Caribbean diaspora makes way to D.C. – Queens Chronicle

The future of U.S. and Caribbean relations was the main topic at hand in Washington, D.C. on March 26 when an alliance of the Caribbean diaspora community met with Trump administration officials.

Religious and business leaders were assembled by the Institute of Caribbean Studies for a follow-up meeting, which was held in February, to continue the discussion between the diaspora and administration on the United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016 signed last December by President Obama.

The act provides for the identification and implementation of specific initiatives and programs to enhance Americas relations with the Caribbean at both the multilateral and bilateral levels, according to the press release.

The diaspora submitted a white paper to the State Department, which addresses nine issues they want to discuss.

Vishnu Mahadeo, of the Richmond Hill Economic Development Council, who is Guyanese, was in attendance representing the Queens Caribbean community and said the large topics at hand were trade, immigration and overall foreign relations. We just want the administration to be aware that our programs are beneficial to the U.S., Mahadeo said in a Tuesday interview.

One of the more important questions was that of the need for the U.S. to start cooperating and educating the Caribbean countries, especially Guyana, in terms of its requirement to be able to export fruits and veggies into the U.S. market, he said.

That is actually a question I brought up to the economic chair because as you are aware we have a high concentration of Guyana and Caribbean people in Richmond Hill, an area where none of the fruits and veggies come from Guyana.

Mahadeo believes theres an imbalance between the Caribbean and other countries that the U.S. can address.

The Caribbean is more an importer than exporter, and in Guyanas case they have discovered significant amounts of oil, some of the largest deposits in world right now, he said, inferring this can possibly bring in more revenue.

Third world countries get peanuts off of their resources and were hoping theyll be able to do some infrastructure development for the communities as a whole, he added.

Deportation was another topic Mahadeo spoke on. He finds it unfair to deport people who were born outside the U.S. but spent the majority of their life in the U.S. because they are not accustomed to that countrys society, essentially saying they have no real chance at progressing for themselves.

They are not connected to the society and they have no roots to connect them, so they are left on their own and not in the correct society, he said.

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Caribbean diaspora makes way to D.C. - Queens Chronicle