Submitted by Yardbroom

Could it be that with regard to Guyanese immigration a mistake was made a long time ago, and that mistake was compounded by a perhaps misguided but well intentioned act by the Barbados Immigration Department. Sometimes you can act in good faith but no good prevails. Norman Faria the Guyanese Honorary Consul was invited by the Barbados Immigration Department, to give an In-house Training Programme for Immigration Staff on the role of the Consul. On the surface it seems a reasonable thing to do. I do not know who instigated this exercise.

I will now use Norman Faria’s own words as reported in a letter he sent to the Stabroek News in Guyana dated 23 March 2002, to allow you to draw some conclusions. I will make a few points later in this submission. Remember his words are for Guyanese readers.

(1) ” I took the opportunity to remind them of the Consulate’s monitoring of their actions towards Guyanese visitors.”

(2) “There have been results Guyanese have been permitted entry with expired passports after consulate assurances.”

(3) “Wrongfully seized jewellery has been returned upon consulate’s intervention.”

(4) “We cannot publicly criticize the Government of the receiving state in this case Barbados, on the routine administration work of its statutory bodies such as the Immigration Department.”

(5)” A second factor is that Barbados Immigration and Customs operations have become more “efficient,” if I may use that term.”

(6)” I have been chosen from 27 Honorary Consuls in Barbados to give this talk.”

Let us examine his comments in detail because they are not innocuous and they give us the ideas which drive them.

#(1) There can be no doubt that I am monitoring your actions the operative word here for emphasis is “remind” it has obviously been done before, but here it reinforces the idea of monitoring.

#(2) Travellers are expected to have their travel documents in order before starting their journey. This is not an emergency situation the immigrant has started his/her journey with an expired passport, no more needs to be said.

#(3) The seed is that there is something not quite right here “wrongfully” is this general practice. You make a judgment, I will not.

#(4) “We cannot publicly criticize” and this is public, you the reader is left to draw your own conclusions.

#(5) The sneer and disdain in which he writes of The Immigration Department and how he uses the word “efficient” in a throw-away fashion. I leave for you to judge.

#(6) I am not as other Consuls, “I have been chosen.” This says it all the importance factor is writ large. I will not use the Latin, I will simply say first among equals.

The relationship between Norman Faria and the Immigration Department started on the wrong footing. In view of his comments, was it a lecture, talk, discussion or an opportunity to get his views across. How were the seats arranged? This letter partly explains why we are in this position and gives an insight how Norman Faria interacts with and views the Immigration Department and the Barbados authorities in general.

PS: I am indebted to Anonymous for bringing this to my attention.