…Min Ramjattan says over 42 Venezuelans nabbed at Kumaka

GUYANA’S fight against the coronavirus epidemic is being made more difficult with the attempts of persons to traverse closed borders or to enter unofficially from neighbouring countries, Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname.

At least 42 persons attempted to cross over from Venezuela to Guyana on Monday alone, but were sent back by Guyanese authorities on the basis that active COVID-19 mitigation measures are in place. This was the report of Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan on Tuesday, while a guest on Kaieteur Radio.

Ramjattan said that the reports have come from Region One specifically in the communities of Kumaka and Baramita. “We had at least 42 of them, yesterday, attempting to come over the Kumaka Landing and we had to tell them that the borders are closed and all 42 had to be sent back across the border,” he said.

Over at the Guyana-Suriname border, Ramjattan said that there have been challenges there too which have led to the seizure of boats by the Surinamese authorities. “We’ve had the situation too where at the Corentyne river a number of backtrackers were still doing this nonsense, although you tell them that they should not be carrying people across… it’s a difficult situation,” he said.

The minister said that there are now reports of concern from Crabwood Creek on the Corentyne River in the East Berbice–Corentyne region, whereby some believe that they have been exposed to the virus as a number of their family members have dry coughs. “You have to tell them to be very, very careful,” he said. “They’re the ones too who have not been reporting until now these things. So, we can’t do the testing until the medical people get to them, but if they’re going to allow themselves backtracking activities, going across to [Suriname], it could all harm us and the security that we want to provide at a health level.”

Down south near the Guyana-Brazil border, Ramjattan said that there are reports that the borders are so porous that persons can simply step over. He said that police and immigration officials have told him that some persons are now not using the main port of entry at the Takutu Bridge, as a result.

He said: “That constitutes, again, serious non-compliance.”

Ramjattan said that while countrywide, people have largely been abiding by the measures in place, he is not satisfied with this level of adherence. He gave a remnder that the measures are meant to protect Guyanese from the deadly virus and they must take this seriously for themselves and others.

If he were to rank it, he said that the most complaints coming to the police in relation to the measures are about non-compliant night spots. He noted that there has been “substantial compliance” from bars and rum- shops, but there are some who seek to disregard the measures. Ramjattan stated that the police have been informed of the matter and are prepared to act.

However, the challenge remains that while the measures allow for persons to be arrested and prosecuted, overcrowding at police stations, too, is not advisable at this point. “We’re not going to have the perfect situation, but as best as possible we have to do what we can and still warn them that this dangerous; very, very dangerous,” he said.