REGIONAL: Government to give support to families of fishermen detained in Venezuela

SOURCE: CMC – President Irfaan Ali says the government has outlined a strategy to provide psychological, moral and other support to the families of the fishermen illegally detained by Venezuela.

He said the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security would be meeting with the families soon in this regard.

Giving the nation an update, over the weekend, on the government’s position on Venezuela’s continuing aggression against Guyana, President Ali said he has already instructed Army Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess to lead a delegation to meet the families of the fishermen and the owners of the vessels.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff are in constant contact with the owners of the vessel and family members of the crew and shortly we will be engaging the families. We have outlined a strategy to ensure that their economic wellbeing is taken care of,” the Head of State said.

Brigadier Bess said he, along with the Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie visited the families last Sunday and assured them that all diplomatic avenues would be exhausted to ensure their loved ones, and the vessels, are returned to Guyana in the shortest possible time.

On January 21, the Government of Guyana received reports that a Venezuelan naval vessel had seized two Guyanese fishing vessels – the Lady Nayera and the Sea Wolf – operating off the coast of Waini Point within Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

The crews and the fishing vessels are still being detained by the Venezuelan military at Port Guiria, Venezuela, despite Guyana’s formal protest to the Venezuelan authorities through diplomatic channels.

The government has since informed the international community of this latest violation of international law by Venezuela, and its illegal and arbitrary arrest and detention of Guyanese citizens in Guyana’s territory.