Audrey Henderson, a Venezuelan asylum seeker, who completed the Government's amnesty registration process on May 31, received his food badge from the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) earlier this week.
Henderson, who arrived in Tobago illegally just over 18 months, left the THRA's Scarborough centre "relieved."
“I am relieved. I sell sno-cones and cotton candy on the beach and although I previously applied for a food badge I was told I could not get one because I was didn’t have a work permit," he said.
"I am glad I registered as the registration process really gives me a chance to earn money so that I can take care of my family in Tobago and in Venezuela. I can now do my business without fear.”
Meanwhile, Venezuelan father and son Miguel and Juan Ortiz hope Government's amnesty will assist in many other ways.
The father, Juan, saw the registration as a "good thing" and hopes it will reduce the exploitation of migrant workers.
“Sometimes people approach and ask us to work for them. My son and I do the job, sometimes we work long hours from 8 am to sometimes 10 pm and some people do not pay us,” he said.
“We have been living here legally for the past eight months, we work in construction and people try to exploit us. Now we can take them to the authorities," the father told Guardian Media.
He said although he owned his own company in Venezuela before fleeing to T&T, he is prepared to do anything legally to feed his family.
He said he prefers Tobago because the island reminds him of his home in Margarita.
“Tobago is quiet and laid back, people are friendly and they leave you alone," he said.
“Inflation is crazy back home. The average person's salary is $14,000. When you have to use $250 of that just to buy one chicken, that is crazy. I get sad when I see people I know for many years “turn to a life of crime to save their families," Miguel said.
The son said he can hardly wait for things to improve in Venezuela. "I don't want to stay here. I want to go back home, so when things improve I will swim if I have to," he said.
