Moves to send back more Venezuelan detainees

THE 150 detainees at the Immigration Detention centre in Aripo who have been threatening a hunger strike over what they described as the slow pace of returning them to their country may get their wish shortly.

On Monday, Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon said most of the detainees are Venezuelans and he has been making every effort to get the Venezuelan authorities to have them flown home in quick time.

He said the delay has to do with the processing of documents, but added the Venezuelan authorities have been very co-operative and once the documents are processed, the detainees who have been clamouring to return home will be repatriated.

He said the detainees from African countries may have to stay a little longer because of a lack of funds to return them, but said through government-to-government arrangements every effort will be made for them to be reunited with their families. Dillon said it was a very expensive exercise to return detainees from African countries but a programme is being worked out.

On detainees from the Caribbean, he said they will also be sent home shortly.

He said the process will follow all protocols, but reiterated the government’s intention to return detainees.