President – Gov’t taking humanitarian approach to Venezuelan migrants

President Irfaan Ali, has assured that his government has taken a humanitarian approach in its
treatment of migrants. As such, he said that a high-level task force has been established to
address the issue.
Ali was speaking at the annual Police Officers’ Conference on Thursday, where he responded to
an article in a local newspaper that sought to put Guyana in a bad light regarding its treatment of
migrants. The President reminded persons to be responsible and consider the implications such
headlines have on Guyana’s image.
Ali said government held a high-level meeting to address the issue on Wednesday.  “…Not only
strategising as to how we support the migrants, but how do we incorporate them into
communities, how do we support their livelihood, their hygiene, their health and we had a
briefing with the international community,” President Ali said.
He continued, “We are not running refugee camps like many countries in which you cross the
border and you are in a chain-link fence with razor wire all around you. We are approaching this
from a humanitarian perspective.”  He pointed out that the taskforce includes the Guyana
Defence Force, Guyana Police Force, members of Cabinet, the national security advisor, regional
authorities and the international community.
Ali admitted that since taking office, government has made several interventions to assist
migrants here. Some of the interventions include providing medical care along with food
hampers with special attention given to children. He revealed that in November 2021,
government delivered tools to White Water and Khans Hill in Region One to help Venezuelan
migrants build shelters.
Additionally, he said that in 2021, government restored the multi-agency coordinating committee
to address the influx of Venezuelan migrants.