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Django

April 21, 2016 Source

Dear Editor,

I travelled to Guyana from JFK early last month to conduct a survey relating to the local government elections and contemporary issues. At the passport control desk, after the immigration officer processed my information, she announced secondary screening; she mentioned something to some other immigration officer. It was not clear why I needed secondary screening. Subsequently, after retrieving my belongings from the baggage belt and proceeding to customs, my bags were thoroughly checked. I had no dutiable goods — no electronics, no commercial items. I was asked who the traditional Indian garments in the luggage belonged to and what I would do with them? I could not make sense of the questions. I was told I had to pay duty. I told the customs officer I would leave the items in storage and take them back with me when I leave the country. I did not observe anyone else’s luggage being so thoroughly inspected. The officer allowed me to leave with my belongings after I spoke with a supervisor and indicated I did not like the questions. I did have some items to donate to orphanages and charitable organisations.

When I departed Guyana, my belongings were again subjected to a thorough search by CANU.

Was I targeted because of my activism, political commentaries and or critique of politicians?

A few years ago political activist David Hinds complained that his belongings were searched when he was leaving Guyana. He claimed he was targeted. He offered no evidence to substantiate his claim. Was I targeted? I believe Hinds’ experience was a case of CANU officers seeing something in the X-ray as all bags are/were X-rayed and wanting to do spot checking. I believe the same happened with regards to me (CANU search) when I was departing. But was it a coincidence that the immigration officer requested a secondary screening and my bags were thoroughly checked and emptied on the counter. What purpose was served from such a detailed search and at whose direction? Does anyone really believe I bring items to sell in Guyana or that I am a threat to the state that I needed secondary screening.

Guyanese should be free to enter and leave the country without having to worry at being harassed and intimidated at the airport. Overseas-based political activists and commentators should not have to be worried that they are being targeted when they visit their homeland. I wonder what is David Hinds’ view about my experience.

Yours faithfully

Vishnu Bisram

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DjangoAdmin

Chill out, Mr Bisram

April 22, 2016 Source

Dear Editor,

Vishnu Bisram’s letter captioned ‘Was I targeted at airport because of my activism’ (SN 21/4/2016) does not surprise anyone, as he is an attention seeker.

Bisram said he was subjected to a secondary screening; and it was not clear why he was subjected to one. This man, I believe lives in the USA, where secondary screening is par for the course. My wife, my son and I have been subjected to secondary screening several times. We never felt that during the PPP/C administration, this was due to the fact that I was a serving Member of Parliament, or a past MP representing the PNCR. We simply took it in stride that the immigration and customs officers were doing their work.

I doubt whether most of the immigration officers or customs officers know who Vishnu Bisram is or care for that matter. If Bisram was bringing what appears to be goods of a commercial quantity then he should pay the relevant duties.

The goodly gentleman then complains that when he was departing Guyana his ‘belongings were again subjected to a thorough search by CANU’. Chill out Mr. Bisram!

Two months ago, while I was on my way out of Guyana, I was picked out by the said CANU, who did a full examination of my suitcase, briefcase and carry on piece. They recorded on a form my name, ticket number, intended destination etc. Should I conclude that the coalition government directed that search?

Bisram’s wildness knows no bounds; he concludes that ‘Overseas-based political activists and commentators should not have to worry that they are being targeted when they visit their homeland’. Bisram then asks David Hinds for his views on the Bisram experience!

Lord, this man is idle! His experience could not have been political. But wait, is Bisram a political activist? I thought he was an international pollster. So now that he has let the cat out of the bag, it can be concluded that all those supposed polls he published, must be viewed and analysed for what they were – deliberate tools to influence the public in voting in a particular way in support of Bisram’s party.

The old folks words of wisdom ‘give a dog or a goat a long rope and it will choke itself’, applies to Bisram.

Yours faithfully,

Jerome Khan

4/22/169:33 AM

ChiefSenior Member

Jerome hand Bisram well and propa.

Dem PPP bhais and gals like Bibi opening their stupid ass mouths and then get catch like fly in cow's ass.

4/22/169:45 AM

cainTired old hippie

I must be gettin single out each time I head to Western Canada. Yes, our bags are screened withing Canada also. Even held up last year because of a few knives they thought had to do with Ninja weapons.

The dam people are finally doing their job and that bimbo crying, hehehehe

4/22/169:53 AM

Billy Ram BalgobinBilly

Bisram has always been a political activist. This is no secret. Why is Jerome pretending that this is news to him? Being a pollster does not mean that you are not a political activist. Haslyn Paris, a senior member of the PNC, was on the Election Commission when announced that the election results were fair. Did his political activism disqualified from being a member of GECOM?? Jerome is brazenly hypocritical in his response.

4/22/1610:15 AM

Former Member

Billy Ram Balgobin posted:
Haslyn Paris, a senior member of the PNC, was on the Election Commission when announced that the election results were fair. Did his political activism disqualified from being a member of GECOM??

Billy, the Elections Commission comprises 3 PPP members, 3 APNU+AFC members and the Chairman Surujbally. In other words, you have to be a politician/activist for your party to nominate you to represent it in GECOM.

4/22/1611:41 AM

Billy Ram BalgobinBilly

Gilbakka posted:
Billy Ram Balgobin posted:
Haslyn Paris, a senior member of the PNC, was on the Election Commission when announced that the election results were fair. Did his political activism disqualified from being a member of GECOM??
Billy, the Elections Commission comprises 3 PPP members, 3 APNU+AFC members and the Chairman Surujbally. In other words, you have to be a politician/activist for your party to nominate you to represent it in GECOM.

Does it make your actions or complaints politically-motivated?

4/22/1612:28 PM

PrashadSenior Member

Seeing that Bisran is a promoter of Ralph politics maybe Ralph should take his case up.

4/22/1611:20 PM

DjangoAdmin

I am on a special list

April 23, 2016 Source

Dear Editor

MR VISHNU Bisram, in a letter to the Stabroek News on April 21 (Was I targeted because of my Activism), detailed his recent experiences at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. He suggested that a similar experience I had some years ago was not political, but that his was clearly due to his political activism.I was therefore puzzled that he wanted to hear my view on his experience. If what he claims is true, then the Government still has a lot of cleaning up to do. No political person should be subjected to such harassment without due cause.

What I can tell Mr Bisram is that, from about 2010, I noticed that when I would enter Guyana, the Immigration Officers would have to call a senior officer to clear me. It would sometimes happen when I am leaving. This practice has continued even after the change of Government.

I recently asked the Immigration Officer why a senior officer had to clear my entry, and was told what I had long suspected: I am on a special list of persons whose entry to Guyana needs special clearance.

That is the Guyana we have developed into. The Government supported by Mr Bisram treated me like an alien in my own country; the Government which I support has not changed the policy. In fairness to the Government I support, its officials may not have gotten around to reviewing that list of aliens. In the meantime, we press on with much enthusiasm to our big 50th birthday party.
Regards,
DAVID HINDS

4/24/1610:23 PM

Former Member

Guyana is now a very racist nation. Wearing or carrying Indo clothing in your luggage may cause you to be subject to harassment.

This is racism and it stinks.

Carib wishes for a Black only Guyana is becoming a reality.

4/24/1610:55 PM

cainTired old hippie

So now Hinds is an Indo who carries Indo clothing in his suitcase.

Ow Man, yall talk shyte to try and make things right you might say this sounds like rap, better take care you mouth doan ketch the clap.

4/25/169:55 AM

DjangoAdmin

yuji22 posted:
Guyana is now a very racist nation. Wearing or carrying Indo clothing in your luggage may cause you to be subject to harassment.
This is racism and it stinks.
Carib wishes for a Black only Guyana is becoming a reality.

DAVID HINDS

How you miss this bhai,change the selective perception.

4/25/1611:02 AM

Former Member

Django posted:
yuji22 posted:
Guyana is now a very racist nation. Wearing or carrying Indo clothing in your luggage may cause you to be subject to harassment.
This is racism and it stinks.
Carib wishes for a Black only Guyana is becoming a reality.
What I can tell Mr Bisram is that, from about 2010, I noticed that when I would enter Guyana, the Immigration Officers would have to call a senior officer to clear me. It would sometimes happen when I am leaving. This practice has continued even after the change of Government.
DAVID HINDS
How you miss this bhai,change the selective perception.

Give yuji22 a break. He is now programmed to bypass the name DAVID from Numero Uno down to the Hindsmost. And while he will readily shout JAI HIND he would never utter JAI HINDS.

4/25/1612:10 PM

Former Member

yuji22 posted:

Carib wishes for a Black only Guyana is becoming a reality.

Given that you have FAILED to cite evidence that I am a racist, while it is generally agreed that you are, its interesting your comment.

Now one would sooner think that you would rather Guyana be turned into little India, with blacks reduced to slavery. Because that is exactly what Jagdeo was trying to do!

4/25/167:20 PM

Former Member

Django posted:
yuji22 posted:
Guyana is now a very racist nation. Wearing or carrying Indo clothing in your luggage may cause you to be subject to harassment.
This is racism and it stinks.
Carib wishes for a Black only Guyana is becoming a reality.
What I can tell Mr Bisram is that, from about 2010, I noticed that when I would enter Guyana, the Immigration Officers would have to call a senior officer to clear me. It would sometimes happen when I am leaving. This practice has continued even after the change of Government.
DAVID HINDS
How you miss this bhai,change the selective perception.

The fact that these clowns refuse to admit how racist the PPP was removes any credibility that they might otherwise have about current racism from APNU.

Until they admit that the PPP was ethnically exclusionary, the have no standing to make similar accusations to APNU.

4/25/167:25 PM

Former Member

caribny posted:
The fact that these clowns refuse to admit how racist the PPP was removes any credibility that they might otherwise have about current racism from APNU.
Until they admit that the PPP was ethnically exclusionary, the have no standing to make similar accusations to APNU.

Come on now CaribJ, lots of Blacks drink milk under the PPP. You call them traitors but indeed they were visionaries who broke through the race barrier to support an Indian president.

4/25/167:31 PM

Former Member

Drugb posted:
.
Come on now CaribJ, lots of Blacks drink milk under the PPP

Yes. Criminals. Those are the only blacks who the PPP respected.

4/25/167:48 PM

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