A Cuban woman, who said she overstayed her time here due to the bad economic situation in her home country, was yesterday fined and ordered deported.
With the aid of a translator, Moraima Ruiz Medina, 62, was read a charge which stated that having been permitted to stay in Guyana from June 21 to July 20, she overstayed.
According to Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves, Medina entered Guyana legally through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and she was granted a stay of one-month in the country. However, on September 4, police from Mabura police outpost stopped a Route 94 minibus, in which Medina was a passenger, and conducted a search.
When she presented her passport to the officers, it was revealed that she had overstayed.
When asked if she wished to say anything, Medina told the court that she came to Guyana because of the economic situation in her country. She added that she hoped that she would not be deported and would be given a second chance.
However, she was later fined $50,000 or a default sentence of 14 days in jail if she cannot pay the fine. Additionally, after paying the fine or serving the default sentence, she is to be immediately deported.
