Gov’t unveils Diaspora project in Canada

By Ron Cheong

Guyana’s High Commissioner to Canada Harry Narine Nawbatt; IOM Mission Chief Rui Reis; Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; Honorary Consul General to Toronto Sattie Sawh and Guyana’s Ambassador to Washington, Bayney Karran at the launch

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett rolled out the Guyana Diaspora (GUYD) Project in Canada on Monday at a gala ceremony held at the Radisson Hotel, Toronto East.
The initiative is being undertaken in partnership with International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which has decades of experience in migration and development, and is billed as the leading international agency working with governments and civil society to advance the understanding of migration issues and to encourage social and economic development.
The session was attended by IOM chief of mission in Guyana Rui Reis, Guyana’s ambassador in Washington Bayney Karran, Guyana’s High Commissioner in Canada Harry Narine Nawbatt, and Honorary Consul General in Toronto Sattie Sawh. Those in attendance heard that the overall objective of the GUYD initiative, which was launched in New York in September and rolled out in London, Antigua and Barbados and now Canada, is to facilitate the engagement of the Guyanese diaspora for the economic development of the country.
The first stage now in progress is bringing a structured approach to surveying people, skills and organisations in different countries with populations of Guyanese origins, as opposed to reliance on hearsay or cumulative bits and pieces of anecdotal information.
The intent is to develop a fuller understanding about the levels and areas of interest of the diaspora in contributing to Guyana’s development. This information would be used to better design programmes to facilitate those wanting to engage, and to match the needs of the public and private sectors with the resources available.
According to the minister, the programme reflects the new strategic thinking on the migration issue, which has traditionally been viewed as a drain on the country.  This was and still is true. Guyanese can be found in some of the unlikeliest places all over the world.  Some estimates indicate that they are more Guyanese living abroad than in Guyana.

Aiding national development
The new approach, however, is to constructively reframe the situation, and capitalise on the fact that the diaspora is also an important pool of human capital, skills, finance and economic and social development for Guyana. Consequently, they are now considered an important element in the domestic and foreign policy of countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and elsewhere.  And this is reflected in the GUYD initiative.
The minister related that she has met many Guyanese in the diaspora, who indicated a desire to help, but do not know where to begin.  There is no central agency they can go to get information, or they get the run-around, or are caught up in red tape.
In the foreign minister’s words, “This initiative, which we call the Guyana diaspora initiative, or GUYD initiative is therefore intended to address ways in which Guyanese living abroad can be integrated into the national development architecture to give effect to our long articulated policy of incorporating our diaspora into the task of nation building.”
Minster Rodrigues-Birkett reported that the private sector in Guyana has thrown their support behind the GUYD initiative and has asked that their vacancies, which require external skill sets be posted on the project website at some point.
She informed the audience that registration for the programme is completely voluntary and information will be held in strict confidence.  Originally, the process asked for a registrant’s name with the idea that when specific needs arose, they could be matched against the relevant skill sets.
But to completely address any sensitivity that may exist, this has been discontinued.  The inventory of skills and expectations can be completed without attaching names.  Name and email address only becomes necessary if a registrant wants to communicate further on the process.

All Guyanese eligible
All Guyanese living abroad and children of Guyanese parentage are eligible to register.  Those who are interested in doing so, including diaspora groups, organisations and associations should visit www.guydproject.iom.int.   Information is also available via social media such as Facebook, which is a direct attempt to communicate with the younger generation in the media of their choice.
The IOM chief of mission, like the minister, noted the important role the Guyanese diaspora has long played in sending back remittances to relatives at home, making gifts to their communities of origin, their childhood schools, other philanthropic activities and programmes, generating tourism revenues, and investments.
The waves of migration started in the 1960s, with the UK being the destination of choice at that time.   Many migrants and their children have worked themselves into the position to add another dimension to their contribution by way of skills and investment.
Reis noted that the expanded role of skills transfer has particularly grown in significance with the development of the modern knowledge-based economy.  He said that the IOM is committed and available to providing assistance with systems, mapping, strategy, policy, organising and institutional strengthening required by the initiative.
The evolution of technology has also increased the options available.  Some, like IT specialist, can undertake projects in Guyana right from their present location.  Others may want to travel and spend some specific time period in Guyana before returning.  And yet another segment may be interested in the re-migrant programme.
Elaborating on what is meant by skills, the minister said this does not necessarily refer to just degrees, and by example, noted that that there is a building boom going on in Guyana with the governments housing programme to the extent there is a shortage of finishing skills, like cabinetry and plumbing, which is also reflective of the fact that Guyana is changing along with the rest of the world and with the flow of information.