Clutching her four children and expecting another, Paula Kings said a tearful goodbye to her husband, Time, a Nigerian, as he surrendered himself to the Immigration Division on Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Police officers assigned to the division were hunting Time and Ghanian Musah Ibrahim who they described as “fugitive” Africans. The men went missing on December 12 after they failed to report to the division for deportation.
On December 14, 11 African nationals were deported to their home countries of Nigeria and Ghana after they failed in a legal bid to stop their deportation. The Government had chartered a Caribbean Airlines flight to Ghana at a cost of $2.6 million to take them home. Before surrendering, Time and Ibrahim spoke to members of the media on the pavement opposite the division’s building.
The men were represented by their attorney Farid Scoon. Also lending support was Khafra Kambon, chairman of the Emancipation Support Committee (ESC), and president of the Latin Association of T&T, David Edghill. In their defence Time and Ibrahim said they were ill, hence the reason for failing to report to the division. Both men also claimed to have been beaten badly while at the Immigration Detention Centre, Aripo.
Time, who dismissed claims he was a criminal, said he earned a living doing different jobs while working as a security guard and selling DVDs. Saying he was in T&T for six years, Time added: “I was detained before by Immigration for one year and six months for illegal entry and I was released. We have been in between immigration and national security and they tell us different things.
“They tell me I have to do a paternity test for my kids and I do not have a problem with that.” He said he was released five months ago but while at the centre life was “hell” as there was insufficient money to send his children to school. Ibrahim, who lives in Barataria, said he was in T&T for five years. He claimed the blows he received to his head while at the centre left him permanently deaf in the right ear.
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Edghill said once the immigrants prove they were capable of positively contributing to society they should remain. “Once they show grounds we need them here, leave them. Once they are not capable to be here let them leave,” Edghill added. He said former Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams had granted an amnesty to illegal immigrants but believed at that time it was not really beneficial for the country “but now we have more qualified people who could do a lot for the country.”
On allegations that illegal immigrants were contributing to the crime situation he said that was not the case. Kambon said it was unfortunate the men were branded negatively and urged that the Government take into consideration they had families to look after. He said up to late yesterday the men were at the centre.
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Last November 13 High Court Judge Vasheist Kokaram ordered the release of Ibrahim, saying the State had failed to provide proof that it has spent $2.5 million to charter a flight to have him and other African nationals deported.
Kokaram said although he was satisfied steps were being taken to comply with his order that Ibrahim be deported, there was no evidence there would be an aircraft to take the Ghanaian back to his homeland or that the necessary permissions were received from the Governments of Nigeria and Ghana or arrangements put in place to receive him and the others. Kokaram dismissed an application by the State for further time to deport Ibrahim.
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Two weeks ago National Security Minister Gary Griffith had said there was no witch-hunt to target illegal African immigrants as only nine out of 651 Africans have been deported for 2014. He had also said investigations revealed many illegal immigrants had resorted to entering into sham marriages.
He added: “People pay exorbitant sums of money to their prospective spouse in return for the acquisition of resident status. These persons frequently exploit the marriage legislation of certain religions which do not require the posting of banns or notices, despite not belonging to the religion. “These marriages are registered by the Ministry of Legal Affairs without any verification of the person’s legal immigration status which is not currently a requirement under any of the aforementioned marriage legislation.”