Days after Venezuelan President and the T&T Government entered into a trade arrangement to provide basic food and medical supplies, Venezuelans, who continue to flock to local shores, said that arrangement would not work.
Venezuelans who entered the country through King’s Wharf, San Fernando, said yesterday the situation was too deeply entrenched for this $50 million fund to satisfy the needs of the 30 million citizens.
Pulling their little dingy boats laden with crocus bags, dozens of Venezuelans were seen coming to Trinidad to buy much needed supplies. A source at the Customs and Excise Division said there have been about a three per cent increase in the number of Venezuelans who came to San Fernando to trade.
“We have an average of 15 passengers coming for the day. They bring crabs and shrimp which they sell to vendors and they use the money to buy rice, sugar, oil, toiletries and baking powder,” the source said.
A Venezuelan, who identified himself as Antonio, said he came to Trinidad every month to get supplies.
“I cannot carry back much because if I do the Walia (Guardia Nacionale) would seize it,” Antonio said. He added that security arrangements have to be put in place to prevent other Venezuelans from seizing their goods.
Asked to describe the conditions in his hometown of Boca de Guerra, Antonio said:
“People have to wait three or four days to get basic goods. If you don’t get it, you have to wait for the next week. People have money but it has no value. It is easier to get in your boat and come to Trinidad to get a few things,” Antonio said.
Another Venezuelan who has family in Trinidad said thousands of people were starving to death.
“You know how many children die in the hospitals every day? All we have is three types of medicine. We have nothing to give to people with diabetes,” he said.
He added that in Trinidad people could buy a wide range of milk for their babies but in Venezuela you could not even get one pack of milk. Asked whether he was in support of the new agreement signed by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for $50 million worth of food to be sent to Venezuela, he said that was not enough.
“Venezuela is owing a lot of money. We have a lot of gold and diamonds and they are cutting the power so they can extract the gold. The government doesn’t care what is happening to the people. All they care about is socialism,” the source said.
He explained that former President Hugo Chavez won the hearts of the poor people because he brought in Cuban doctors and posted them in the interior of Venezuela to help the poor.
He also said there was no free media in Venezuela and anyone who opposed the ruling government was imprisoned in a dark prison where they could not see daylight.
On Monday, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between T&T and Venezuela. A $50 million fund was set up to facilitate trade and the transferral of T&T’s manufactured goods over to Venezuela.
Rowley said there would also be a joint security session in Caracas to address the issue of drug trafficking and other crime-related issues, as well as the protection of mutual borders.