Contrary to popular belief, more Guyanese are returning to the country or visiting than those leaving, according to a recent analysis by local financial analyst, Joel Bhagwandin.
In his recent letter to the editors of Guyanese news agencies, Bhagwandin cited data from the Bureau of Statistics, which highlighted that since 2015, Guyana has recorded positive net arrivals. He said this therefore challenges the notion that there is a mass exodus of citizens.
He also addressed concerns that the long lines at the passport office might be seen as a sign of mass migration. He acknowledged that while some Guyanese are indeed moving abroad, this is not unusual. “People migrate all the time, even from developing countries to other countries, in pursuit of their goals and ambitions or better opportunities,” he noted.
However, Bhagwandin emphasized that what truly matters is the scale of migration compared to historical trends, particularly during politically unstable periods in the 1980s and 1990s, when thousands of Guyanese left the country.
To examine the current migration trends, Bhagwandin analyzed arrival and departure statistics from both of Guyana’s international airports– the Ogle International Airport and Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
The data revealed that from 2016 to 2023, Guyana experienced positive net arrivals every year, with a total of 88,027 more arrivals than departures during that period. Only in 2015 did the country record negative net arrivals, with 4,488 more people leaving than arriving. On average, nearly 10,000 more people have been entering the country each year than leaving. This trend, Bhagwandin argued, directly contradicts the perception that significant numbers of Guyanese are migrating abroad permanently.
While some might assume that these arrivals are largely expatriates working in Guyana’s booming oil and gas sector, Bhagwandin pointed out that expatriates only account for a small portion of the workforce. Citing the public data, he noted that of the 6,000 to 10,000 workers employed in the oil and gas sector, 90% are Guyanese, meaning expatriates make up only about 10% of the workforce.
Given these figures, Bhagwandin concluded that most of the arrivals are likely Guyanese citizens returning from abroad, whether for business, vacation, or to resettle in the country. “It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, that most of the persons returning to Guyana annually are either Guyanese from the diaspora returning home, visiting or travelling frequently to conduct business, and/or Guyanese residents visiting other countries, whether it’s for vacation/tourism purposes or for business purposes,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of the Cheddi Jagan International airport, Ramesh Ghir recently revealed that the country is on track to welcome its one-millionth passenger by November 2024. He also noted that Guyana welcomed over 801,000 passengers in the first nine months of 2024.
However, of these numbers, he did not detail how many were Guyanese.
