BEHAVE OR BE SENT HOME

BEHAVE or be sent back home!

This is the warning National Security Minister Stuart Young is giving to documented Venezuelans in this country amid news that they as well as locals have been threatening Immigration officers who refuse entry to Venezuelans freshly arrived.

He gave the warning in the Senate yesterday even as his Government promised to let all Venezuelans in TT register to work for a year here, amid that country’s continued political, economic and social turmoil after the stand-off between President Nicolas Maduro and National Assembly head Juan Guaido.

Independent Senator Paul Richards, during the Senate's Question & Answer segment, asked about claims that Venezuelans already in TT were trying to intimidate Immigration officers at Cedros. Young denied it was done by Venezuelans, saying rather it was "Trinidadian criminals", although this was still be investigated.

Richards then asked what would happen if current investigations show that Venezuelans in TT have been trying to intimidate Immigration officers on behalf of incoming relatives or friends.

Young replied, “All non-nationals who are found to be engaged in criminal activity, once they are criminally-charged and they are convicted, the normal course is that the Minister of National Security, based on the advice of the TTPS as well as the Immigration Division, would sign orders of deportation.

So if there are non-nationals engaging in criminal activity (including threatening people), Young said, I will sign the order of deportation for them.

'STING' OPERATION

“If non-nationals are found to be engaged in any threats or acts of intimidation with respect to any of our nationals including immigration officers, then again, I’m certain the TT Police Service will take action and criminally charge them.”

Young said he had discussed with Cedros police and immigration officials, claims of locals threatening Immigration officers for now allowing Venezuelans to enter. “I’m currently working on a plan for the immigration officers at Cedros.”

He said despite suggestions that acts of intimidation were done by TT-based relatives of incoming Venezuelans, he was not at all certain of this. But what we are certain of is that there are Trinidadian nationals who have followed immigration officers after they have people refused entry.

“I’m going to be suggesting to the Commissioner of Police that at Piarco Airport and other legal ports of entry we set up some 'sting' operations, undercover police operatives, who would be following immigration officers around these areas.

“So if anyone is found intimidating any immigration officer, they will be charged with the full extent of the law and criminally charged at that.”

Richards asked about any extra security measures for immigration officers. Young said he had not yet got an official report on the intimidation claims but had only seen it in media reports. “I will certainly speak to the Chief Immigration Officer and (discuss) any security arrangements we can put in place, for example utilising the airport security personnel at our ports, our airports.” He promised other unnamed initiatives.

“This is a warning, to any of those individuals who think they can threaten immigration officers who are conducting their duties lawfully. I’m going to speak to the Commissioner of Police and if we find them, they will be criminally charged.”

THE GUAIDO ISSUE

In a separate urgent question on Venezuela, Opposition Senator Wade Mark had asked if TT’s participation last Saturday in a video-conference with Guaido had represented a change in policy? The Government had initially recognised Maduro as leader but has since promised to help broker a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses said, “Our participation is but a manifestation of our continued maintenance of our position. In answer to the question, our participation does not represent any change, but on the other hand rather, it is not a reinforcement but rather a continuation of our policy.”

Mark asked in the participation was a mere tactical response to the Venezuelan crisis rather than a well-thought out policy, by Senate President Christine Kangaloo disallowed the query. Likewise she did not let him ask if the Government was now seeking relevance but too late.

Later Mark moved a private motion lamenting the state of the economy, and used the occasion to urge the Government to state an “orderly, regulated and controlled” policy on immigrants, such Venezuelans, who compete with locals for jobs. “We need a migrant labour policy and we need the Government to establish legislation to deal with this issue. We have a lot of challenges. We have the South American invasion, we have the invasion from Africa, we have the invasion from Caricom and we have the Chinese invasion. We have four sets of invasions.”

Mark said he had nothing personal against such migrants but the country needs a regulated policy of migration.