The Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Affairs Ministry is looking into reports that thirteen Jamaicans were mistreated in that country last week, before being deported to Jamaica.
The report comes a year after the Caribbean Court of Justice, CCJ, outlined the rights of CARICOM nationals when moving within the region.
The thirteen Jamaicans claimed they were forced to sleep on the floor, and not allowed food or use of the bathroom at Trinidad’s Piarco International Airport.
Last November, another thirteen Jamaicans triggered an international incident, when they were also denied entry to the twin island republic.
They, too, claimed mistreatment.
And, in October last year, Jamaican Shanique Myrie won 3-point-6 million dollars from the Barbadian government, after the Caribbean Court of Justice, CCJ, ruled that Barbados had violated her right to free movement under the Treaty of Chagauramas.
The court’s landmark ruling set the precedent for how CARICOM nationals are to be treated when moving within the region.
Several rights were outlined by the court. These include the right to appeal the immigration officer’s decision; the right to consult an attorney or a consular official from their country; and the right to get the reasons for being denied, promptly and in writing.
Now the CCJ does recognize the right of individual state to deny entry if a person is deemed undesirable, a threat to national security, or would likely become a charge on the public purse.
However, the Court said the burden is on the State to prove that the visitor falls into one of these categories.
Otherwise, CARICOM nationals are to automatically be granted a six-month stay.
These rights were reaffirmed in two meetings between Jamaica and T&T’s Foreign Ministers, AJ Nicholson and Winston Dookeran, in December last year, and June this year.
The first meeting in Kingston was prompted by Trinidad’s deportation of thirteen Jamaicans, just a month after the Myrie ruling.
The need for respect of all CARICOM nationals was the underlying sentiment of that meeting.
The Ministers agreed that they would sensitize their immigration officers on the implications of the Myrie ruling.
They also agreed that no person should be denied entry without sufficient cause.
And importantly, they agreed to provide accommodation for passengers who were denied entry.
At the second meeting in Port of Spain in June, Jamaica revealed that it had established dedicated facilities at its airports for persons denied entry.
But Trinidad and Tobago had yet to do so, saying in the joint communique that it was still exploring options.
And now, a year after the Myrie ruling, it appears T&T still hasn’t fulfilled its part of the agreement, as more Jamaicans have reported mistreatment in that country, with no adequate accommodation.
Nationwide News contacted Trinidad’s Foreign Minister, Winston Dookeran, today, who said he was looking into the matter.
Minister Dookeran says there have been meetings with immigration officials, but, he was unable to say whether any improvements to the airport accommodations have been made.
Jamaica’s Foreign Minister, AJ Nicholson, says they’ve requested a report from Trinidad.
Minister Nicholson is also encouraging the deported Jamaicans to make a report to his ministry.
So far, only one Jamaican has made a formal complaint.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this afternoon says the two ministers spoke today.
Minister Nicholson says he reminded Minister Dookeran of the commitments assumed by both sides, and said he expects them to be implemented in good faith.
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