– several civic, faith- based organisations to provide humanitarian assistance

EIGHT civic and faith-based organisations have launched the Venezuela Support Group (VSG) to provide advice and assistance to Venezuelans seeking refuge from the deprivations and insecurity currently gripping their homeland.

In a joint statement, the group which consists of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), Guyana Institute for Transparency Inc. (GITI), Moray House Trust, Policy Forum Guyana, Red Thread, Roman Catholic Diocese of Guyana and Ursuline Sisters in Guyana said it has since requested meetings with Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix to brief him on VSG’s aims and to establish liaison arrangements with his ministry.

VSG’s initial focus is to ensure that persons arriving here from Venezuela receive information and assistance to secure valid visas to remain in Guyana and are not exploited financially or abused in other ways.

“We have recently learnt that some consideration has been given to permit Venezuelans in Guyana to regularise their situation on the basis of possession of an ID card rather than a passport. Although, to date, there has been no formal announcement by the Government of Guyana on the matter, we welcome this development in general as protecting Venezuelans against exposure to detention, fines and deportation,” the statement added.
The group believes that by doing the aforementioned, Guyana would be in alignment with the recent appeal by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for neighbouring countries to adopt flexible arrangements of this nature.

Meanwhile, the VSG is in the process of establishing offices made available by the Brickdam Cathedral in the compound opposite the church on Brickdam.

“The work of the VSG is being supported in the initial phase by the UNHCR which is in the process of establishing a permanent presence in Guyana,” the statement said.
The VSG group said it will support the smooth implementation of any new regulations and related policy guidelines geared at ensuring the regulations and the accompanying procedures are known to arriving Venezuelans, providing advice and, where necessary, accompaniment, in the process of regularising their (Venezuelans) presence in Guyana, supporting Venezuelans in need of assistance to contact family or other persons as well as making known social and welfare services which may be accessible to Venezuelans with special needs.

Additionally, the group welcomes any effort that will contribute to information-gathering initiatives, especially in interior communities as well as provide opportunities for Venezuelans to communicate with other Venezuelans.

“Safeguarding the specifically humanitarian character of this response is a high priority for the SVG, in particular, insulating it from attempts to politicise it or from any association with the border issue. The SVG will also serve as a focal point through which displaced persons or families can communicate with each other,” the statement said.