Monitoring Guyana’s porous borders: Continuous surveillance, continued engagements needed – Robeson Benn

When it comes to Guyana’s land borders with neighbouring states such as Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn is assuring that the Government is working on boosting Guyana’s capacity to monitor the border.
In an interview with this publication, Benn was asked about border security. According to the Minister, porous borders is an issue that many countries grapple with. He nevertheless acknowledged that it could be said Guyana’s borders are more porous than most.
“One may consider that Guyana borders are more porous than others. But the truth is you can cross over any border at any point once you don’t have installations out there and people to monitor. The only way to otherwise deal with it at the important points of entry is to have roads, airports and other places along the way and in the community to be able to check on those people.”
In explaining what the Government is doing now, Benn said that they have been undertaking registrations in Region One (Barima-Waini).
According to the Minister, the Government is open to welcoming those who wish to come and work legitimately. He also referenced collaboration between Guyana’s immigration authorities and those in these neighbouring countries, when it comes to identifying illegal migrants.
“Right now, we’re undertaking registrations in the North West, in Region One. And in Region Three, in respect to monitoring and registering people. Many of them are Venezuelan migrants otherwise. Some of them have Guyanese heritage, could be registered as Guyanese if we go up the family tree.”
“But the thing is we have to have continuous surveillance, continued engagements. And that has to have a high degree of integrity. And issues which are coming out as a result of social degradation in Venezuela and questions of Syndicates and political organisations over there, we continue to do our work in identifying and working with all agencies to make sure we’re on top of the situation.”
Borders have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that has not deterred the more determined illegal migrants. It was announced earlier this year that border security on the Guyana-Brazil border in Region Eight and Nine would be beefed up.
Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud has said the Government of Guyana, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IMO), would be drafting a migration policy for those Guyanese who have returned to Guyana from Venezuela. (G3)