GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The opposition party, Alliance For Change (AFC) has again raised concern over the number of Venezuelan migrants in the country, suggesting that the electoral process could also be compromised.
The AFC’s concerns were heightened following this week’s Parliamentary Sitting, where Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn could not verify the figure that he had presented to the Parliament in relation to the number of migrants here.
Benn initially told the House that there are only four regions in Guyana that have a total of just over 15,000 Venezuelan migrants. However, he later withdrew that figure .
In a statement on Saturday, the AFC said it became even more suspicious because a release from the Government last year stated that well over 40,000 Venezuelans are here.
The statement said that in addition in December, the Government noted a growing number of Venezuelan migrants in Linden, Region 10 although the Home Affairs Minister told the National Assembly that migrants are only present in Regions 1, 2,4 and 8.
AFC Chairman, David Patterson told reporters that while on the face of it, it seems as a mistake on the part of the Minister, the exact information was recently featured at a symposium organized by University of Guyana.
“The AFC is deeply concerned that in an election year, where the vast majority of Guyanese has expressed concerns about the bloated Voter’s electoral list and the rumours that thousands of Venezuelan whether entitled or not has been included on the GECOM list, that the agency task with monitoring and regulating this group cannot provide a factual account of the persons in the country,” Patterson said.
Patterson who pressed the Home Affairs Minister on the issue during the sitting of the National Assembly, said it has become clear that the Government has either lost control of the migrant situation or is clueless about the situation in the country.
The AFC fears that many of the Venezuelan migrants could find their way on the voters’ list.
“The AFC once again calls on GECOM to enhance measures of voter’s identification including biometrics and cameras in the place of polls to ensure that the General and Regional elections of 2025 is free, fair and acceptable,” Patterson said.
He said while the AFC acknowledges the circumstances that led the migrants here, the Government’s failure to properly document the migrants and provide updates to Guyanese cannot be brushed aside.
