Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 24, 2009 News
President Bharrat Jagdeo has warned that the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), the pillar of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) “will unravel” if member states like Barbados continue to pursue discriminatory practices.
The President lashed out at the David Thompson administration for its “despicable” treatment of Guyanese and other CARICOM nationals, saying of all states, Barbados should be promoting the implementation of the CSME in its totality and not “cherry-picking” which components to implement. The CSME Secretariat is based in Bridgetown.
The Head of State made his comments on Friday at the Presidential Secretariat in Georgetown.
Mr. Jagdeo will join his counterparts in Trinidad today at a special session, the worth of which he has questioned. The forum was called to discuss the global financial crisis,
The President indicated that currently he is more interested in attending the meeting to ensure that the rights of Guyanese and other West Indians are protected, given the despicable manner in which Guyanese in particular, are being treated by the Barbadian government.
The Guyana Consulate in Barbados has reported that since the announcement of a new immigration policy many Guyanese are being picked on, some solely based on appearance, and there are reports now that their push to legalise their status in the country is being deliberately delayed.
In addition, there are reports that the Barbados Police Force has been raiding the residences of Guyanese at nights under the guise of picking up suspected illegal immigrants.
The allegations come following the announcement by Barbados Prime Minister Thompson that at the end of the year, all undocumented immigrants on the island would be deported.
Jagdeo said the actions of the Bajan government are unilateral and “un-CARICOM” and “does not reflect what we are trying to do in the region.”
In response to a claim by the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) that his administration has a “haphazard and ill thought out policy” in dealing with the challenges of Guyanese in Barbados, President Jagdeo told reporters that the Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon will be engaging the PNCR to see what specific engagements Guyana can pursue.
As Jagdeo sees it, there is little the government can do except offer solidarity with the people who feel mistreated since these actions are done unilaterally by the Barbados government.
“Unless we can change their (Barbados’) position on the issue, I expect the nationals of many countries will continue to be subjected to this treatment,” Jagdeo asserted.
Regarding today’s meeting, Jagdeo said he has expressed concern about the nature of these ad-hoc meetings, which are called in a very knee-jerk way and without careful attention being paid to the outcomes.
He said while he agrees the global financial crisis and its impact on the region has to be discussed, he has been calling for this over a year ago, and several discussions have taken place at various meetings.
Since the Belize intercessional meeting in February, Jagdeo said, there has been “no adverse development or surprise” on the economies of the region and so it boggles his mind as to the need for an extraordinary meeting.
With word that the special summit would afford regional leaders an opportunity to fine tune the Community’s position on the issue in time for the United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis scheduled to take place in New York in June, Jagdeo also expressed surprise.
He said the region’s position is already clear: “We want a seat at the table when the new global economic architecture is created.” Outside of that, he opined, there is little else the region can do.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
Mar 28, 2024
Minister Ramson challenge athletes to better last year’s performance By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – Guyana’s 23-member contingent for the CARIFTA Games in Grenada is set to depart the...B.V. Police Station Kaieteur News – The Beterverwagting Police Station, East Coast Demerara (ECD) will be reconstructed... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – In the face of escalating global environmental challenges, water scarcity and... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]