Permanent detention of former Health Minister Dr Noel Blackman has been ordered by a New York judge after the US government argued that he posed a serious flight risk from the charge he faces of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of the painkiller, oxycodone.
On February 7th, 2016, Blackman was taken off of a plane which was preparing to leave for Guyana from JFK Airport.
According to court documents seen by Stabroek News, United States District Court Judge Joanna Seybert issued the order on February 26th.
The order was issued after the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York argued that Blackman had extensive ties to Guyana and the properties presented as surety were into negative equity. He was responding to the
