BY THE

BOOK

by TRACY MOORE

in Georgetown, Guyana

IF EVIDENCE is produced of ill-treatment of Guyanese or any other CARICOM nationals, by empowered public officials, those officials will be disciplined appropriately.

Prime Minister David Thompson, in a Press conference held in Georgetown, Guyana yesterday, said his Government would be setting up "as soon as possible", an independent review panel to investigate any claims from Guyanese about ill-treatment by Barbados immigration authorities.

In a one-hour, 28 minute Press conference held at the Cara Lodge in Georgetown, the Prime Minister said, a miniscule percentage of Guyanese had been deported from Barbados and some might view the "tactics" by the Immigration Department as "harsh".

But he said: "My Government does not condone abuse of power, or inappropriate behaviour on the part of its officials, and if any evidence is produced that any of those empowered to take enforcement action have been excessive in the carrying out of their duties, they will be disciplined appropriately," he said.

In addressing the media in a live broadcast beamed across the Caribbean, Thompson responded to reports and questions which ranged from abusive and degrading behaviour to those deported from Barbados, denials of a plane load of Guyanese being sent home, ethnic profiling of Guyanese living in Barbados, to a claim by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Guyana, that 53 Guyanese were deported since May 5, of which 24 were sent back since the amnesty was instituted June 1.

In an earlier Press statement in Barbados, Thompson had announced that only four Guyanese had been deported since his new immigration policy for non-nationals came into effect on June,1.

Yesterday, in providing statistics, Thompson said between 2000 and 2008, more than 1 000 CARICOM nationals were admitted to Barbados under the Skilled National programme, of which over 40 per cent were from Guyana.

In 2008, some 5 608 work permits had been issued to CARICOM nationals of which 90 per cent were issued to Guyanese, and of the 1 717 student visas issued, 721 went to Guyanese nationals.

"If you look at the overall numbers as a percentage of the persons who move between the countries, it is miniscule and is not something for us to argue over," he told the Press.

"What is more important is that in every instance whether the person is asked to leave, or is deported, that they are treated fairly and justly and to ensure that that happens in the future, they are entitled to apply to a tribunal review committee to take a look at the circumstances and advise Government on how matters of that sort should be dealt with," he said.

The Prime Minister also disclosed that he had met with Guyana's president Bharrat Jagdeo, and suggested that favourable consideration be given to the opening of a Guyana High Commission in Bridgetown, to handle the needs of the increasing number of Guyanese living here.

The Summit opens officially today and ends on Sunday.