Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 11, 2009 Letters
Dear Editor,
I visited the Guyana High Commission in London on Thursday 8, 2009, with the intention of renewing my passport which expired late last month.
I got to the High Commission at about 2:10 PM; the High Commission closes the passport section at 2:30 PM.
There were two customers waiting to be seen, a Guyanese gentleman who was very upset for waiting too long and an Eastern European woman who is planning on visiting Guyana.
I spoke to the Caucasian gentleman at the reception and signed in the visitors’ book. I was told that I would be seen after the Guyanese gentleman.
The justifiably irate Guyanese gentleman who was pacing the floor told me he was waiting a long time. I decided to take a seat and wait.
I suspected I was in for a long haul. I took a seat next to the newspaper table; there were copies of two newspapers, Guyana Times and Guyana Chronicle, August editions. I asked if there were copies of Kaieteur News and Stabroek News and was told that they were stolen.
I had no choice to but browse the two pro-government dailies and endure the revelations of the evils of the AFC, PNC and Kaieteur News; Guyana Times boasted a release which stated that Kaieteur journalists were impersonating GINA reporters, etc. I had never seen a copy of Guyana Times before and had only browsed the on-line edition once. I was looking for its letters’ section to no avail.
Forty five minutes later I was directed to a backroom to deal with my passport renewal. The staff told me I was late and that the section usually closes at 2:30. I tolerated her comment and told her I was waiting for a long time. She told me that wasn’t the truth. I just wanted to get on with the business. My passport is damaged and she informed me that I will have to get a new one. I needed to see a solicitor and swore to an affidavit, etc.
I said that was no problem. I inquired how long it would take to get a new passport. She told me it takes awhile. Mr. Editor, I ask the staff five time what she meant by ‘awhile’.
I was getting upset and asked her if it would take two weeks, three months or six months. She told me all she could say is that it takes awhile. I was angry and began to raise my voice in frustration.
A very nicely dressed lady came from another office and politely told me I needed to calm down. She is my very good friend Michael Brotherson’s replacement. That means she is a diplomat. She told me passports usually go with the diplomatic bag every two months and the bag is due to go next month.
She further said that the process will take an additional six months to be returned to the UK, by which time the type of passport I have will no longer be in use and will be replaced by the new electronic one.
She explained that even if it was a renewal it would have still had to go to Guyana since they didn’t have any books for along time.
She pointed out that I would have to go to Guyana to get the electronic passport because they didn’t have the facilities in England to do it. She further stated that the Commission had put in a request for books a long time ago to no avail.
For a moment I felt I was in Stalin’s Russia. But Jagdeo’s Guyana is no different.
This is the 21st century, why do I have to wait six months to get a renewal or a new passport to travel to see my very ill mother.
Norman Browne
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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