Food hampers for Venezuelan migrants in Region 1

With household and sanitation items already distributed to hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants who have settled in Guyana’s border regions, the Government’s Multi-agency Coordinating committee is now moving to dispatch food hampers to those families.

According to the Department of Public Information, approximately sixty food hampers will soon be delivered to immigrants in Region one.

The committee is made up of members from the Guyana Police Force, the Ministries of Communities, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Social Protection, Public Health and Citizenship and the Civil Defence Commission.

There are 53 immigrant families with 260 persons stationed at four campsites in the Region.

In Region One, Barima-Waini several persons have been vaccinated. To date, 65 persons were vaccinated against yellow fever, 77 against measles, 31 against Polio, 35 against Tuberculosis, while the BCG vaccine has been administered to several babies. Additionally, one woman in Mabaruma was hospitalised and three children for malnutrition, according to DPI.

The article quoted Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix;  “We have become conscious of the fact that the Cuyuni River can become very contaminated because of activities outside of Guyana and we share the same river with the location from which the contaminations coming from. That is why health is of utmost importance to prevent the spread of diseases to persons who are in Guyana.”

Minister Felix said these services are necessary to safeguard Guyanese from potential threats.

The aim of the committee is to coordinate a response to the migration of Venezuelans into Guyana primarily through Barima-Waini, Region One and Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Region Seven.

News Room recently reported on a case of over 100 Venezuelans arriving in the Barima-Waini Region within a two-day period.

Regional Chair, Brentnol Ashley told News Room that the migrants are camping in the communities of Khan Hill, Kamwatta, Smyth Creek, Whitewater and Powaikaru in the Mabaruma Sub-region.

The Regional Chair was pleading with persons to lend assistance in the form of clothing, food items, water, mattresses or cots and other items.

Some Toshaos who also attended the recently concluded National Toshaos’ conference lobbied the Government for help on behalf of the migrants who have settled in their communities.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge on Monday urged that returning Guyanese and Venezuelans who wish to seek refuge in Guyana use official ports of entry or face consequences.