Young: Possible policy for Venezuelans to work for a year

NATIONAL Security Minister Stuart Young says Government is considering a policy where Venezuelan immigrants can work in this country for a year.

He was responding to an urgent question in the House on Friday.

Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan asked if Young would consider an interview process on an amnesty for productive illegal immigrants. Young said there is an interview process that is part of the process and procedure in dealing with illegal immigrants.

"I intend to take to Cabinet very shortly – and the Prime Minister has spoken about as have I – a policy for us to adopt as a Cabinet, and to try and persuade my colleagues, that all the Venezuelans currently here as a first step they need to be registered. And in that registration process part of it will be what work they can do et cetera, et cetera."

He said once all Venezuelans here in TT legally and illegally are registered it will give Government the data as to how many are here and how may are here legally, illegally, and what they are doing.

"Then we will take further decisions that might very well incorporate allowing them to work for the period of a year. And thereafter anyone who is held here illegally we will deal with them in accordance with the current law."

Khan asked why detained illegal immigrants were not processed efficiently to prevent the capacity problem at the immigration detention centre. Young said it was "wholly incorrect" to suggest detained illegal immigrants at the centre were not processed efficiently and this caused the capacity problem.

"What has caused it is...there was an increase in the number of illegal immigrants and also in addition to that that has been coupled with increased efficiency of our border security and also the immigration officers and the TT Police Service in picking up more of these persons who are already within our borders who are here illegally."

He commended the TTPS, TT Coast Guard and the Immigration Division for the efficient work they are doing.

"And unfortunately one of the consequences of this efficiency is they've held more people in the detention centre."