Over 36% of Guyanese living overseas – Forbes report

…large diaspora a legacy of 1970s, 80s exodus – Guyana’s Foreign Secretary

With over 36 per cent of all native-born Guyanese living in foreign lands, Guyana has the dubious distinction of having the largest diaspora population of any country in the world. This is according to the United States (US) magazine, Forbes.

According to the report, which was released on Friday and looked at statistics dating from 2020, Guyana had the largest share of its native-born population living overseas. This amounts to 36.4 per cent of all Guyanese.
“In regions where small countries are common and remoteness is added as another factor, for example in the Caribbean or Oceania, living in the diaspora is the most widespread. Out of all sovereign countries with at least 750,000 inhabitants, Caribbean nation Guyana had the biggest share of its native-born population—36.4 per cent—living abroad,” the report said.
“Jamaica comes fifth at 28.6 per cent. Taking into account independent countries of all sizes, island nations dominate the top ranks with up to half of their populations having settled in other countries. Polynesia was the region with the highest overall diaspora share in 2020, at 28.7 per cent, followed by the Caribbean at 17.7 per cent.”

Exodus
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud, in an interview with this publication, acknowledged the figures contained in the Forbes report. However, he noted that Guyana’s large diaspora community is part of the legacy of the 1970s and 1980s when Guyanese fled in droves to escape the economic and political policies of the then Forbes Burnham Government.
“We are aware that we have a very dense Guyanese global diaspora, very concentrated in North America and in our neighbouring countries of Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil, but also the Caribbean. We also have in Europe, as well as parts of Africa and Asia.”
“This is as a result of the 70s and the 1980s, when there was economic stagnation and political repression. A lot of persons were forced to flee, in search of better opportunities or as a result of the persecution they faced,” Persaud said.
The Foreign Secretary noted, however, that in recent times Guyanese have been reversing this trend in seeking to return home. This is something Persaud said is being influenced by the positive economic and political climate and moreover, he noted that the Government has been having more engagements with the diaspora than ever.
“What we’ve noticed recently is that there’s now a reverse trend, where members of the diaspora are more interested in returning. We have a reverse taking place of inward migration. Not only by the diaspora, but also by persons who are non-Guyanese.”
“Given the economic transformation taking place in the country, as well as the positive political climate and the vision being articulated by President Ali, I think this stimulates greater interest in the diaspora coming back,” the Foreign Secretary added.
Since its return to office, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government has made engaging the diaspora a priority, particularly at a pivotal time of Guyana’s development. Apart from diaspora engagement, the Government has been engaging Guyanese missions, consulates, consul generals and honorary consuls across the globe.
This has extended to Guyanese organisations in North America and elsewhere, to update them on developmental projects. An allocation of $50 million was earmarked for the Diaspora and Remigration Unit for staffing, internships, and providing the positive information that would attract possible remigrants.
The Government has also been urging the Guyanese diaspora, which Persaud has maintained has a critical role to play in Guyana’s economic development, to tap into the opportunities available under the Local Content Act and the local content framework it supports. (G3)