The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has committed its support to addressing the migration of the Venezuelans and to help boost Guyana’s capacity to deal with such situations in the event of future occurrences.

According to the Ministry of the Presidency, the IOM is currently conducting work in gathering data on the migrants and observed trends through a Displacement Tracking Matrix in Regions 1, 2, 4 and 7 and has committed to developing a Terms of Reference (TOR) for a Consultant, who would review the various sectors’ current policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for dealing with migrants.

The Consultant will also be tasked with the updating and/or development of these as well as the guidelines for emergencies, which can guide responses in the future

Meanwhile, a plot of land in Mabaruma has been identified by the Government for the establishment of a homestead settlement area or humanitarian centre for the registered Venezuelans, who are occupying areas in Barima-Waini (Region One).

Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix made the announcement yesterday at the end of the fifth multi-agency coordinating committee meeting.

He told the other members of the committee that the resettlement area, which will allow the Venezuelans to be self-reliant, is privately owned and that the Government will now have to initiate efforts to determine what arrangements can be put in place to acquire the land for the establishment of the centre.

The Minister also said that while this process is being undertaken, he has tasked the regional administration to set up a Regional Coordinating Sub-committee, which can take charge of the situation on the ground even as the agencies on the national committee continue to play lend the necessary assistance to those in the region.

Additionally, the Ministry of Public Health has established health posts in the affected areas, including at Mabaruma and Morawhanna and will, by the end of next week, establish one at Imbotero Village from which migrants and residents are being screened and vaccinated, while it is bolstering its presence in Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region Seven). Refrigerators for the storage of vaccines at the locations have already been procured and will be dispatched and set up by the end of next week.

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