Guyana is now the destination of choice for Haitians looking to get to French Guiana and the USA.

Recently, Guyana authorities arrested several Surinamese involved in the smuggling of 27 Haitians, including 12 children at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, who were on their way to French Guiana via Suriname.

They arrived on a COPA Airlines flight from Haiti via Panama but no one was at the airport to meet them.

Police believe the smugglers, after realizing that investigators may be looking for them, failed to show up at the airport.

The Suriname government suddenly closed its consulate in Port-au-Prince and stopped the visa-free entrance of Haitians into the country.

From Guyana, it is easy to get to Suriname illegally through the “backdoor” without the need for a passport.

It is a breeding ground for crime, human trafficking, drugs, weapons and pirating.

The Guyana government will soon come under pressure for the European Union (EU) and the United States to stem the flow of Haitians into French Guiana.