By GHK Lall- It was just a matter of when. From where they hail. Then, how many of them. Last, what kind of undesirables. They go by the name of ‘deportees’, third country nationals. From the moment the first word of a destination for deportees from the U.S. came up, I considered it a done deal, as guaranteed as inevitable. At the heart of this is a captive and prostrate PPP Govt that just doesn’t have the masculine equipment to say a loud NO to the Americans. Not here! Not with the troubles that Guyana has.
Not with local difficulties that have proven to be intractable and insoluble for over six decades. Of course, every Guyanese that can boast of a Nursery level education had a sense that none of that was being said by the PPP Govt. What and get on the wrong side of the White House? Not a chance, when retention of power is of such crucial importance; when America holds the key. Especially with WIN Mohamed nipping at the heels, and likely to become more of a chameleon that plays to his strengths, and keeps his PPP Govt adversaries (former bosom pals) on edge.
In the America-Guyana scheme, the special relationship that exists between the two means that Guyana gets to own the “dirty/wrong end of the stick.” Undesirables from a U.S. perspective. Deportees in need of a home. Incidentally, that ‘stick’ business is one of the patents owned by Pres Ali. From the time third country nationals slipped past Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s lips, it was over. Guyana was going to be on the receiving end.
A few months were allowed to pass, so that the PPP Govt could create the impression that it was battling to keep non-Guyanese deportees out of Guyana. Like so many things PPP, it was a charade. A waste of time at camouflage. It’s how predictable and transparent Pres Ali is now. Third country deportees were going to arrive in Guyana. Not so much as a matter of why, but when the curtain on the scam was going to be pulled back, and the picture that emerged made clear.
Whoever in Guyana is convinced or comforted by ‘vetted, skilled, and non-criminal deportees’ dumped on Guyana, just joined the parade of naïve and gullible in this country. Those who would swallow the contents of any latrine deposited on their heads with a sick grin. If the deportees possess all those qualities ‘skilled and non-criminal’ why get rid of them in the first place? How is it that the U.S. doesn’t have uses for them, can’t find space for them? What makes Guyana so special as a dumpsite for deportees? Or converted these deportees into prime candidates for the U.S. expulsion blacklist?
Further, the reassurance that Guyana reserves “full discretion” to review and reject any deportee (get rid of that garbage language about relocation) doesn’t hold any water here. Since Guyana has that so-called right of refusal, with no questions asked and costs borne by the U.S., then somebody explain to the Guyanese people why even one individual from any batch is being accepted.
I interpret that as the usual slick salesman pitch that means one thing: it’s a dud. I recall that timeless Native American Indian ditty so loaded with meaning: someone speaks with forked tongue. It surprises that the UN is part of this deportee exercise. Allowance must be made for humanitarian grounds.
In separating from this tainted subject, something is tabled for all Guyanese to ponder and remember. It’s only a matter of time before non-criminal falls away from the deportee conversation and Guyana becomes home to third country criminals. Under the PPP Govt, it would be part of the continuum of doing anything to please the Americans to guarantee continuity in office. I wonder what will be the fate of the Chinese. Looks inevitable, also.
