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Venezuela to regularize 50,000 illegal Guyanese residents
By Leonard Gildarie
An estimated 50,000 Guyanese living without documents in Venezuela are to become legal, officials say.
Additionally, that neighbouring country is moving to clamp down on the smuggling of illegal fuel across the Guyana border.
According to Jinnah Rahman, Coordinating Secretary of the Guyana-Venezuela Friendship Society (GVFS), the issue of the illegal Guyanese is one currently being addressed by the Administration of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez.
The organization is being given the support of the local Venezuelan Embassy, and, according to Ambassador Dario Morandy, will provide the opportunity for Guyanese and Venezuelans alike to learn more about each other.
With Guyana and Venezuela being part of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), regional integration will become much easier, with no travel restrictions and the possibility of Guyanese holding a regional passport, the diplomat said.
Against this background, moves are underway to regularize the status of almost 50,000 illegal Guyanese living and working in Venezuela. Some of the Guyanese have been living and working there for over 25 years.
These Guyanese would, in all likelihood, hold both Guyanese and Venezuelan citizenship, the ambassador said.
GVFS was dormant for the longest while, but the organization is looking to resuscitate itself and, under a number of ambitious plans, work with local organizations to enhance cooperation between Guyana and Venezuela.
With Guyana being part of UNASUR, which comprises Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela, several issues will be answered, Rahman noted of the developments.
These include issues of smuggling of diamonds and fuel across the borders, and the illegality of Guyanese.
The two officials acknowledged that Guyana is the only country on the South American mainland whose citizens require a visa to travel to Venezuela.
Rahman acknowledged that, while there are elements in Venezuela and outside who would like to see the neighbouring countries “apart”, it is the duty of every Guyanese and Venezuelan to ensure that this does not happen.
There are many areas in which Guyana can draw from Venezuela, the official said, noting that that country would not be unwilling to consider funding a hydro-electric project in Guyana.
Meanwhile, on the issue of smuggling, Ambassador Morandy said that already his country is busy making arrangements to place a quota on the amount of fuel that Venezuelan miners buy. Because of Venezuela’s proximity to Guyanese mining camps, miners would, for logistical reasons and costs, opt to buy from Venezuela.
There have been reports of fishing boats and persons pretending to be miners purchasing fuel from Venezuela and then smuggling it to Guyana to sell to gas stations and other ready buyers.
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