Public officers trained to deal with Venezuelan refugees
As large numbers of Venezuelans continue to seek refuge in Guyana, local public officers have been trained on the international best practice in assisting migrants and protecting them from abuse and exploitation of any kind.
The training was a response to the increasing influx of Venezuelans fleeing the worsening economic and social conditions in that neighbouring country.
The one-day workshop was conducted on Thursday by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in collaboration with the Department of Citizenship and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The workshop was aimed at capacity building to better equip representatives and agencies to respond effectively to this and other such occurrences in the future. It focused on issues such as human trafficking and migrant smuggling, migrants’ vulnerabilities, and direct assistance and referral systems for migrants.
The sessions were facilitated by IOM’s Regional Coordination Officer Robert
Public officers from various agencies undergoing training to deal with Venezuelan refugees
Natiello, and Programme Officer Argentina Santacruz.
Thursday’s workshop saw the participation of representatives from the Ministry of the Presidency, Guyana Defence Force, the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Guyana Police Force, Communities Ministry, the Immigration Department, the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Public Health Ministry, United Nations Children’s Fund, and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
Over the past two years, Venezuela has been experiencing worsened economic turmoil following the decline of oil prices on the world market. The country is in its fourth consecutive year of recession.
Reports coming out of that Spanish-speaking state reveal that there is massive food shortage and limited access to basic health care and basic amenities such as electricity in certain parts. Additionally, there continues to be rampant outbursts of looting and violence across some of its most affected cities.
Accordingly, scores of Guyanese living in that neighbouring country have been returning home, and there has also been a high influx of Venezuelans escaping to Guyana to seek refuge.
Back in July, Region One Chairman Brentnol Ashley had disclosed that some 268 Venezuelan refugees were in his region alone, staying in churches and makeshift tents with little to no belongings.
He had decried the lack of support from Central Government in providing assistance for not only returning Guyanese, but also Venezuelan refugees, saying that the region’s already small budget is being strained.
Government has since established a Multi-Sectoral Committee to coordinate the national response and assistance to these migrants.
