Interviewed by Aloysius Agendia
The US Ambassador to Cameroon, Her Excellency Janet Garvey, has revealed that her country is ready to assist the Cameroon government to track the bank accounts of those suspected of economic crimes in Cameroon, if requested. In an exclusive discussion with L'Effort Camerounais, while on a recent working visit to the American Language Centre in Douala, she also noted that to reduce the massive exodus of Cameroonians to greener pastures abroad, the Cameroon government needs to carry out revolutionary economic reforms and create an enabling business climate to attract Cameroonians in the Diaspora who are willing to return and foreign investors. She also addressed other topical issues.
What was the purpose of your visit to the American Language Centre and what evaluation do you make of the centre?
I have heard a lot about the work of the American Language centre. Our embassy has a history of working with them and we want to revive the relationship. We are very happy to support their efforts aimed at helping people learn English and to be able to take some of the tests that are necessary to study in the United States. I wanted to personally see their facilities and I look forward to coming back here when there are some students.
This is your first year in Cameroon, what evaluation do you make of the year 2007 ?
I have been here for exactly four months, so I am still like a new comer. However, I have been struck by a number of things. I think, as everyone says, Cameroon has a lot of potentials and a lot of very talented people and I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet and talk with them. I think people have a great desire for Cameroon to move forward, to have the economy improved and to have corruption diminished. These are essential and are still the things we shall focus on in 2008.
Talking about corruption, the former US Ambassador to Cameroon was said to be the one spearheading the fight against corruption. May we know your embassy's position on this issue?
We are still supporting the effort to fight corruption. It is not the effort or the policy of one ambassador. It is the policy of the United States Government. I have certainly raised the issue in my meetings with people in business and in government.
I think what we have seen of late is much more of a public discussion of the problem of corruption and need to fight it. What we now need to see is practical measures taken to fight corruption. It is important that people understand the price Cameroon pays from the inefficiency corruption has created. What we want to see now is actual success in the fight against corruption.
Have you instructed your government to, perhaps, investigate the bank accounts of Cameroonians suspected of economic crimes?
We cannot do that unless we have an official request from the Cameroon government. We do that a lot with other countries, but we have not yet received an official request from the Cameroon Government to investigate people. However, should we receive that request, a common thing we do, there is a procedure to follow do and we shall be very happy to help.
What explains the recent and sudden increase in interview fee at your embassy, from one hundred (100) to one hundred and thirty-one (131) dollars?
That is a painful question. Unfortunately, from the way our Consular service is set up, they have to recover the cost of doing business. Since the issuing of visas has become more complicated because of security requirement, visas are now more expensive to produce. Under our law, Congress has requested that consular services support themselves and that has been the reason for the increase. I regret it deeply, but that is just the way it is. I am hopeful that does mean people still want to go to the United States.
The US has been very active in providing relief supplies, food aid and making Africa remain at the consumer end. Are there measures to bridge the technological gap and help developing countries to fend for themselves?
I think that is absolutely the right way to go. All along, we have been working very much to help train people in Cameroon, send them to study in the United States. It is not enough. We would love to do more but, our budget is limited to that.
I just facilitated the donation of about 500 computers and we are going to bring some trainers over to help in the schools to show people to use computers in education. There is a lot more we could be doing. I am hopeful that as technology becomes widespread, it also becomes less expensive and makes it easier for us. You are right, the world is moving very rapidly and it is important that Cameroon understands that it has to move as well and technology is a very important part of it.
Many Cameroonians are moving to the United States for studies, or other personal reasons. Any comment about Cameroonians living in the U.S?
Well, I did meet some Cameroonians when I was in the United States and I was very happy that they had the opportunity to go and study there. I would be very happy to see some of them return with their skills and experiences. That is a challenge, I think, because when people move to another country, they have to resettle, children going to school etc. I think if Cameroon is welcoming to some of the people who are living overseas and who have skills which can be shared, some of them will come. It is a free country; people are free to do what they want but it will be a shame not to have people come back to share what they have acquired.
Why is it so difficult for Cameroonians, youths and students especially, to obtain entry visas to the United States?
We have a standard set of rules around the world. One thing that is different about the United States is that when you enter into the US, it is very difficult to be caught if you entered illegally. As a result, we want to be very strict at the beginning because we want to be sure that we are letting people who are entering the US on tourist visa and who shall stay in the US as tourists. The problem we have, unfortunately, is that a large number of Cameroonians, who enter the US on tourist visa, change and stay there and work.
That is not how the system is meant to be. We need to have Cameroonians go and come back so that more Cameroonians will be able to go. What we want to see is that, when people apply for a tourist visa, they are legitimate tourists and visitors who would come back to Cameroon. If they want to stay or work, they need to apply for the right kind of visa and that will help the situation.
Another important thing that needs to happen is that Cameroon needs to have a more vibrant economy so that many people will have jobs and will have more reasons to stay in the country.
The embassy always claims that students applying to study in the US will not come back. How can they prove it?
That is something which is up to Cameroon. That is up to the Cameroon government to do. When people come to the US as students, our responsibility is to educate them for what they are paying for. Their decision to come back, I think, is based on whether they will be able to make use of their education, find jobs and that is why we are making the efforts to develop the economy here. That is one of the major things to do to keep Cameroonians here.
It was alleged that some Cameroonians robbed a bank in the United States. Is that true?
I heard the news and I do not know anything more about that. I learnt it was a bank outside Washington DC and I do not have any other information on that.
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