In the brotherhood of man

by Gerard Pemberton

After Hurricane Maria, the vast majority of Dominicans did not flee the island —there was no flow of ‘refugees’ to T&T for us to ‘welcome’ or ‘detain’.  We assisted Dominica by sending abundant supplies and some financial donations. Most Dominicans stayed (or returned) home to care for family and rebuild communities. There is no basis for comparing how we treated Dominicans with how we ought to treat Venezuelans.

In any event, in strictly objective terms, the human ties between Trinidad and Venezuela existed long before our connections with Dominica—not that it matters. Similarly, our human ties with Barbadian immigrants go back at least five generations—so let us now prepare to welcome more of them in 2018. In preparing, consider carefully that emigration separates families, breaks up communities and weakens countries. Last month, the Venezuelan bishops warned about that.

The vast number of Venezuelans in T&T are refugees fleeing from (a) a political regime they regard as illegitimate; (b) intolerable living conditions caused by poor management of valuable national resources; (c) persecution and fear of reprisals from taking civil action to oppose the Government; (d) the lack of reasonable opportunities to comfortably employ their skills and knowledge; and (e) their low expectations of being able to live and prosper peacefully.

There are also those enterprising people who see opportunities in T&T within their diaspora—their people—who also need priests, doctors, psychologists. Who is to decide who comes in?

Without any social consensus, any national policy, or any legal framework, well-meaning people are making matters worse. We have heartfelt resentment instead of understanding. That has happened because confrontations have usurped the essential role of applying critical thinking.

The issue involves a set of problems whose solution requires a foundation of deep spiritual belief, first in the dignity of the individual and foremost, in the brotherhood of man. In that light, the solution to a set of problems opens opportunities to a new life, one step toward peace through a giant leap of understanding. It seems that is the call of His Grace in the Catholic News (‘Conversations with Archbishop J’, May 6), from the ground up.

The solution lies with the people, with hearing from the people and in reminding them of our immigrant heritage and the gifts from God we are obliged to share, even though we will have less to share.

The most effective and proper basis for this solution in the Catholic Church is in our parishes. Each parish has its own circumstances, mindsets, resources and social needs. Each parish will find its own way to bring immigrants into its fold, without destroying its social fabric.

The Church must respect the Principle of Subsidiarity, must believe in the leadership of its parish priests and the faithful who are followers. This is not about faceless ‘refugees’. This is about individual human beings who want to embrace each other. This is not about fast answers and headlines—this is about belief in what you believe to be truth and goodness.

We need to discuss basics. A refugee seeking asylum is someone who does not want to be a national of his country any longer because he/she cannot live there. Therefore, seeking asylum means, willingly or not, you are seeking to become a national of the country granting asylum. 

It is uncharitable, unkind and socially destructive to grant asylum to refugees without giving them an opportunity to prepare for a new life within a welcoming community. We do not want ‘displaced people’ in isolated groups because that creates alienation, resentment and encourages natural outpourings of xenophobia. That leads to excessive competitiveness, hardness of hearts and retaliation. That leads to inequity and crime.

Many parishes have obvious connections, past and present, with Venezuelans. Cocoa in the cocoa areas, fishing in the fishing areas, hunting and music all along the Northern Range foothills, and in the rural areas the happy similarities of village life.

Some parishes have social, business and family connections originating with Trinis who worked in Venezuela long ago, especially in the oilfields. Some parishes have immense social diversity into which new immigrants will fit readily. Each parish will have its own feelings, its own perceptions and its unique way of helping immigrants prepare for a new life. That must be discussed, agreed, planned and implemented within each parish—may the Holy Spirit be with them.

This is about families within parishes joining with families. It is not about central planning committees, regional supervisors and national co-ordinators. That is how Cuba works, which is what turned Venezuelans into refugees.

Last year, the Venezuelan bishops described deceased Venezuelan Hugo Chavez’s originally well-intentioned 21^st century socialism as ‘Cuban Marxism’. Lest we be seduced, let us bravely and faithfully apply the Church’s Principle of Subsidiarity—respect and rely on the individual, the family, the community and the parish priest, as busy and tired as he is.

Gerard Pemberton, a retired chief executive of a licensed financial institution, is a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church, Maraval.