Former President Donald Ramotar said he believes Guyana’s third-country deportee agreement with the United States should be made public. Mr. Ramotar has rejected the arrangement as an attempt to “re-colonize” Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Appearing on the SOURCES talk show on Sunday, the former President said Guyana and other countries within Latin America and the Caribbean Region should not be forced into accepting those who the US sees as undesirables.

The former President is convinced that the ‘agreement’ was forced on countries in Latin America and Caribbean Region, with Guyana being no exception.

“I am sure it was. I am sure it wasn’t only forced on us, it was forced on all the countries, the 30 something countries that have agreed to accept these people. It was forced on them. Despite what Governments might say,” the former President said.

The Guyana Government has defended the agreement, and has stated it will allow Guyana to receive a limited number of skilled and non-criminal individuals, who have been removed from the United States, and are citizens of another country.

But while alluding to statements made by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the former President said he is not convinced that that those who are coming are criminals.

“I don’t necessarily go along with the people who believe we will get skills. Well, Rubio is telling us the types of skills he is sending – pedophiles, rapists, child molesters and so on, and so forth, and that’s why I think it is not a good thing,” Mr. Ramotar said.

Already, six Cubans and Afghans have been deported from the U.S to Guyana under the Trump’s administration third-country deportation programme.

In an attempt to allay the fears of Guyanese, President Irfaan Ali recently assured that the deportees arriving in Guyana are thoroughly vetted, but the former President appears not to be convinced.

“I think that Rubio has made it very clear who he is sending, and I think our Government should reject everyone who they are rejecting, we should reject them too. Except if they are Guyanese nationals,” Mr. Ramotar said.

He said one of the immoralities of the programme is that the US will turn around and issue advisories for tourists not to visit countries because of crimes.

“Another immorality of the whole thing with the Americans is that they constantly issue directives, don’t visit this country, beware of the crimes that exist there and so forth, they are pouring their criminals to us,” Mr. Ramotar explained.

Under the agreement, the United States will bear the full cost of the relocation process, and the Guyana Government said it intends to accept only individuals who have chosen relocation to Guyana of their own volition.

It was also explained by the Government that the International Office of Migration, which is the UN Migration Agency, will be responsible for the operational implementation of the programme.

Related posts:

Former President Donald Ramotar wants restoration of Guyana-Cuba Medical Mission Agreement President assures Guyana retains full control over third-country deportee agreement with US AFC calls on Government to release “secretive” third country deportee agreement Human Rights Association calls on Government to publish agreement to accept third-country deportees from the US