Out of 602 persons interviewed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Regions Two and Seven over a two-month period, 95% of them were Venezuelans, while 5% were returning Guyanese, most of whom were seeking education and training opportunities.
The above forms part of IOM’s latest Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) survey, funded by the US Department of State, which seeks to create a profile of the Venezuelan and returning Guyanese populations, who previously resided in Venezuela.
The DTM was initiated following Government’s expressed need to monitor the current situation of Venezuelan migration to Guyana, and it is expected to influence decision-making, as well as help to provide a better understanding of their migratory routes, economic and labour situation, living conditions and main protection needs.
So far, IOM has conducted DTM surveys in Regions One and Four, and the latest was conducted between November and December, 2018, in Regions Two and Seven. In Region Two, 334 persons were interviewed, while in Region Seven, 268 were interviewed.
The top need of those interviewed, as was stated in previous DTMs, was income generation or employment activities. When participants were asked about the type of information or assistance second most needed, respondents in Region Seven requested education and training as an important need. In Region Two, non-food items (19%), education and training (16%) and food (13%) were selected among other important needs.
Of those interviewed in Region Two, 55% worked independently before arriving in Guyana, 21% were employees, 19% unemployed and 2% were students. In contrast, 44% of those interviewed in Region Two had been working independently at time, 32% were unemployed, while 15% were employed.
Worked independently
In Region Seven, 80% worked independently before arriving in Guyana, 5% were employees and 13% were unemployed. In comparison, 87% when surveyed were working independently in Guyana, compared to 7% of those interviewed who were unemployed and 2% who were employees.
It was explained that since convenience sampling was used, the results are only indicative of the characteristics of the surveyed population.
“It is not possible to establish a probabilistic generalisation for all Venezuelan citizens or Guyanese returnees in the country. Additionally, in some graphics, due to rounding, the sum of the percentages may not be 100%,” the survey said.
The survey disclosed that of the interviewed population in Region Two, 63% were between the ages 18-30, 29% between 31-45, 5% between 46-59 and 2% 60 years and older. In Region Seven, 62% of the mobile population interviewed were between the ages of 18-30, 35% between 31-45 and almost 3% between the ages of 46-59. Overall, it said, a greater percentage of the interviewees were females between the ages of 18- 45-years-old. In total, between the two regions, 63% were between the ages of 18 and 30, 32% were between 31 and 45 and approximately 6% were older than 45-years-old.
The survey also disclosed that overall, 34% of Venezuelans interviewed were without regular migration status and 50% had the Government of Guyana stay permit, while 8% of Venezuelan nationals interviewed had dual nationality. Of those that indicated that they had Guyanese nationality, 12% did not have documentation to prove such, 18% claimed to have stay permits and 70% had double nationality (Guyanese and Venezuelan).
According to the findings of the recent survey, which is dated May 19, among the questions asked of the interviewees was whether they faced discrimination. In Region Two, 21% responded yes, in comparison to the 18% who responded yes in Region Seven. Twenty percent of those who answer-ed yes were Venezuelans, while nine percent were returning Guyanese.
“In total, 19 per cent of the interviewed population experienced discrimination (both Venezuelans and Guyanese that lived in Venezuela) and both groups cited their nationality as the reason for discrimination,” the report stated.
Further, the survey also stated that based on interviews conducted in Region Two, 75% of Venezuelan nationals and returning Guyanese that travelled to Pomeroon-Supenaam paid between US$ 200 to US$ 300 to arrive in Guyana. For Region Seven, 73% of the interviewees that travelled to Cuyuni-Mazaruni paid between US $100 to US $200 to arrive in Guyana.
In the area of health, 39% of those interviewed in Region Two indicated that they did not have access to health services compared to 43% Region Seven. And 5% of interviewees identified specific health conditions, while 3% indicated that they required daily medical attention. Another 14% mentioned that they had suffered some infectious or contagious disease over the past year.
