Trinidad Guardian: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says “under no circumstances” will Trinidad and Tobago implement an open-door policy to migrants.
Rowley said given the hardship in Venezuela, this country had initially received a small portion of migrants from that country and accommodated them with a helping hand.
“Initially it was a small flow, which became a larger flow, whom we did register and allowed them to function without restrictions,” Rowley said.
Noting that just over 16,000 Venezuelans were registered to work legally here during a Government exercise last year, Rowley said for small island like T&T that figure was a lot. He added, however, that most of the registered Venezuelans are gainfully employed and provide skills to this country.
“And while it is not as comfortable as they would like and we would like because of the experiences we are having with COVID, we have opened our doors and we are a humane neighbour and our neighbourly relation with Venezuela continues,” the PM reiterated.
The PM’s comment came against the backdrop of recent criticism by several entities, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Refugees International, Caribbean Centre for Human Rights and the CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago, over T&T’s continued repatriation of Venezuelans caught in T&T illegally.
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