(Antigua Sun) A 50-year-old Commonwealth of Dominica national who pleaded guilty to remaining in Antigua after the expiration of a permit is to be removed from the state, while a 24-year-old Jamaican has opted to leave voluntarily instead of being deported.

The Dominican, Elias Baron, appeared in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where it was revealed that on Monday, immigration enforcement officers while on duty went to Baron’s house in Paynters where they made inquiries as to his status in the country.

Baron handed over his Dominican passport and the officers reviewed its contents and discovered that his permit to remain in the state had expired since 22 December, 2006.

He was told he had committed an offence and would be charged.

Baron was taken into custody and asked to give a written statement but he declined.

The Dominican man was arrested and charged.

Baron told the court that since coming to Antigua he has never had a permanent job. He said he has done various “odd jobs” and that a number of people owe him money. The 50-year-old added that one of the individuals owe him $4,000, another $1,350 and a third $600.

“They owe me money and refuse to pay. I had a lack of finance,” Baron said.

He speculated that it might have been one of the people who owed him that tipped off the Immigration Department.

Asked why he did not use his return ticket to go back home, Baron told the court that his ticket had already expired.
The Immigration Department is to supervise Baron’s departure from the island.

The AntiguaSun understands that a prominent businessman and the family of an immigration officer are among the people owing money to Baron.

Meanwhile, Olaudah Charlton of Jamaica also appeared in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to remaining in the country after the expiration of a permit.

The man came to the country on 30 May, 2008, and was given an entry permit to stay in Antigua until 27 June, that year.