Entry denied! Gov’t disturbed as T&T turns back ‘significant number’ of Jamaicans

The Jamaican Government has placed Trinidad and Tobago on notice that it has become alarmed that several of its citizens have been denied entry into that eastern Caribbean nation over recent weeks.The concern comes after the most recent case in which 12 Jamaicans were turned back from the twin-island republic on November 19th and returned home. Reports are that the 12 were stopped at the Piarco International Airport in Port-of-Spain after they disembarked a Caribbean Airlines flight. Head of corporate communications at Caribbean Airlines Clint Williams confirmed the reports. “We can confirm that there were 12 passengers on flight 475 who were refused entry by immigration in Trinidad and they returned to Kingston ,” Williams told The Gleaner. He said he could not give any further details on what transpired at the airport. Calls to the twin-island republic’s immigration division, for further details, went unanswered. Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade noted it had become aware that, “over the past several weeks, a significant number of Jamaicans have been denied entry into Trinidad and Tobago and returned to Jamaica within days on the grounds that the immigration authorities of Trinidad and Tobago have deemed them ineligible to land as bonafide visitors”. In a release, the ministry said it was concerned at this development and was continuing to interface with the relevant authorities in Trinidad and Tobago on the matter, especially in light of the recent Shanique Myrie ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

Courtesy: www.jamaicagleaner.com