radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Now that the United States has temporarily lifted sanctions against Venezuela, allowing T&T to exploit Venezuela’s Dragon Field, the councillor for Cedros Shankar Teelucksingh says profits from the Dragon deal should be used to help migrants from the peninsula.
Speaking to Guardian Media at the Siparia Regional Corporation on Thursday, Teelucksingh said over 250 Venezuelan migrants are living in Cedros and many of them are suffering.
“It is interesting to hear that the US has lifted sanctions for exploration. What is alarming is why is there only negotiations to lift sanctions in energy and not in other areas. I am referring to the sanctions at the Cedros port. There are currently restrictions on Venezuelan vessels entering the Cedros port,” he said.
He noted that Venezuelans can leave via the port but ferry operators from Venezuela say they are being turned back when they arrive at the Cedros port.
“This is forcing Venezuelans to enter illegally,” Teelucksingh said.
He noted that Cedros is very close to Venezuela and there should be diversification of the economy in Cedros so they are less dependent on energy,” Teelucksingh said. He called on the ministry to explore setting up aquaponic farms in Icacos and Cedros.
“The Great Icacos Lagoon is sinking and there is one one-lane traffic there,” Teelucksingh said. He noted that Cedros and Icacos had tremendous potential for tourism and the windfall from the Dragon Gas Field should be pumped back into Cedros where there is an increasingly larger migrant population.
He also questioned what Venezuelans will be getting out of the Dragon Field exploitation.
“I want to know what is the present situation of natural gas in Soldao North Field. Why are those gas not produced? Why concentrate on Dragon Field and what benefit will this bring to Venezuela?
Teelucksingh said now that T&T stood to benefit financially with more energy profits, he hoped that the Bonasse Health Centre should resume 24-hour operations. He said that even though the nurses’ quarters had burnt down, several buildings in the peninsula could be used to house medical staff.
A total of 91 illegal points of entry have been identified by the T&T Coast Guard. Near the Galfar volcanoes, migrants hide out in the forests before they are picked up by local contacts.
There are also illegal ports at Erin Beach, Palo Seco, Los Iros, Mon Diablo beach, Fanny Village Beach, Kings Wharf Oropouche Bay, and Jumbie Bay.