PROTEST TREATMENT

FIFTEEN Guyanese, who travelled to Trinidad on Monday and were sent back here, have alleged that they were insulted by immigration officers at Piarco International Airport.
The group was visiting the island for different reasons, including for job interviews and vacation.

‘ANGRY PASSENGERS’: Some of the irate passengers who were refused entry to Trinidad at Police C.I.D. Eve Leary Headquarters yesterday. (Photos by Adrian Narine)

The rejected travellers raised concerns yesterday at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Eve Leary, Georgetown, declaring that, in contrast to how they were treated, Guyanese are hospitable to all visitors.

One passenger called for the intervention of President Bharrat Jagdeo, because of the slurs uttered to them.

“The immigration officers in Trinidad told us that we were coming to Trinidad because our President does not have time with us…he only has time to travel to different countries and Guyanese are going to Trinidad to steal their jobs.”

“They treated us like dogs and, when they come here, we welcome them with hugs and kisses. This is really unfair to us Guyanese and something should be done,” declared Danny Hughes, who went to be interviewed for employment.

He and others, who were on a similar mission, displayed invitation letters that were sent to them by the Managing Director of the prospective employer, Mr. Samuel Joseph.

According to them, on their arrival in Trinidad, they were informed by an immigration officer that the company, TERRAERIN, no longer exists and they all had bogus documents.

Ms. Gwendolyn Yearwood, who arranged the interviews, said the immigration officers were dishonest, because she spoke to Joseph who told her he was on his way to receive the interviewees.

She said, when the man went to the airport, he was deprived access to the persons he expected.

The vacationers, amongst them a man who was going to stay with an aunt, were also deported.

“I had the address where she is living and they sent me back. I asked them to call her, so that they would know it is not false but the immigration officer said that the number was unanswered,” the nephew, Delroy Alexander said.

The passengers said no explanations were given to them for their deportation.

“As soon as they saw the green passport, they started turning down people and insulting us. One of the officers said that he turned back 150 people from Guyana for the year,” said Mark Saul.

All the rejects flew on the Caribbean Airline flight which departed Guyana at 05:30 h on Monday, May 26 and they arrived in Trinidad around 07:00 h but were refused entry and deported back at 21:30 h.

They were made to wait at the airport for their documents and had nothing to eat or drink during the hours they waited and the officers were hostile to them when they requested to use the sanitary facilities, the complainants stated.

“They had us waiting there from morning to night before they gave us something to eat but nothing to drink. We could not even go to the washroom. They had us locked down like if we did something wrong. This is totally unfair,” Yearwood protested.

Some of the others also alleged that their baggage was left behind and misplaced and they vowed to take the matter further.