The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) conducted a one-day exercise on
September 6, in the Barima-Waini Region, to distribute additional
supplies to Venezuelan migrants, as well as to “monitor government’s
intervention” of the migrants over the last three months.
The team revisited Khan’s Hill, in the Mabaruma sub-region district,
where 24 migrant families benefited from additional food items.
The CDC also visited the Indigenous community of White Water where
non-food items were distributed to 46 migrant families. These supplies
included sanitary items such as bleach, soap and water purification
tablets.
Director-General (ag) of the CDC, Lieutenant-Colonel Kester Craig
stated that the opportunity was also used to assess the integration of
migrants into the border communities.
Craig told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the
migrants were temporarily issued a plot of land to occupy in Khan’s
Hill, by the Toshao of the community and would have “made significant
progress in clearing that land and also erecting some temporary
shelters.”
The acting Director-General explained that at White Water, there are
two groups of migrants; they are categorised as persons who would have
re-migrated over a year ago and persons who have recently arrived.
Craig stated that those who would have arrived some time ago “have
already integrated into the community.” He noted that migrants in this
area have also received the same benefits as those in Khan’s Hill as
“the Toshao and the village council would have given them lands” on
which they cultivated crops to sustain themselves.
He stated that as part of their efforts to “make them a little bit
more comfortable” non-food items were issued.
The team visited Gaja Landing where approximately 30 migrant families,
who crossed Guyana’s borders over the last month, have settled.
Lieutenant Colonel Craig remarked that the CDC is cognisant of the
need for food and non-food items to be distributed to migrants in that
area. He disclosed that additional supplies are being mobilised.
