Man stuck in US pleads: Help me get home

A 56-year-old father of three, who has been making continued requests for an exemption to re-enter TT, is now hoping the media can assist him with reuniting with his youngest child – a nine-year-old girl.

Elvis Tirado of Malabar, Arima told Sunday Newsday he left for the US on March 10 to buy camping gear and visit relatives. He bought a one-way ticket as he has a US passport and was unsure of how long he was going to stay.

On March 21, National Security Minister Stuart Young announced that the borders will be closed to all non nationals with nationals having to request permission to re-enter.

“Please help me. All I want is my daughter. I will be happy to get to her. Thanks for your time and attention. Blessings to you. All I want is to be with my daughter. She's still missing her mom. I need to comfort her.”

One day after his wife Lucky Parbatie celebrated her 48th birthday on June 16, she died of heart failure. After learning of this, Tirado became depressed and spent a day in hospital.

Tirado said he followed the National Security Ministry’s guidelines and e-mailed them “1000 times.” He he has had others in Trinidad also write to the ministry hoping to have the process expedited, but to date all he has received is an acknowledgement email.

He insists that he did not abandon his child, and although he has had a US passport since 2011 it was only this year he used it to visit the US to buy camping equipment since he spends most of his time “in the jungle.”

“I was not expecting my wife to die. I feel like I just abandoned my daughter. I never left her sight since she was born. I just came up here to buy my stuff. Her birthday was on August 20 and I was not there. I could not even give her any gifts. I have to get out of here.”

The former part-time CEPEP worker said he has been shifting between relatives and friends in New York and doing odd jobs to help make ends meet as he awaits the green light to return home. He is hoping to be included on a flight to TT later this week.

Sources at the National Security Ministry said they are aware of his situation, however unless a confirmed returnee cancels, Tirado will not be on board that flight home.