Black Immigrant Daily News

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Carlos Martinez shows he and his wife’s registration cards.
– Grevic Alvarado

With just over a month to go before the extension of work permits for Venezuelans expires, hundreds of them have still not received the official sticker on their registration cards.

In Legal Notice 53, published in the Gazette on March 1, the Ministry of National Security extended the validity of the registration cards until December 31.

The notice was signed by National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds on February 9. It applied to the 13,500 Venezuelans who re-registered in March 2021.

In June, 2109, initially 15,523 Venezuelans registered, but some have left TT or did not re-register.

This is the fourth extension of work permits for registered Venezuelans.

The first extension was approved in August 2020 until the end of that year, owing to the covid19 pandemic. The cabinet then approved a second six-month extension and a new registration. In September 2021, the Venezuelans were granted a third extension, validated with a sticker on their cards, which expired on December 31.

Venezuelans were told to wait for a call from Immigration Division officers to go to the Immigration office on Henry Street, Port of Spain.

However, hundreds are concerned because they still have not been called. But there are some who were called but were told, when they arrived, that their stickers are not yet ready.

Andreina Briceño Brown, director of the NGO La Casita, said in the last month she has received more than 100 calls from Venezuelans requesting information about the stickers.

She said most of them are worried because they are being pressured by their employers to establish they are legally allowed to work in TT, at least until December 31, although the extension was announced by the government.

“People want to know what will happen to these stickers. We are opting to give them a copy of the decree (order) so they can show it to their bosses or to the police,” she said.

Brown said she was even told of instances where police officers were unaware of the extension and are only guided by the expiration date of the card, which is 2020.

So far the number of stickers issued by the Immigration Division is unknown.

Carlos Martínez told Newsday he and his wife María Delgado have complied with all the procedures from the first day of registration in June 2019. They received their previous extensions, but have had problems with the latter.

“I received my new sticker in May, but my wife did not. They called her three days after me and the Immigration officials only said her sticker was not ready yet and they would call her again. Six months have passed and we are still waiting for the call. I don’t understand why her sticker isn’t ready if it only has a general date, it’s not personalised,” said Martínez.

The Immigration officers tell other people if they were not called they cannot go to the office to request their stickers.

Brown called on the authorities to expedite the delivery of the updated stickers.

“They can make a special-delivery day or even request help from community organisations to expedite this process. It is so important for the legality of Venezuelans here,” she said.

Newsday tried to get responses from Chief Immigration Officer Charmaine Ghandi-Andrews, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne, but messages went unanswered.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

News

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley delivers the feature address at the PNM’s National Womens League’s 48th annual conference at Achievors Banquet Hall, San Fernando on Sunday. – Marvin Hamilton

Referring to the PNM National Women’s League as the party’s backbone, the Prime Minister called for its support of local government reform.

He said it ensures that when the country goes to the polls to hold local government elections, people can see change for the better.

Dr Rowley was speaking at the league’s annual general meeting and conference on Sunday at Achievors Banquet Hall, Duncan Village in San Fernando.

He said local government reform is not just about having local elections and electing the same set of “half-dead councillors” who operate in the same old system every three years.

“The fundamental change that is going to take place is the implementation of property tax where every local government body will collect tax from the residences, use it and get the additional monies from the central government.”

“You will have control of a revenue stream. That is local government reform. As you take that on, the central government will pass greater responsibilities to local government.”

He told the gathering the Government had passed very complicated legislation to bring about the reform.

He charged that many municipal corporations pay millions of dollars to contractors “from ohie-ohoe” to collect the garbage.

Yet, some garbage is not being collected because there is no connection between the people and the garbage collectors.

Rowley accused PNM’s political opponents of not wanting any part of the reform because they did “absolutely nothing” when they were in office and do not support anything that brings about beneficial change.

“But we are in competition with them. We are in service of the people across the country who will benefit from these changes. They didn’t want us to solve the Petrotrin problem,” Rowley said.

“They want us to kick the can down the road. But we knew that it was not beneficial to the people of TT to let Petrotrin bankrupt the country.”

Rowley said the Opposition had invited people to use white rum and sunlight for the coronavirus at the height of the pandemic. Had people taken heed, many people would have died.

He added, “When we decided to restructure Petrotrin, many people saw that as a political opportunity.”

The Government, he said, saw it as taking a difficult decision to improve the national position.

“We had to pay US $850 million in August 2018. After, we borrowed $13 billion for the pandemic. Where was that money going to come from? If we did not do it, that would have brought the economic collapse and downgrade.”

He said Petrotrin’s restructuring to create Heritage Petroleum allowed Heritage to pay the US $850 million without recourse.

Health was the number one priority, and preserving the economy was the second.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

A deep-layered trough system is approaching the island and will begin affecting the island from November 21.

Tonight, Sunday, November 20, the deep-layered trough system approaching the island will lead to a mix of clear skies and clouds with the occasional intermittent scattered light to moderate showers and a very slight chance of isolated thunderstorms.

Here is the weather forecast for the next three days, according to the Barbados Meteorological Services.

Monday, November 21

The deep-layered trough system will begin affecting Barbados and the Windward Islands. As a result, cloudy skies accompanied by scattered showers and thunderstorm activity are expected. Throughout the night conditions across the northern Leeward Islands will improve briefly as a deep-layered ridge pattern becomes the dominant feature.

Barbados Forecast Max/Min Temps: 29/23.

Tuesday, November 22

A further deterioration in weather conditions across Barbados and the Windward islands are anticipated as cloudy to overcast skies, moderate to heavy showers, rain and thunderstorms are forecast. Across the Leeward islands, activity associated with the trough system will spread across that area generating partly cloudy to occasionally cloudy conditions.

Barbados Forecast Max/Min Temps: 29/23.

Wednesday, November 23

Models suggest the development of a surface to mid-level trough across Barbados and the Windward Islands. This feature will maintain unsettled weather conditions over the region.

Barbados Forecast Max/Min Temps: 29/23.

St Lucia Met Office

Over in St Lucia, the Saint Lucia Meteorological Services is tracking an approaching trough system which is expected to affect the island from November 21.

According to an advisory issued late Sunday, November 20, the Lucian Met Office is forecasting that unstable weather conditions associated with the passage of the trough system could last up to 48 hours.

Residents and motorists are urged to exercise caution and remain vigilant when traversing the East and West Coast Roads as there are still high levels of soil saturation due to heavy rains in recent weeks.

The passage of the approaching trough system will increase the risk of flash flooding, landslides and rock fall.

Small craft operators, when venturing out to sea, are also called upon to be on alert as winds and waves may be high.

Residents in low-lying areas are advised to take all necessary precautions to secure their property and personal effects.

Dominica Met Office

A trough system is the dominant feature across the area. An increase in moisture and instability could result in cloudy and breezy conditions with some scattered showers which could be moderate at times and a chance of isolated thunderstorms. Thereafter, on Tuesday further deterioration in conditions are expected with moderate to heavy showers possible. People in areas prone to flooding and landslides should keep monitoring this system.

Moderate to rough seas are anticipated during the next 24 to 48 hours, with wave heights up to 10ft along the eastern coast. A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect. Small craft operators and sea-bathers should exercise caution.

72-hour Outlook St Vincent and the Grenadines Met Office

Instability ahead of an approaching trough began to affect our islands today with occasional moderate showers and gusty winds. As Sunday night progresses, similar conditions are anticipated. Residents and motorists in areas prone to flooding and landslides and near rivers and streams should remain alert. In addition, a favourable upper level pattern is expected to remain in place across our islands and provide support for this system which is expected to influence the weather conditions during the next few days. The SVG Meteorological Services will continue to monitor this system and provide the necessary updates.

Moderate to fresh(20-35km/h) easterly to east north easterly trades will cross the islands within the next 24hours, increasing(near 40km/h) and temporarily shifting to east south easterly during Tuesday afternoon. Wind direction should return to easterly by midweek. Seas are currently moderate in open water with swells peaking near 1.5m on western coasts and up to 2.5m on eastern coasts. Small craft operators and sea bathers should exercise caution for above normal sea swells and occasional gusty winds. Conditions may deteriorate within the next few days due to increased wind speed. Saharan dust concentrations should begin to cross the islands from Monday, increasing in intensity by midweek.

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