Aboud: V’zuelans living in squalor

Corporate secretary of Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) Gary Aboud has lashed out at the government on Venezuelan immigrants saying they are living in squalor in this country.

“With the collapsing economy in TT, resources are limited and the government has not yet established any social programmes to assist Venezuelan refugees here.”

As a result of this, Aboud said, Venezuelan migrants are not given any plan or programme in which they can follow. They are basically left to their own devices and to fend for themselves.

On any given day or night, Aboud claimed, scores of Venezuelans can be seen aimlessly walking the streets of Port of Spain and San Fernando.

According to Aboud when the government welcomed Venezuelans to this country, he feared this very scenario would come to pass. “Yet after the much-touted amnesty, our maritime borders are still wide open.”

“We regularly receive new reports of boatloads arriving under the cover of night and the number of Venezuelans in TT is increasing every day,” Aboud said.

The FFOS has repeatedly called on National Security Minister Stuart Young to close the borders and regulate the number of refugees entering.

“While it is our duty as human beings to assist the Venezuelan refugees who are already here the question remains, can Minister Young tell the people of this country when will the free flow of unregulated refugees stop?” Aboud asked.