By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton, has stated that Guyana is in no position to accept third-country deportees, citing the absence of a comprehensive migration policy and what he described as an already uncontrolled influx of migrants.
Responding to questions from HGPTV Nightly News, Norton said Guyana lacks the institutional framework and policy direction needed to responsibly manage such an arrangement, particularly proposals involving the United States.
“Our position is one where we should not be accepting them, and in the dispensation, I pointed out that we don’t even have a migration policy,” Norton said.
He emphasized that the PNCR is not opposed to migration in principle. However, he expressed strong reservations about accepting third-country deportees and refugees, arguing that such a move would place undue strain on Guyana’s social systems and security environment.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Norton said he is open to consultation on developing a clear, structured migration policy, but insisted that any future arrangement must include firm guarantees. These include assurances that no individuals with criminal backgrounds are accepted and that incoming migrants possess the education, skills, and capacity to contribute meaningfully to Guyana’s development.
“We need to have a migration policy before we even consider general migrants, much less deportees who run afoul of the law and whom their own governments do not want,” Norton said. “They are choosing to send them to a country without the resources to handle them.”
Drawing on his background in foreign relations, the PNCR leader argued that even the provision of external financial or logistical support would not sufficiently mitigate the risks associated with accepting deportees, particularly those with criminal histories.
“Resources cannot make people adopt the culture, and they will not mitigate the negative impact of criminals coming to Guyana,” he said. “The President of the United States said clearly that these are bad people and they don’t want them. Why should we be accepting them? I don’t think we should.”
Norton has repeatedly warned that unchecked migration could lead to significant demographic shifts, raising concerns about national security and the possibility of Guyanese citizens becoming a minority in their own country.
He reiterated that any discussion on migration must be guided by data, national interest, and strong policy safeguards, stressing that Guyana must prioritise the protection of its citizens, resources, and social cohesion.
