The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Tuesday received 50 food hampers from DeSinco Trading Limited, which will be transported to the 260 confirmed Venezuelan migrants, who are occupying areas in Barima-Waini (Region One), the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) disclosed.
The items were handed over at DeSinco’s headquarters in Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
Director General of the Commission, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, who received items on behalf of the CDC, expressed gratitude to the business organisation for their donation.
According to the MotP’s statement, Col. Craig noted that humanitarian support would be needed to deal with the migration of Venezuelans to Guyana’s border locations. Col. Craig used the opportunity to urge other organisations to come forward and contribute in whatever they can to the efforts to bring relief to the migrants.
He stressed that support from civil society will complement the work the Guyana Government has already been doing.
The Government had convened a multi-agency coordinating committee, which includes the Guyana Police Force, the Ministries of Communities, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Social Protection, Public Health and Citizenship and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to provide assistance to the refugees, who are fleeing worsening social and economic conditions in Venezuela.
“The current situation in Region One, Seven and Nine can be considered a complex humanitarian situation which has security implications, foreign policy implications, implications for humanitarian support, in terms of providing food and shelter, and health implications,” Col. Craig is quoted as saying.
He noted that the CDC in collaboration with the Ministry of Citizenship and several other agencies have taken a multi-agency approach to provide the necessary supplies to the affected persons in those regions.
“A gesture like this is welcomed by the Civil Defence Commission and it shows that agencies like DeSinco Limited is taking corporate social responsibility very seriously,” he said.
DeSinco’s Chief Executive Officer, Frank DeAbreu, in brief remarks, said that his organisation strongly believes in being good corporate citizens and providing a helping hand to those in need.
He is quoted as saying: “DeSinco will always stand by the needy. We have been doing this for years. To help those who need is to help but to help who already have is to be famous and we are not looking for fame. We are looking to help… Now that God has helped me so that I can offer, I am delighted that I can give back to the Venezuelans.”
