– 15 June 2019
(Trinidad Guardian) National Security Minister Stuart Young has announced that from Monday, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago will implement a visa system for Venezuelans wishing to come to Trinidad and Tobago.
The minister made the announcement at a news conference in Port-of-Spain at the end of the Venezuelan registration process.
“The visas will be issued by the embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, and the only Venezuelans who will be allowed to enter our legal ports of entry will be those with visas,” Young added.
Until now, Venezuelans were free to travel to this country on holiday and business without the requirement of visas, for as long as 90 days.
The minister says the government will now be able to determine who is allowed to come to this country via the visa policy.
He promised to give a further update on the numbers, including those of the men, women and children who were registered.
————————-
Anti-migrant protest erupts in Trinidad
– 15 June 2019
The protest outside the Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain on 13 June 2019.
(Trinidad Express) On the night before the final day of the Venezuelan migrant registration process, a protest erupted outside the Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain, triggering a police response led by Commissioner Gary Griffith
“Close the borders” the protesters chanted as Griffith met and spoke with several people warning of the danger of demonstrating at night and warning them to stay off the road.
Friday. June 14, 2019 will mark the final day of the two week long registration process that Government has ordered, which will given Venezuelan nationals the right to seek employment on a temporary basis.
The Queens Park Oval is one of three registration centres which have all been overwhelmed by the number of Venezuelans seeking to register.
There have been calls for the registration deadline to be extended but this is being rejected by Government.
Some believe it could number in the tens of thousands.
There has been a backlash from a significant portion of the local population which many condemning Government’s policy of allowing in so many Venezuelans.
Some have called for mass arrests and deportations.
Comments
When we destabilize a country, we also destabilize its neighboring countries. The entire region thereby falls prey to the designs of the destabilizing force(s).
White supremacist propaganda from Trump’s USA, Poland, Nazi Germany and other racist countries like Hungary have no place here in the Caribbean.
Why do inhabitants of former British colonies have hate towards those who have lived in this region for thousands of years? (Amerinidans and Latinos)
There is also “anti-immigrant” sentiment here in GT, animosity towards Venezuelans and Brazilians, but how quick they shut dem mouth when Chinese man from Hong Kong come and erect a 8 to 10 storey tall structure?!!
What about the CIA agents who set shop in GT? Where de protests?
Guyana will have the same problem as Trinidad: thousands of persons entering and we don’t have accurate records. Guyanese are hospitable people but we must have a clear refugee policy. Those allowed to stay must behave themselves properly as they are our guests. When we are abroad we are expected to conduct ourselves with decorum or face the law.
Ramjattan would have the resources to lock up every beautiful Venezuelan and Colombian strip pole dancer in GT and the surrounding areas, but he would hide under his bed when it comes to dealing with Sindicato reclaiming thousands of acres of Essequibo land for illegal gold and mineral mining.
And to be frank, Guyanese are leaving Guyana; even high profile and well-connected business elites who stand the most to gain from oil.