able to use ICT to be able to make greater use of the wealth of skills available within the diaspora, including in providing educational and health services.”

This diaspora integration model embraces a role for the diaspora as an instrument of soft power, as many members of Guyana’s diaspora have done well in their adopted homelands and have risen to positions of prominence.

“We look to our diaspora to project our external interests, including to protect our democracy and to defend our territorial integrity and sovereignty, particularly from external threats. We look to our diaspora to champion the international causes which are germane to our national interests, including arresting climate change. Indeed, we also look to our diaspora to wield its influence in attracting and in unlocking markets for our products,” Dr Ali said.

The fact remains, however, that Guyana’s experience dictates that the diaspora policies should not be cast in stone, but should remain flexible and adaptable to changing realities.