ANGELA RAMNARINE of the La Romaine Migrant Support Programme said the government's move to restart its migrant registration programme as an expanded initiative for all migrants was largely welcomed by Venezuelans in TT, although a small group questioned its credibility. Speaking to Newsday on December 30, she recalled being inundated with phone calls from employers in recent times voicing their strong support for Venezuelans as fantastic workers, especially at construction sites. She said the regularisation also applies to migrants illegally present in TT.

Ramnarine recalled 16,000 Venezuelan migrants being registered and regularised in TT in 2019.

"But the numbers kept decreasing every year. We ended up with more illegal migrants than legal."