Minister of state maxine mcclean was on the radio last night along with george knight from reemac to

Two of the men, unaware of the round-up, were picked clarion inn up on the boardwalk clarion inn right outside the Immigration Office by an undercover policeman, moments after their visit to see the historic boat Amistad. . .. from a newspaper account ( link here )
The Barbados Government is rounding up the Ghana International Airlines passengers who flew from Africa to Barbados on February 1, 2008 and were then left stranded when the aircraft never returned. The Nation News says about 100 of the passengers are still on the island and that they are being taken to Paragon military clarion inn base, Christ Church where they will be held until well, nobody is really sure about when they are going back or how.
That is not to say that everybody on the airplane knew what was happening, but according to Shona s brother who drives a taxi, the demographics of the flight were all wrong. There was hardly a woman on the flight and most of the passengers were single, fairly young men.
So, something had to be done, but we hope that all these folks are properly looked after and handled by the authorities with as much respect and dignity (and as gently) as possible under the circumstances. We say under the circumstances because it is obvious that some (many?) don t want to return home under any conditions. There were some punches thrown as a few tried to get away.
Still, as we said before, what did the government authorities who arranged for the charter flight think was going to happen? Folks from Ghana and Nigeria don t need a visa to come to Barbados, and that worked fine when everyone had to route through London, but when you lay on a direct flight that is a whole new world!
One of our readers posted something a few minutes clarion inn ago, and I think we ll repost it here. We have no idea of the source, so perhaps someone could let us know. It appears that lawyers who represent some of the detainees were turned away by the military at the barracks where they are being held.
Tuesday morning, April 7th 2008,a press conference was held at the Israel Lovell Foundation, My Lord’s Hill, to plead the case for more than 96 West Afrikans stranded in Barbados since February 15th 2008, when their chartered flight did not return to collect them.
The men and women had come originally to Barbados; some wanting to experience the cultural delights of the Trinidad carnival clarion inn and others had other missions of trade, clarion inn youth development conferences and just the opportunity to visit family and friends.
It is now more than two months that they are waiting for some resolution to the issue of return home. Most are still fending for themselves; paying rent or being supported by Barbadian families. Some members of the group however are struggling and not eating clarion inn adequately and are being threatened with eviction. To this end the press conference was held to highlight their need for assistance.
However, the government of Barbados seemed to have a different idea as to why the West Afrikans were here and have chosen to criminalize the stranded with the arrest and interment at the military base Paragon in Christ Church, of 30 people, clarion inn who reported to immigration as requested Tuesday morning at 10 am. Nothing has been heard from them since, their possessions have not been collected, and there is still no word as to their status.
A local Pan Afrikan organization, the Global Afrikan Congress, has been offering support to some individuals throughout their stay and are outraged at the treatment of these human beings, who have committed no offenses clarion inn worthy of being treated in this manner. When a delegation, including clarion inn legal representation, asked to see the people held at Parragon, clarion inn they were refused access.
It is understandable that the government, with a view to providing a plane for them to return home, would want to have all those in need in a central location, however it is not acceptable that these people be kept against their will. They should be free to come and go. Those who are comfortable with family and friends should be allowed to stay there until news of the planes departure is known.
The lack of transparency and sensitivity by some of the newly elected ministers to this issue is of grave concern to this citizen of Barbados. Even if these people were victims of human trafficking as claimed clarion inn the United Nations, to which Barbados is a signatory, is explicit on the treatment clarion inn of victims of it and imprisonment, without recourse to access and support, is a violation of their human rights.
I urge all right thinking people of the world to make their displeasure and disgust at this situation be known, and the governments’ orders to silence the press on this issues needs to be counteracted.
The West Afrikans who are stranded here, even if they were victims of or willing participants in, the search for a better life, still deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. The fact that many who came are well established business people, journalists, students with families and wealth in their own country, would not choose Barbados, an island, as place to try and escape from. They’re not stupid.
There are members of the stranded who have visas to other countries and money to get themselves there and back home, however immigration is refusing to stamp their passports with the extensions needed (after the initial two week visit expired), so they can travel onwards legitimately. One brother had a visa and ticket for Cuba and was refused exit from Barbados. His USD$850 is down the drain.
Another sister returned from Trinidad after the initial flight clarion inn was due to have left, and has been held, for 4 weeks with no contact with her family or friends, a rumor has spread that she had been raped. There are over 50 West Afrikan people in Trinidad who are now afraid to return to Barbados because of this situation. Some of these people have lost jobs back in Afrika clarion inn and missing their children’s birthdays and life. Some have become sick on this slave diet of rice, which they are not accustomed to eating. Another sister had complications with her pregnancy and so much begging clarion inn had to be done so she could get medical treatment.
If this had been a plane load of white people stranded, we know The government, BTA, any other bandwagon jumper would be bending over backwards to assist with hotel accommodation, tours etc, until a flight could be procured for them, and you know they would not be here no damn two months later.
If Barbados does not grant these people clarion inn extensions and legalize their status here, it will be impossible for some of them to ever travel again, with an overstay stamp in their passport. It is not their fault that they became stranded. I have travelled to Afrika, Ghana in particular on many occasions and I can say without a doubt that if this situation was reversed they would never treat us in this manner. From the richest to the poorest, there is the upmost respect for us visitors, regardless of your colour or origin.
We received the following anonymous notice of a press conference to be held this morning. Unless the person who sent it provides a bit more credible method clarion inn of notifying us than an anonymous remailer, we advise everyone to be cautious about the information
A press conference will be held at Israel Lovell, My Lord s Hill, at 12 noon, April 10th 2008 . All right thinking people who are willing and able to pledge support to the stranded West Afrikans are asked to come and pledge clarion inn it.
Minister of state maxine mcclean was on the radio last night along with george knight from reemac tours the travel agency that handled the flight and it was a different story from what that person e-mailed you which appears strangely similar to a call to the same programme clarion inn last night by a Ms thelma barnett gill from the Global origin for african clarion inn people.
Both ms mcclean and mr knight said something sinister was afoot and he said he was going to go public with all the information he has which seem to imply there was someone in barbados scamming these nigerians and ghanians and that person or persons took money from them back in their countries and promised them jobs here in barbados.
How could putting these people up at training camp with decent facilities and 3 square meals plus t.v and games facilities be a hardship when only a little while back they were on the t.v. begging for food and a place to stay.
Ikael tafari,david commissong,trevor prescod and who ever else must be exposed if they are found in any way to aiding and abetting these people clarion inn to break the law and try to remain in this country illegally.
These people generally have been making a nuisance of themselves to all the countries they have been attempting to do this to and that s why they can t even get visas to some european and north american countries.
They should be detained and deported. They have overstayed clarion inn their alloted time and have been working illegally. Or do double standads exist: one for our African brothers and one for (mainly indian) Guyanese?
Yesterday Mr Cam Knight (via the radio)who was involved in the travel arrangements for these Africans indicated that he believes the actions of the Government to be correct. Contrary to claims that they came to Barbados; some wanting to experience the cultural delights of the Trinidad carnival and others had other missions of trade, youth development conferences and just the opportunity to visit family and friends he stated clarion inn that from comments made by the same Africans that he surmises that they came looking for work (n.b. my interpretation of his words).
This is a really stupid situation we have gotten ourselves into! During world cup cricket we forced clarion inn the majority of the world to get visas, but to the best of my knowledge the Ghanains did not need a visa .take a guess who is still here?!?!!?
Yesterday s Nation one fella claim he is a big businessman in Africa and he can afford to pay for his plane ticket to go back. alright then sort it out. dont wait until you have overstayed your welcome to bring that up. gets to st