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Almost 500 fleeing Venezuela in Region One -Region urges more supplies, better collaboration
Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley handing over some supplies on behalf of the region yesterday to a family.
As Government continues to grapple with an evolving situation in Region One, where scores of Venezuelans have fled from their homeland, authorities there are calling for closer collaboration to deal with the situation.
Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley, disclosed that the situation is getting serious for the Region with about 500 Venezuelans now camped out in a number of areas.
Government has signaled intentions to establish a settlement for the mainly indigenous Venezuelans.
The Civil Defence Commission and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) disclosed last week that they were pre-positioning supplies in Regions One, Seven and Nine to deal with the growing situation.
According to the Regional Chairman, the almost 500 persons are scattered in a number of areas including White Water, Yarakita and Smith Creek.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that in the Region, we are not comfortable how many of the families are living with drinking water among one of the main issues.”
Ashley had raised the issue a few weeks ago, appealing for supplies.
The issue is being looked at seriously by Government with a national committee, headed by
A few of the Venezuelans are camping out in this structure at Yarakita, Region One.
Minister in charge of Citizenship, Winston Felix.
Supplies have been taken to Region One.
However, according to the Chairman, there needs to be more collaboration to determine how and where the supplies are being taken.
“Many families are not receiving and are in dire need of help.”
He explained that in one case, there were three families using one drum to catch water from a troolie-thatched roof.
“They are hoping for rains with the drum almost empty,” Ashley said. In some cases, the Warrau-tribe Venezuelans were living in makeshift areas with mud-floors.”
The Regional Chairman also said that plans by the administration to establish a settlement at Farm Corp is not such a good idea.
“We are talking about indigenous people who are accustomed to swimming, fishing, and paddling. I have seen some of the Venezuelans walking a few miles just to swim.”
Guyana would be worried about the control of wholesale movements of Venezuelans with Trinidad and Colombia battling a major problem.
Fortunately, for Guyana, the difficult terrain is making it harder for them to travel to the coastlands although there are reports of it happening.
Venezuela is facing major shortages of food, medicines with unrest and inflation high.
The oil-rich neighbouring nation ran into problems after oil prices fell about three years ago.
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