In wake of concerns from the Opposition about a planned move by the Government to integrate Venezuelan migrants into the Guyanese society, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said the Government is making the move since the majority of the persons being referred to as Venezuelan migrants are actually Guyanese, who are returning home to Guyana.

During a press conference at the Office of the President, Mr. Jagdeo responded to the Opposition concerns and said the concerns are shallow.

“Venezuelan migrant is a misnomer for most of those people., they are Guyanese, when they say Venezuelan migrants, its just a few from the lot that came back home, these are our people, they have our blood, they are Guyanese,” Mr. Jagdeo told a press conference today.

The Vice President said the issue must be looked at from the standpoint that the persons being referred to as migrants are all Guyanese, regardless of their political affiliation and their colour. Therefore, he said those questioning the government’s policy must be condemned.

“And so, event those who fled Guyana and their kids were born, they are Guyanese children based on our constitution they are citizens, they are eligible for citizenship here, they have Guyanese blood, I need to repeat that and that is 90% of them, we have to extend some help to our own people when they come back here,” the Vice President stated.

Mr. Jagdeo did not provide any information as to how he was able to ascertain the nationality of the more than 30,000 Venezuelan migrants who have moved across to Guyana to escape hardships back home.

However, he said the Government will ensure that services such as proper healthcare, education and housing services that given to Guyanese, are also extended to the persons coming across from Venezuela.

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