– Region 1 Chairman
As more Venezuelans continue to cross Guyana’s porous borders, a bi-partisan approach is being seen as the most appropriate way to tackle the issue at hand. This is according to Region One (Barima-Waini) Chairman, Brentnol Ashley during an interview with Guyana Times International on Monday.
“We have to put aside whatever might be seemingly political and start looking at the situation in a humanitarian manner and so everyone should work hand in hand, cooperatively to resolve the issue,” Ashley said.
According to him, there are presently over 578 persons of the Warrau tribe, who are occupying spaces in more than five communities in the region.
He said while some villagers are very concerned about the wellbeing of the migrants, others maintain that they should not be encouraged in the country.
“Not only Toshaos but by citizens in general from many communities I would have visited, they are of the view that it should not be encouraged. Some persons even from the level of the Town Council, they are very reluctant, they are not in favour of even having our Warrau brothers and sisters in the communities. They are concerned about security, but we are assured by Central Government that they will be working towards ensuring that the people remain safe,” the chairman explained.
Further, it was pointed out that villagers are not only concerned about their safety but their health.
Ashley stated that the views of these persons must be respected, since the recent influx continues to put a strain on the area.
The Chairman nevertheless informed that immigration personnel are on the ground to ensure that the migrants are registered. He asserted, “We also have immigration personnel who have been visiting the communities and registering (the migrants). Most of them were granted a three-month stay in the country”.
A few days ago, Citizenship Minister Winston Felix announced that a plot of land in Mabaruma was identified for the establishment of a homestead settlement area or a humanitarian centre for registered Venezuelans who have fled to Guyana.
According to the Minister, the land has been identified as a result of a collaborative effort of the Mayor and Town Council of Mabaruma and the Citizenship Ministry. The decision was taken during a multi-agency coordinating committee meeting on August 14.
The Public Health Ministry has since established health posts in the outlined areas, including at Mabaruma and Morawhanna, and is expected to establish yet another outpost at Imbotero Village by which migrants and residents would be screened and vaccinated. Additionally, the Ministry will bolster its presence in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). Refrigerators for the storage of vaccines at the locations have already been procured and were to be dispatched.
Following calls by the Region One Chairman for Government and donor agencies to provide more assistance to Venezuelan refugees, the Administration on August 6 signalled its intention to construct several facilities to respond to the Venezuelan influx. This was announced by Minister of State Joseph Harmon at his post-Cabinet briefing. A number of local businesses and Guyanese have provided food and clothing to the refugees.
Venezuelan refugees, mainly from the Warrau tribe, have been fleeing the economic and political turmoil in the Spanish-speaking country.
