Indo-Trinidadians and Canadian visa restrictions

The Editor: I refer to one of your letters to the editor, by Mc-Donald James on Canadian Visa restrictions (Newsday 25/02/03).  Here is a rather disingenuous attempt to (and not for the first time) blame Indo-Trinidadians, for Canadian visa restrictions placed on citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. 

The author purports to give us the facts, yet in making a clearly divisive case,  uses erroneous and hearsay evidence at best. Figures suggest that about 14,800 citizens of Trinidad and Tobago claimed refugee status in a few months of 1988, which led to visa restrictions being placed on this country late that year. Hulsie Bhaggan was not an MP until 1991 and her inflammatory statements about Afro-Trinidadian men, which Mr James claims to be the seed of events, were made long after Canadian Visa restrictions. That invalidates the ludicrous statements about an Indian homeland called “Indesh” and the rest of his explanation on the matter. The refugee crisis was sparked by economics and opportunity. 

On one hand was the austerity measures of the NAR, and on the other, a failing Canadian system dealing with refugees.  Under Canadian law at the time, every alien, regardless of origin, personal history or criminal record, once having set foot on Canadian soil, had the right under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to claim refugee status. Having done so, the claimant had all the privileges of citizenship except the right to vote. This was based on a Canadian Supreme Court ruling in 1985, and taken advantage of by tens of thousands worldwide.  Whether the majority of claimants from Trinidad and Tobago were of East Indian descent is unsubstantiated and immaterial.  Furthermore, it is speculative to suggest that Canada would not have placed a visa restriction on this country had there not been a refugee crisis.   Closer to home though, one has to wonder at the reasons for our country placing visa restrictions on India and Nigeria.

Wayne Jaggernauth
Research Associate
Wolfson School
Loughborough University
Leicestershire UK