Aubrey Heath-Retemyer, Deputy Director of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) is seeking to clear the air on what he says is inaccurate reporting on a recent meeting between himself, Citizen Minister Winston Felix, and a group of African, and Haitian migrants.
In a press release yesterday, Heath-Retemyer explained that he along with Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix met on August 29 2019 at the Critchlow Labour College with a group of African and Haitian Nationals.
The group of migrants, he said, had applied for work permits, and the meeting, which he says took the form of a questions and answers session, was planned to afford the migrants clarity as to their applications.
He said that MTV Channel 65 subsequently, through its news cast, and via YouTube video titled “PNC plans got busted”, alleged that promises were made to provide the African and Haitian nationals with work permits, and or pay off their tuition fees in exchange for their votes in the upcoming elections.
“Let me be pellucidly clear: no promise was made to anyone for votes or any other purpose. It was simply a question and answer session.
The news report from channel 65 is libelous and it is obvious that MTV channel 65 is desperately trying to tarnish my character and reputation and this I find repugnant”, Heath-Retemyer said in the release.
Heath-Retemyer further noted that with respect to Haitian nationals, they, as nationals of the Caribbean Community, are entitled to work permits under the tenets of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).
The release did not explain why a SARA official would be meeting with prospective migrants.
