As Guyana races to transform itself through oil wealth and rapid development, the government has repeatedly called on overseas-based Guyanese to return home, not only to invest, but to help build the country with the skills and experience they gained abroad.
But for many in the diaspora, returning home has also exposed an uncomfortable question: after decades away, are they still truly welcomed?
Former United Nations employee Cheryl Noel believes the answer must be yes.
“They are thousands of Guyanese who went abroad and accumulated a vast amount of knowledge that other countries are benefiting from,” Noel said. “Why would you cut off your nose to spoil your face by saying they cannot contribute because they didn’t stay? ”
Noel left Guyana in 1983 and eventually spent more than three decades working at the United Nations in New York. She said her decision to remain overseas was tied to professional opportunity, not abandonment of country.
“I stayed because I was offered a job at the United Nations,” she explained.
Her comments come at a time when the government continues to encourage diaspora participation in Guyana’s transformation, arguing that the country needs skilled professionals, investors and expertise to support expanding sectors fueled by oil revenues and infrastructure growth.
But Noel acknowledged that some Guyanese who remained in the country through difficult economic and political periods feel resentment toward those now returning to benefit from a rapidly growing economy.
“There are persons who stayed in Guyana who would say, ‘You left, and now Guyana is flourishing, you want to come back and benefit,’” she said. “They can say whatever they want, but nobody complained when we were sending remittances.”
Noel argued that overseas Guyanese quietly sustained families for decades through financial support.
“Nobody complained when we helped send children to school, helped build homes or supported communities,” she said. “That contribution amounted to millions of dollars.”
Beyond money, Noel believes the diaspora now represents an untapped reservoir of expertise that Guyana urgently needs as it modernizes.
“The population of Guyana is not large enough to develop this country as rapidly as we need to,” she said. “We have Guyanese abroad with knowledge in technology, AI and other fields that the country can access immediately.”
She warned, however, that attracting skilled Guyanese back home will require more than patriotic appeals. According to Noel, returnees must feel respected and valued — not treated as outsiders.
“You have to create an environment where people feel appreciated for what they are bringing,” she said. “No one questions an American’s nationality because they worked abroad. Why should Guyanese be treated differently?”
For Noel, the debate should not be about who stayed and who left, but whether Guyanese everywhere are willing to contribute to the country’s future.
“It’s not just about a paycheck,” she said. “There’s a longing to give back to your country.”
.png)
.jpg)
