Bienvenidos a 'Xenotopia!'

PAOLO KERNAHAN
PAOLO KERNAHAN

A VIDEO with some interviews of Venezuelans in Trinidad was shared recently on the US Embassy’s Facebook page. In it, these refugees professed their love for their country. If given a choice, they would not have abandoned Venezuela. With stratospheric inflation, dire food shortages, unemployment and widespread socio-political conflagration they had no choice but to seek refuge here in TT.

Those interviewees represent a tiny fraction of the estimated three million Venezuelans who’ve fled their homeland. It has been reported that in our South American neighbour 5,000 people prepare to abandon ship every day. For many of them, it isn’t merely a question of aspiring for a better standard of living. It’s a matter of survival.

Not to be outdone by xenophobes in countries like the US and the far right sensibilities of some European nations, Trinis lined up to display their hateful nature on the video post. Here are some of the gems offered in the face of abject human desperation:

“We are not interested in hearing you, killers and bandits!”

“I have no problem they are looking for a better life, but when they come into a village and cause chaos this is what I have a problem with.”

“I have some on my side running riot in my village they didn’t come to make a decent living.”

“Trinidad and Tobago is under siege this country can do so much and we are a small country...we have an outbreak of Small Pox, Malaria and Measles. anybody talking that!!!!!”

Granted, there were also sensible and compassionate comments on the refugee video. Not enough, though, to drown out the trademark, noisy ignorance and xenophobia that is as Trini as doubles and half-day work.

Many people who are outwardly discomfited by the influx of Venezuelan migrants argue that these interlopers take jobs from citizens of this country. For a people who are defined by a famously uneasy relationship with the entire concept of work, concerns over job-stealing Vennies is plainly more conjured than legitimate. This employment argument, however, will be dealt with in a subsequent column.

As a people and a government we must recognise that, whether welcome or not, the refugees are here. More are on the way. Even if Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro were to capitulate to mounting pressure and step down tomorrow, Venezuela has a very long, hard road to recovery. Consequently, policies must be established to face this reality. It’s true that as a small nation, we’re not capable of ingesting huge numbers of refugees fleeing economic hardship and political persecution. This is precisely why it’s important to face the crisis frontally as opposed to pretending nothing is happening. But then again, not long ago it was the official position of our government that the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, which has exacerbated an ongoing exodus, was not necessarily a thing.

In August last year Energy Minister Franklyn Khan told the media he was not aware of any crisis in Venezuela. This stance was, of course, predictable given the perceived significance of the Dragon gas deal to the flagging fortunes of the TT economy.

The Government has finally acknowledged the surging numbers of Venezuelan migrants in our midst. National Security Minister Stuart Young recently announced that a policy for registration of Venezuelans to work in this country for one year would be taken to the cabinet.

The main purpose of this measure is, presumably, to more accurately assess the numbers of illegal and legal migrants and establish a system through which they can be tracked. Better late than never.

For the people strongly opposed to the presence of Venezuelans here, what the Government proposes to do is a commonsense approach to confronting the crisis.

There has never been a suggestion that TT import wholesale the less wholesome elements of Venezuelan society. No one has their head in the sand about the dangers of unchecked migration from the mainland. Venezuela is reputed to have the highest murder rate on the planet. Interestingly enough, the news agency Reuters is reporting that the murder statistics in Venezuela are falling because many of their hardened criminals have joined in the mass migrations.

A robust migrant policy can help minimise undesirable social impacts such as prostitution, violent crime and disease. More importantly, it can help integrate our Venezuelan neighbours in need so they can become productive contributors to society.

The xenophobic reactions to the growing numbers of Venezuelans in this country are curious considering how many of us have relatives who’ve fled to countries like the US, the UK and Canada. Some Trini migrants have taken up residence in those countries legally, others not.

Further still, there are many among us today who, if given the chance, would escape the uncontrollable crime, economic collapse, and irrevocable downward slide that is TT. What is happening in Venezuela right now can happen here. Things may seem bad in Trinidad and Tobago at the moment, but rest assured, they can always get worse.

Should darker days descend on us, we will surely hope for the kindness and compassion of other nations in our time of despair.

Comments

"Bienvenidos a ‘Xenotopia!’"

More in this section