Venezuelans landed in Essequibo transported to NWD – Commander

…says they were not deported but rather transported to another location

The boatload of Venezuelan migrants who arrived in Essequibo over the weekend were not deported back home, but rather flown to the North West District in Region One (Barima-Waini).
This was according to Region Two Police Commander Khemraj Shivbarran, who stated that the Police managed to get those who arrived into the buses after which they were escorted to Charity.

On Saturday, the migrants arrived in Essequibo, Region Two (Potaro-Siparuni). In three buses, they made a stop in Anna Regina, where the migrants disembarked and were reportedly processed by the Police.
However, on Sunday, the Commander told Guyana Times that the migrants were no longer in the region, but were transported to the North West District region. Attempts to get the Commander on Monday to ascertain the reason for transporting them to NWD proved futile.
In addition, attempts to contact the Region One Chairman, Bretnol Ashley, also proved futile.
However, amidst harsh economic conditions in Venezuela, a growing number of Venezuelan families are searching for opportunities in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
The publication understands that the boat reportedly set sail to Essequibo last week, stopping at different locations before continuing the journey. The boat filled with migrants docked at a wharf in Essequibo, sparking immediate action from concerned residents, who alerted the Police.
Speaking with a resident, he told this newspaper that he heard the loud brawl while walking but couldn’t understand what they were saying.
“When I heard the loud speaking, I went to see and saw a boatload full of Venezuelans at the wharf begging for the gate to open. The owner opened the gate and they went and bought things to eat and after the Police spoke with them and later took them away,” the man recounted.
Another resident said that one of the migrants expressed that their purpose for coming here is not war, but rather peace and better opportunities.
Only recently, dozens of Venezuelan migrants including children arrived at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE). They were later processed and sent to their relatives who are either Guyanese or Venezuelans who have been living in Guyana for years.
In August, President Dr Irfaan Ali indicated that his Government is cautious of the possibility of foreign agents infiltrating the country under the guise of being migrants but noted that systems are in place to ensure the nation’s national integrity remains protected.
This issue was raised some time ago by National Security Advisor Captain Gerry Gouveia.
Gouveia had previously posited that “You could understand the security dilemma we face that in the migrants could be embedded Venezuelan agents and so this is not something that we don’t appreciate, that we are looking at as well as we open our arms with compassion and with humanity.”
There are over 21,700 registered migrants in Guyana but it is estimated that there are more than 30,000 living in the country. Venezuelan migrants seeking refuge in Guyana are being encouraged to present themselves to immigration authorities to get registered in order to benefit from services offered by the Government.
In Guyana, all children of migrants, legal and illegal, from Venezuela and other countries are allowed full access to be enrolled in the public school system within the host communities and benefit from Government-funded support programmes.