Your Eyewitness has taken note of the circus-like clamour surrounding the detention of a Guyanese social-media activist going by the handle of “Melly Mel” – who evidently has been living in the US. Seems she was picked up by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement – with the chilling acronym ICE” – as in putting someone on ice! ICE is a federal law enforcement agency operating under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is supposed to be “protecting the US from cross-border crime and undocumented immigration that threaten national security and public safety.” Whew!!
With the wide publicity given to Pres Trump’s efforts to expel the ELEVEN MILLION PLUS undocumented immigrants from all across the world who’re living illegally within its borders – there can’t be a soul on PLANET EARTH who ain’t heard about them!! And since every Guyanese knows of someone who’s in the states “without \ papers” it wasn’t surprising there were graphic reports in the local press of whole neighbourhoods in Queens and Brooklyn being deserted on account of ICE raids.
Anyhow, back to Melly Mel, whose detention was brought to your Eyewitness’ attention by that fearless fighter for justice – the GHRA – which had said nary a word about the aforementioned ICE raids before. But then, justice is blind and the mask over its eyes only slips off for special people!! According to one newspaper that’s joined at the hip with the GHRA, they “highlighted the recent detention of Atwell (Melly Mel), by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and her transfer to the Richwood Correctional Centre in Louisiana. This it said is incidentally the same detention facility where Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University student protester involved in New York Gaza protests and what are referred to as other ‘high value’ detainees are kept awaiting deportation.”
Now, your Eyewitness ain’t sure where the GHRA got it info from – but Richwood’s in Monroe, Louisiana and ain’t the facility were the “high value” Khalil’s kept. That’s at another ICE facility in Louisiana, but at Jena. Now this doesn’t mean Melly Mel ain’t “high value” but just she ain’t hanging out with Khalil- for whom free speech rights protests are still going on. But regardless of the facility, your Eyewitness is alarmed about the reports – such as by the ACLU – on Sexual Abuse in these ICE Detention centres.
Richwood began housing detainees in 2019 when a Cuban detainee committed suicide. “Between 2021,and 2022, Richwood had an average daily population of 399 detainees with a maximum capacity of 1,129.” The facility was found to be “dirty”.
On a positive note, Richwood provides detainees with the opportunity to work and earn money through the voluntary work program. No “GoFundMe” needed.
…for Cuban medical personnel
The US government has applied sanctions against Cuba from the late 1950s when Castro took power and aligned with the USSR – then America’s arch-enemy in their Cold War. On the other hand, we’ve maintained diplomatic relations with them and benefitted from its world-class medical system both in training our doctors and sending theirs into our system – which it does worldwide with some 24,180 doctors working in 56 nations. The US has now reiterated it’s gonna enforce visa restrictions on countries participating in this program since – in the words of Cuban-origin Secty of State Mark Rubio – it’s “forced labour”.
More specifically, the US contends the Cuban doctors – and nurses – are underpaid since the Cuban government collects a large chunk of their salaries but they’re forced to go abroad – human trafficking!!. Now, instead of grandstanding – like St Vincent’s Ralphie and Barbados Mia about being willing to lose their US visas – Guyana has in a reasoned manner stated that those exploitative conditions don’t apply here!!
So what’s the problem??
…for quick fixes
Imagine one Opposition presidential contender has suggested that Aubrey Norton doesn’t just step aside as the PNC/APNU Opposition consensus candidate – but he also steps aside for various newbies for even the PM candidacy!!
Like goat bite Aubrey??
