KINGSTON—The Portia Simpson Miller-led administration has been threatened with a lawsuit after Gerald Perreira, a Guyanese Muslim leader, was barred from entering the country to attend the 19th anniversary celebration of the Million-Man March. Perreira said while on his way to Jamaica on Friday to participate in the celebration, headed by Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan, he was ordered off a flight in Antigua and Barbuda and told that Jamaican authorities had refused him permission to land.
Perreira, who is the chairman of the Black Consciousness Movement Guyana (BCMG) says he plans to lodge a complaint with the Guyanese government and will seek redress in the form of legal action against the Jamaican government. He added that being barred from entering Jamaica is a breach of his right to freedom of movement as a Caricom national.
Perreira has also accused the United States of pressuring Jamaica to prevent certain persons from entering for the 19th anniversary celebration of the Million Man March. He is the second Caribbean national to have been denied entry to Jamaica for the event. Last week, Yasin Abu Bakr, leader of Jamaat al Muslimeen was also denied entry into Jamaica and deported back to T&T.
Bakr was refused leave to enter Jamaica due to national security concerns. At a press conference on Friday, Bakr said he intended to take legal action and called on local authorities to investigate his case.
CMC