More policies, systems needed for d
-Professor Narine
Describing the diaspora as a “sleeping giant,” Professor Dhanpaul Narine of New York (NY) says more systems and policies need to be put in place to encourage overseas-based Guyanese to return home to invest.
On the second day of the five-day Diaspora Engagement Conference that is being held at the Ramada Princess Hotel, East Bank Demerara, he said that politicians are not doing enough to tap the enormous resource of Guyanese living abroad.
The conference, organized by the University of Guyana (UG) is being held under the theme: “Dreaming Diaspora Engagement, Doing Diaspora Engagement.”
Over 200 stakeholders and leaders in the diaspora are engaging in various forums and symposiums towards the strengthening of partnerships with overseas organisations.
Dr. Narine said that the Guyanese diaspora feel like “outsiders trying to get in but are being pushed out.”
He said too that the politicians would only contact the diaspora about returning home during elections time. He hopes that the conference would bring about some changes in that regard.
Dr. Narine told Stabroek News (SN) that “there is a lot of talk about investing but we still have to wait and see,” noting that people “are not going to come and invest unless the ‘climate’ is right.”
He was referring to the benefits of serving for several years in the diaspora and then returning to serve locally and about the rights of the children of Guyanese parentage who may want to here.
He said Guyana should take note of the way the diaspora is being treated in Jamaica and Haiti.
According to Dr. Narine, Jamaica has a very robust diaspora policy with a minister and the diaspora is seen as an extension of the Jamaican society.
In Haiti, which is poorer than Guyana there is a ministry for Haitians abroad. In Guyana, though the diaspora is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs programmes, the subject minister could not make it to address them on the first day of the conference, he lamented.
Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge was expected to outline “what Guyana aims to do to engage its Diaspora in the most meaningful way as the world undergoes severe global changes.”
Dr. Narine pointed out that he writes a lot of recommendations for skilled young people to volunteer their services in the Dominican Republic and places in Africa but they have never been here.
When he inquired why they were not doing the same for Guyana they responded that no one was telling them much about here. They also said that they have written letters seeking permission to come and volunteer here but nobody responded.
Dr. Narine said since he has been living in NY he has always taken an active role in the life of Richmond Hill, which has an unofficial population of 250,000 Guyanese and is dubbed ‘Little Guyana.’ The population is second to the Chinese.
He said in the greater NY area, the “Guyanese population is number seven and we are making tremendous progress in all different fields; medical, accountancy, real estate and construction” while “the children are performing well at schools.”
He, along with other professors, has gotten an offer