Dear Editor,
The Guyana Police Force is responding to a letter published in the Stabroek News under the caption ‘Brother hassled since being turned back at Trinidad airport’ (SN, 3.5.08) a copy of which was forwarded to the Commissioner of Police (ag).
In the letter Shellon Chester is querying the retention by the police of the passport of Claremonte Chester of Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast, following his return to Guyana after being refused entry into Trinidad and Tobago. The writer also alleged that Claremonte Chester was kept at the Brickdam lockups for three days before being released on $10,000.00 bail.
The Guyana Police Force wishes to state that Claremonte Chester was refused entry into Trinidad and Tobago on 2.2.08 after the Immigration Authorities there discovered that he had previously overstayed his time in that country.
During the interview with Immigration Authorities upon his return to Guyana, it was found that he had a false immigration entry stamp in his passport with a date purporting to show that he had not overstayed his time in Trinidad and Tobago.
Consequently, Claremonte Chester was handed over to ranks at CID headquarters for investigations to be conducted into that matter. He had arrived in the country on 3.2.08 and was later released on bail in the sum of $10,000.00 on 5.2.08. Claremonte Chester was in police custody for two days and not three days as alleged in the letter.
The police are presently awaiting information that has been requested from the Trinidad and Tobago Immigration Authorities and which is vital to the ongoing investigations. Under the circumstances, Claremonte Chester’s passport cannot be returned to him at this time.
Yours faithfully,
Ivelaw Whittaker
Public Relations and
Press Officer
Guyana Police Force
