…mystery
There are all sorts of red herrings being dragged across the trail of the disappearing Haitians in Guyana. The SN finally editorialised about the phenomenon – which they’d studiously ignored up to then – to claim that some of them are en route to USA. Now, your Eyewitness has said it before, but will now have to say it again: Why, in God’s name, would the Haitians join a Copa flight originating in Panama and come to Guyana to then trek through our mud trails to get to Brazil, travel through that country’s highway into Colombia, and then return to Panama to proceed up the rest of Central America to get to the USA??
Haitians may be poor, but they aren’t stupid!! Another red herring is the Govt insisting that Haitians HAVE to be allowed entry to stay up to six months, because Haiti’s part of CariCom. That’s just not true. In addition to a return ticket – which they evidently have – they’ve got to show enough money to live in Guyana for that time. But from what we’ve learn from reports on their movement, most of them barely have enough money to buy food while being transported Ato other locations!! Something’s not regulah!!
The Ministry of Citizenship was carved out specially for Winston Felix, who’s a former Commissioner of Police. There were always questions about this move…but we’ll leave that for now. However, it strains your Eyewitness’s credulity to snapping point when Felix insists he doesn’t see anything suspicious about those busloads of Haitians arriving and never leaving!!
And the suggestion that they used their voodoo powers to teleport themselves is preposterous! They could’ve done that right in Panama — or Haiti for that matter — without forking over US$1700 for the Copa flight!
Even if the PPP were politicking about the Haitians being given ID cards and even passports, didn’t Felix wonder if some of his staff might be on the take and were supplying those documents? Didn’t he hear his Commander in Chief declaring there were bad apples in the GPF, and calling for them to be weeded out? But what has thrown your Eyewitness for a loop is the nonchalance Felix has displayed in “explaining” that Guyana is “just” being used as a jumping-off point for other destinations!
Don’t the logistical capabilities, shown by the persons who receive the Haitians and arrange for their transportation to hotels and then to our borders, suggest to Felix that this is an organised operation?? And that since both Suriname and Brazil demand visas, which are unavailable in Haiti and Panama, the Haitians are entering these countries illegally, since they certainly get visas here??
Increasing our borders’ porosity isn’t good for our security, no?
…and the race question
You regular readers know your Eyewitness regularly waxes lyrical about Haiti’s historical role in overthrowing the yoke of slavery against an imperial power, France. And their success put the fear of the devil in the planter class in the British West Indies, certainly speeding up the plans to abolish slavery here. But what does that have to do with “racism”, if we call for us to control our borders?? Or have health concerns with cholera and AIDS ravaging Haiti?
Was Barbados “racist” for, earlier this month, reinstating the requirement for Haitians to get visas to enter “Little England”?? The Bajans were quite candid in explaining the Haitians were raising their people’s ire!! But what does this have to do with Felix turning a blind eye to his staff in immigration being corrupted by the human smuggling bands that are bringing these people in?? Doesn’t he care that the EU came down hard on Suriname for facilitating that trade into French Guiana?
And will soon be doing the same with us??
…and French Guyana
France runs its overseas territories as “departments,” with social services at the same level as France’s. This attracts impoverished immigrants from Brazil, Suriname and Haiti.
The Haitians are the worst off – and yet they keep coming.
