Sourced Information From WINNFM
Photo Caption: Hon. Liburd meets with nationals of the Dominican Republic living in St. Kitts at the Independence Square
St Kitts and Nevis (WINN): Non-national detainees who are ineligible to apply to regularize their status in St. Kitts and Nevis, will be allowed to leave without having their passports stamped as deportees, this according to Acting Minister of National Security Ian Patches Liburd.
“Cabinet made a decision that persons with the exception of those who do not have a legitimate case to be reviewed would have to leave whether assisted by family or friends or by the state, that their passports will not be stamped deported and they will be allowed to return of course if they apply for a visa.”
Minister Liburd tells WINN FM that the less than twenty detainees remaining custody are nationals of the Dominican Republic. Speaking to WINN FM this week, the Minister stressed that the government does not condone people violating the country’s immigration laws.
Some 100 non-nationals, most from the Dominican Republic, were rounded up from a number of night spots in the Newtown area on October 22, and taken into custody in an immigration crack down dubbed Operation Legal Stay. The Prime Minister later revealed that the police had received complaints from the about the establishments ranging from loud music in violation of the Noise Abatement Act; to lewd behavior, traffic congestion, suspected illegal operations and fights in the area.
“From what I understand there were numerous complaints of illegal activity, we have to support the police and what they have done although some people may not like the way it was done. Based on the complaints the immigration and the police working together set out an operation to curb some of these activities and as a result a number of persons were taken into custody for verification of their immigration status. I understand just over 120 or 130 persons were taken that same night over 70 or 79 were released so it tells you that a high percentage of persons were legal.”
Of the over 100 persons initially rounded up, those who were able to present documentation to prove their legal status in the federation were allowed to leave. Others were subsequently released after their pending applications for work permits and annual residence were processed and a few others later left, when airline tickets were purchased for them to return home.
“From the documentation that I have seen, most of them do have a legitimate case to be reviewed and for that reason ought to be given a reasonable time in which to regularize themselves. There are some employers who have come forward and who have sorted out their applications for work permits and we are dealing with them on a case by case basis but there are some of them who can’t find their passports and some of them have brought cases claiming that their passports are at National Security, the issue of the relationship between the office staff and some of these immigrants is another issue that one has to ensure there is due process so going forward we know that people are welcome, people are treated fairly and people are not fearful of any sort of retribution.”
Minister Liburd explained that he had met with members of the Dominicano community both in his capacity as acting Minister of National Security and as the representative for the area where there is a significant community of nationals from the DR live.
