Government Moves to Register Undocumented Foreigners Following Deadly Gas Station Bombing
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
There’s much that Guyana’s intelligence agencies are not saying publicly about Sunday night’s deadly Regent and King Streets gas station bombing, which killed six-year-old Soraya Bourne and injured several others. Officials insist they must be circumspect about what is released.
What is known, however, is that the Government is moving swiftly to compile accurate records of foreigners living in Guyana illegally—and that these individuals will be given a grace period to come forward and register.
Government Races to Register Undocumented Migrants
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond, in a statement on Tuesday evening, announced that undocumented foreigners will be allowed a grace period to register with the authorities and will be issued with electronic identification (e-ID) cards once processed.
“Foreigners residing in Guyana illegally will be granted a grace period to register and will be issued e-ID cards,” Minister Walrond said.
The government’s decision comes just days after the bombing, which investigators confirmed was carried out by a Venezuelan national. Officials are now under pressure to properly document the true size and composition of the Venezuelan migrant population in Guyana.
Concerns Over Border Security and Intelligence Gaps
When questioned about whether illegal foreigners are being registered or fingerprinted upon entry, Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, who also heads the Immigration Department, declined to provide details, saying only that the matter is being addressed at the policy level.
The issue of border security and untracked foreign nationals has reignited debate about Guyana’s immigration systems and intelligence coordination, especially along the porous border shared with Venezuela.
Former Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn had previously warned about the possible presence of sleeper agents and covert operatives from Venezuela operating inside Guyana. When pressed on this matter, Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Deputy Police Commissioner Wendell Blanhum, said the police are pursuing all credible leads as the investigation continues.
Prime Suspect Facing Terrorism and Murder Charges
Meanwhile, the prime suspect, Daniel Alexander Ramirez Peodomo, remains in custody and is expected to face multiple charges, including terrorism, murder, attempted murder, arson, and malicious damage to property.
Police believe Peodomo is affiliated with the “R Organization”, a faction linked to the Syndicato gang, which operates across the Guyana–Venezuela border.
Authorities say the bombing was premeditated and that the suspect entered Guyana illegally by boat just hours before the attack.
