T&T borders still too porous; foreign nationals still coming in illegally—SRC Chairman

SRC Chairman Dinesh Sankersingh says T&T’s porous borders make it easy for foreign nationals to enter illegally, some of whom may be carrying COVID-19, increasing the risk of a worse outbreak, here.

The Chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation (SRC) is concerned that foreign nationals are still able to easily enter this country illegally.

According to Dinesh Sankersingh, T&T’s borders are still porous to Venezuelan migrants, who are entering this country through Cedros and surrounding communities.

Speaking with Guardian Media on Saturday morning, the SRC chairman said Siparia residents are even more worried about the porous borders, ever since a map was published on the front pages of the  Guardian Newspaper that pinpointed Siparia as one of the communities affected by COVID-19.

Sankersingh said the area is being sanitized daily. He told Guardian Media that on February 19th, the SRC held a symposium with stakeholders which dealt with issues surrounding the novel coronavirus.

“We remain very concerned about the porous nature of our borders,” he told us. “We have reports that several Venezuelan migrants keep coming into our country without being vetted, without being sanitized, without being medically evaluated.”

Sankersingh said the illegal immigrants may very well pose a health risk if they are carrying the COVID-19 virus when they enter T&T.

The SRC chairman also expressed concern about how Food Cards were being distributed by the Ministry of Social Development. He believes the ministry is operating in a haphazard manner. He said while the SRC was lending support, concerns were raised about the persons getting the cards.

“We do not know who is getting food cards, especially if the deserving vulnerable community is getting it.” 

Sankersingh said the SRC was raising funds for hampers to assist the most needy in Siparia.

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