Christmas in exile

On Monday at the UN Headquarters in New York, Trinidad joined 181 member states in approving the Global Compact for Refugees. This international agreement – two years in the making – will change how the world responds to mass displacement. Building on the existing 1951 Refugee Convention, it addresses the need for responsibility-sharing between nations in responding to refugee crises.

Seventy-three years on from WWII, there are more people displaced than at any point in recorded history. Over 25 million people have been forced to flee their own countries. A further 40 million are displaced within their own countries, because of war, poverty or persecution. Nine out of ten refugees live in developing countries, which means some of the world’s poorest nations shoulder the burden of hosting new populations while their own education and healthcare systems are already under strain. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, will use this vital new agreement to push governments and big business around the world to share the load.

What does that mean for Trinidad? Are we one of those developed nations who must help the international community with that burden-sharing? Or are we a developing nation experiencing a refugee crisis and in need of outside support? The truth is a bit of both. Either way, there are fundamentals that must remain front of mind. When signing up to co-operative agreements–regardless of their non-binding nature–countries must step up when called upon. It’s easy to sign a convention when you think you’ll never have refugees arriving on your shores. When your nearest neighbour’s economy collapses and its people look for a way out, it requires resolve to honour those commitments.

In many ways, Trinidad is a developed nation–based on economic activity, quality of infrastructure, technology and standard of living. At the same time, Trinidad is a small island. Proportionally, since the Venezuela situation escalated, it has taken in more refugees than countries like the US or UK. But as a host country, Trinidad is doing the bare minimum to support those seeking asylum here. The tens of thousands who have come here for what Trinidad offers–livelihood and greater security–are effectively left to fend for themselves with support from the UN, a few NGOs, their own refugee and migrant community networks, some kind-hearted citizens and private sector organisations.

That there is no visible refugee crisis in Trinidad is not because of the Government’s handling of it, but more because Venezuelans are resourceful and optimistic people who manage to find their own places to live and work, despite few even speaking the language. No housing, schooling or welfare is provided by the Government.

The Government is hoping the situation will remain stable or, better yet, go away. That’s not a sustainable approach. What if numbers increase? Will the Government concede that it needs outside help? Far bigger countries like Colombia and Brazil have asked for international assistance. At a summit of Latin American countries in Quito in November, Ecuador said it needed US$550 million in donations from multilateral agencies to provide aid to the Venezuelans it was hosting. These funds allow for things like health screenings on arrival. UNHCR Chief Filippo Grandi said the rollout of the compact in 15 refugee-hosting countries has already mobilised US$6.5 billion for innovative projects. Why has Trinidad not asked for support? Why did it not attend the Quito meeting?

The situation mirrors Trinidad's governmental approach to many issues: let things go under the radar so you don’t have to manage them. This can be beneficial in terms of avoiding bureaucracy, but it’s not sustainable.

For example, refugees and asylum-seekers are not permitted to work in Trinidad, but they are working literally everywhere. Everybody knows this. Large businesses and brands in Trinidad are employing them quite openly, and so are smaller businesses. Yes, they are exploiting cheap labour and it would be better if they could work legally, but Caricom agreements on freedom of movement and employment restrict Trinidad from changing the rules for other nationalities like Venezuelans.

We could perhaps put in short-term provisions allowing work, education and other rights–like in Ecuador and Peru, but the risk is that would encourage more Venezuelans to come to Trinidad–which the Government is fearful of. While there may be enough housing stock for now, the state argument goes, that might not be the case in the future.

The Government will let employers continue to employ refugees as it is less hassle that way. For the remarkably proud Venezuelans whom Trinidadians are slowly becoming accustomed to as neighbours, colleagues and friends, work provides dignity as well as the wherewithal to buy much-needed items for their families back home. Feliz Navidad, refugiados.

*Josh's note: Of the 193 UN member states, only the US and Hungary voted against. Dominican Republic, Eritrea and Libya abstained. Seven countries did not vote.