Unfairness in treatment of visitors
FREE movement within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of even skilled citizens of the region continues to be advanced at a slow pace generally and at a more encouraging rate in a few member states, Barbados being among the latter category. This issue, along with CARICOM's pledge to promote hassle-free movement at points of entry into member countries of CARICOM, needs to be given serious consideration at next month's 20th CARICOM Summit in Port-of-Spain. There are far too many reports by citizens of some countries - Guyanese, Jamaicans and Vincentians, in particular - of harassment and discrimination on arrival at airports in the region. In the particular case of Barbados, the Attorney-General and Minister of Home Affairs, David Simmons, who is known to have a liberal view on free movement of West Indians within CARICOM and the need for politeness to visitors, should undertake a more critical look at the treatment being complained of by Guyanese visitors in particular, to this country. This seems necessary in view of the now frequent reports in the media of Guyanese of varying professions and with varying reasons for arriving in Barbados. Senior immigration officials have been consistent in their own denials of such reports. But the continuing claims of unfair treatment, embarrassing searches of the person, denial of telephone calls or refusal to provide even snacks to those waiting for hours before being deported, suggest that something is wrong. With all the goodwill in the world, it is difficult to accept that there is no substance to the numerous allegations against unfair and hostile treatment at the airport by immigration and customs officials toward the Guyanese who make these allegations. Guyana's Honorary Consul in Barbados, Norman Faria, has been blending his praise for the co-operation received from Barbadian immigration officials with criticisms of unfair treatment and, in particular, the assumption that visitors deported without any stated reason, included those the officers felt had ulterior motives for wanting to be here. A recent report of a marriage racket involving Guyanese remains an issue of official investigation and should not be used in a prejudicial manner against visitors from that country arriving in Barbados either for business or pleasure. Government should, in the interest of maintaining good people-to-people relations, investigate without prejudice the claims by West Indian citizens of unfair, embarrassing and even hostile treatment on arrival at the Grantley Adams International Airport.
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