Gov’t taking humanitarian approach to Venezuelan migrants – President Ali

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, said his government has taken a humanitarian approach in its treatment of migrants, noting that a high-level task force has been established to address the issue.

He was speaking at the annual Police Officers’ Conference on Thursday, where he responded to an article in a local newspaper that sought to put Guyana in a bad light regarding its treatment of migrants.

President Ali urged persons to be responsible and consider the implications such headlines have on Guyana’s image.

He said government held a high-level meeting to address the issue on Wednesday.

 “…Not only strategising as to how we support the migrants, but how do we incorporate them into communities, how do we support their livelihood, their hygiene, their health and we had a briefing with the international community.

“We are not running refugee camps like many countries in which you cross the border and you are in a chain-link fence with razor wire all around you. We are approaching this from a humanitarian perspective,” President Ali stated.

The taskforce includes the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force, members of Cabinet, the national security advisor, regional authorities and the international community.

Since taking office, government has made several interventions to assist migrants here. Some of the interventions include providing medical care along with food hampers with special attention given to children.

In November 2021, government delivered tools to White Water and Khans Hill in Region One to help Venezuelan migrants build shelters.

Additionally, in 2021, government restored the multi-agency coordinating committee to address the influx of Venezuelan migrants.