V'zuelan migrants in TT bear the brunt of covid19 pandemic

Charlotte Street on Sunday was not as bustling as it usually is as most stores and majority of roadside vendors were closed.

However, a handful of vendors still defied the no-street vending rule to sell their produce. Carlos, a Venezuelan migrant, was one of the vendors who took the risk of selling on the street because rent is due.

While TT citizens can access the $1,500 salary relief grant and the $2,500 rental assistance grant, Venezuelan migrants are not able to. However, many migrants who worked at bars, restaurants and cinemas became unemployed when the Public Health Ordinance closed non-essential services.

Usually, Carlos, 23, worked with another produce vendor on Charlotte Street, but he has not been working for a month because roadside vending on Charlotte Street also became prohibited.

He lives in Port of Spain with four other people, including his seven-year-old daughter. His girlfriend is the only one in the house who is employed during this period because she works in a grocery store, bringing home $600 a week. However, their rent is $2,000 per month.

"It is real hard now. This is my work. I'm dong this because I don't have money for rent. I don't know why they can't understand that."

Carlos not only works to survive in Trinidad, but to send money home to his mother in Venezuela. He was hoping to save up money and go home next year, but now he is not sure what he is going to do.

He lives in a Venezuelan community where most people are unsure where they can get money for rent and food.

"Venezuela is in real problem now. Plenty Spanish (here) are not working. Everyone stays home unless people are working grocery or pharmacy."

The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and Living Water Community have emergency phone numbers for migrants. UNHCR’s contacts are 296-3881, 280-3529, 309-7394 and the e-mail ttopo@unhcr.org.