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Venezuelans are here to stay – IOM report
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has released results from their Displacement Tracking Matrix, finding that persons traveling from Venezuela are in Guyana to settle down.
The study was conducted from August to September of 2018, and focused on the areas where there are highest concentrations of refugees from Venezuela, in Georgetown and 11 villages in Region One, namely Whitewater, Kamawatta, Mabaruma, Khan’s Hill, Imbotero, Smith’s Creek, Hosororo, Kumakam, Bumbury, Port Kaituma and Matthew’s Ridge.
The report included 444 persons. 338 were from Barima-Waini, while the remaining 106 were from Georgetown. Of the total, 354 are Venezuelans, and 89 are returning.
The migrants came from Delta Amacuro (49 percent), Bolivar (37 percent), Monagas (six percent), and Anzoategui (four percent).
59 percent of the surveyed migrants were women. As for age distribution, most of the persons are between 18 and 30 years old (52 percent), while 41 percent are between 31 and 60 years old.
In region one, approximately 60 percent of the interviewed persons are married, cohabitating or are in a free union relationship. In Georgetown, the majority are single.
Of those interviewed, 22 percent possess primary education, 31 percent secondary education, and 31 percent no formal education.
The biggest difficulties encountered by the group include lack of means of transportation, economic insecurity, lack of shelter, lack of food/water, and documentation issues.
In Georgetown, 53 percent of the migrants are employed, while 12 percent are ‘independent’ or freelancing. In region one, only 14 percent are employed, while 19 percent are freelancing. The migrants are generally working in areas of commerce, construction, agriculture and mining.
The report found that 92 percent of individuals mentioned feeling safe in Guyana, and has concluded that “Guyana is not a transit country. The majority of persons entering Guyana have intentions to remain.”
Though the information indicates the intentions and data for a significant portion of the migrants, IOM stated that the sample was constructed for convenience. Hence, the results are not necessarily characteristic of the entire migrant population, so it is not possible to establish a probabilistic generalization for all Venezuelan citizens in the country.
The displacement tracking matrix (DTM) is a system to track and monitor displacement and population mobility. It is designed to regularly and systematically capture, process and disseminate information to provide a better understanding of the movements and evolving needs of displaced populations.
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