…in Venezuela
Venezuela is well on its way to becoming a “Sh*t Hole” in the world state system. It was formed very remarkably like “Black Holes” in our cosmos. First was the spectacular explosion (supernova) by the revolutionary Hugo Chávez, who announced his messianic vision for a workers’ utopia. Not much different from Forbes Burnham here in 1974 with his “Declaration of Sophia”. Grandiloquent megalomania!!
That, of course, like all supernovas, collapsed under the gravitational pull of its own contradictions – and will continue to do so until not even a beam of light can leave. It then becomes a “Black/Sh*t Hole”. Burnham took just one decade to reach this state, while Chávez and Maduro took two. And just like with us, Venezuelans are pouring out of their miserable, collapsed country like cosmic rays and seeking refuge in every country that will accept them.
Or not. There was news of a Magistrate fining one poor refugee $50,000 for entering Guyana illegally. Another news item spoke of Region One’s health system being “overwhelmed” by Venezuelan refugees. It’s clear our authorities have forgotten how Guyanese were allowed to remain in Venezuela after they fled Burnham’s Black/S*it Hole – and given all rights to their social services.
We know we have our own challenges with those 7000 unemployed sugar workers…but this does not justify us fining and expelling folks simply trying to survive. How can we be so heartless? Have we become like Trump? Is Felix going to send his immigration troops to hunt down and expel Venezuelans? But another question is raised, which this PNC-led Government has obdurately refused to answer.
To wit: What are they doing about the 50,000+ Guyanese who’re now threatened by Venezuela collapse? Shouldn’t we try to facilitate their return before it’s too late, when nothing and no one can get out?? These are our own flesh and blood…we cannot abandon them another time. The Government should send teams to contact the Guyanese communities in San Felix and Puerto Ortaz, etc, and work out a structured extraction programme.
Preparations must be made to reintegrate them back into Guyanese life. Their children will need birth certificates, etc, to enter school. Some Guyanese have already returned on their own – and are telling some heart-rending stories of “sufferation”. Are we not our brothers’ (and sisters) keepers? Some of these individuals may have developed skills that can be useful for our development.
If we refuse to rise to the occasion then we deserve Trump’s appellation of being a “Sh*t Hole” country. There are some in this Government who’ve become arrogant at the 4-billion bbl oil find off our shores.
They should remember Venezuela’s reserves are over 300 billion bbl!!
…in Barbados memory
Remember that expression, “You could’ve knocked me down with a feather”? Well, your Eyewitness is picking himself up (slowly!) after the Barbados Prime Minister complained about Caricom demanding visas for Haitians to enter their countries!! Can you believe this? Here it is Guyanese, who were merely passing through Barbados’ Grantley Adams Airport on their way to America or elsewhere, were harassed mercilessly by Bajan immigration, and he’s now concerned about Haitians getting visas?!!
What a hypocrite!! Has the fellow forgotten how they treated that Jamaican young woman Myrie – and violated her “cavities” – that she had to take them all the way to the CCJ? And won! The stories of Bajan arrogance to West Indians – other than possibly Trinis – are legion. But it’s possible that the Bajan PM is seeing the writing on the wall – helped by the stream of IMF experts who’ve pronounced on his nation’s meltdown.
He probably knows Bajans will soon be like every other Sh*t Hole Third world country.
They’ll soon be knocking on our gates!!
…and the Atlantic
It did seem the Atlantic wants to reclaim the coastland we painfully stole from her over the past four hundred years!!
Your Eyewitness is still awed by the force of those waves. He wonders how those “rip rap” structures are holding up.
