Dear Editor,

We are facing ongoing difficulties at the Consulate General of Guyana in New York.

First it is almost ten months that one is waiting to obtain a new passport for which one pays US$60.00, equivalent to approximately G$11,000.00 compared to G$1,000.00 in Guyana where you can obtain your passport in less than one week. Yet when they do have passports some who do certain things receive a new passport in less than one day.

Many Guyanese are in dire need of their passports to have their green card processed and have no choice than to do whatever is required to get a passport.

The other point on this topic is that you have to wait for one year when you apply for a replacement of a lost passport and after that year is completed, the passport is not ready and a silly excuse is given to the applicant.

It is very unusual in the Diplomatic and Consular Corps that a Consul General can remain at a post for so many years, since the change of government has taken place in 1992. Even with the change of a new Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had the opportunity of working along with this Consul General when he was attached as PR to the UN Mission to Guyana, no change has been made.

Another thing I have observed from going to the consulate very often, I can count the few members of staff that they have working there, from seeing the familiar faces, on no more than the ten fingers of my hands, and under the tremendous amount of pressure that they endure daily from the Guyanese community I compliment them for doing an excellent job, better than was done before with more staff in the PNC administration.

Come on Mr President and Mr Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is time for a change. We need to move to the 21st century. The office atmosphere itself needs sprucing up. As compared to other foreign consulates I have seen, that are accredited in the USA, this consulate is the worst.

This office should be the 'window to the world' for our country and I would not want to imagine what tourists would think of our country when they visit the consulate for an entry visa to Guyana.