DIRECTOR of La Casita Hispanic Cultural Centre Andreina Brown is appealing to Homeland Security minister Roger Alexander to provide an update on the fate of 'hundreds of migrants who have not yet registered' as part of the Migrant Registration Framework (MRF).

On April 30, Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander reported a total of 16,408 applicants have been interviewed as the Government's MRF continued. In phase one of the MRF, all undocumented migrants in Trinidad and Tobago were required to register online at migrantregistration. gov.tt which took place between January 26 and February 25 this year. The ministry reported that at the close of the online registration period, it received 29,276 applications, representing more than 60 nationalities. The second phase of the programme involves the processing of applications as well as in-person interviews with applicants at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, and the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago. A $700 registration fee is required for approved applicants for the issuance of the MRF card which will allow migrants to legally reside and work in Trinidad and Tobago until December 31, 2026.

In a phone interview yesterday, Brown said: 'Hundreds of people are waiting for appointments. A lot of Venezuelans live and work in Arima. There are a lot of people who did not get any appointments. They are awaiting a reply. A lot of people are just standing by. It's frustrating. Nobody knows what is going on for sure.'