TEIXEIRA SHARES INFORMATION ON SUSPECT VISA SEEKERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L GEORGETOWN 000139

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

INL/HSTC
CA/FPP
WHA/CAR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2016
TAGS: PGOV SNAR SMIG KFRD KCOR KCRM GY
SUBJECT: TEIXEIRA SHARES INFORMATION ON SUSPECT VISA SEEKERS

REF: A. 05 GEORGETOWN 1349


B. 05 GEORGETOWN 1269

Classified By: Ambassador Roland W. Bullen for reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Ambassador met with Minister of Home Affairs Gail
Teixeira on January 12 and January 20 to discuss various
matters. At the January 12 meeting, Teixeira handed a
document to Ambassador containing a list of Indian nationals
who had applied for Guyanese tourist visas through Indian
"tour operators" (reftels). The list includes name, date of
birth, place of birth, and passport number of sixty-two visa
applicants. Post has e-mailed a copy of the document to the
Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center (HSTC) and the
consular sections of Embassy New Delhi and Embassy Islamabad.


2. (SBU) Teixeira also provided updates on her efforts to
address corruption within the General Register Office (GRO)
responsible for civil documents.

- Since EmbOffs gave Teixeira a report on December 23
regarding fraudulent Guyanese visa applications, she has
continued to explore ways of improving document security.
For example, she has obtained three estimates for systems
that would print civil documents, which are all currently
handwritten. She does not have money for this project.
Ambassador said he would investigate the possibility of USG
assistance for Teixeira's initiative to clean up GRO. Two
key objectives are: a) assisting GoG to computerize the civil
registry system to improve document security and modernize
archival record keeping; and b) reviewing current procedures
at GRO to identify areas lacking security and provide
training to correct deficiencies. Post will pursue funding
for these objectives through USAID's Democracy and Governance
program and through INL.

- Despite the prevalence of fraudulent marriages in Guyana,
Teixeira said that the Minister of Tourism, Industry, and
Commerce Manzoor Nadir wants to amend the law to encourage
marriage tourism.

- After several months, bids to institute machine-readable
passports by 2007 are still sitting with Guyana's tender
board.


3. (C) COMMENT. Teixeira still seems to be fighting a
lonely, uphill battle against fraud and corruption in the
Ministry of Home Affairs. A shocking lack of control over
Guyana's civil registry, visas, and passports presents
narco-criminals, smuggled aliens, and potential terrorists
with an easy way to obtain travel documents. She expressed
gratitude that we are sharing information with her, but
complained that problems have worsened since she began to
"turn screws" on the Ministry. She believes that corrupt
elements are either deliberately trying to embarrass her or
trying to get as many fraud transactions through before she
tightens the screws further. END COMMENT
BULLEN