Kamla writes to Mia for enquiry into Brent Thomas 'abduction'

CITING the “abduction” of Brent Thomas “as a shameful blot on our democracy,” Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar gave notice that she has asked Barbados for a full public enquiry into the issue.

Speaking in Fyzabad at the United National Congress (UNC) Monday Night Report, Persad-Bissessar read a letter she has written to Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley calling on her to initiate an inquiry in the interest of the two nations.

She took this step, she said, owing to the inability to get answers from TT’s Prime Minister or National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.

Both Dr Rowley and Hinds have denied any knowledge of the incident in which Thomas, a firearms dealer, was taken from his hotel room in Barbados in September and handed over to the TT police, who returned him to Trinidad and Tobago aboard a Regional Security System (RSS) aircraft.

He was en route to Miami to seek medical attention when he was forcibly returned. Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said Thomas’s US visa has since been revoked and he is now unable to fly overseas to see about his health.

Thomas, who is facing charges related to possession of weapons including grenades and rifles, sought legal redress against the State for his detention and mode of transport in the local courts. Ruling in the matter, Justice Devindra Rampersad criticised the police for what he described as an “abduction in Barbados.”

Writing in her capacity as Opposition Leader, Persad-Bissessar told Mottley she wanted to bring the matter to her attention, saying it is of grave concern, as it involves the alleged abduction of a Trinidadian businessman on Barbados soil.

She referred to the evidence and findings outlined in Justice Rampersad’s judgement that the detention and transportof Thomas from Barbados to TT via a non-commercial (RSS) aircraft constituted an “abduction.” Rampersad ruled that Thomas’ constitutional rights had been breached and his arrest and detention were therefore “unconstitutional, unlawful, arbitrary, unnecessary and disproportionate.”

Persad-Bissessar concluded that the evidence and the court judgement represented "a very dark day in both our islands' proud jurisprudence and subscription to the rule of law.

“The illegal abduction of a person between our Caribbean island states is a very serious matter which warrants urgent investigation in both countries.

“In this regard, in the interest of the people of our two nations, I respectfully call upon you, as Prime Minister of Barbados, to initiate a full public inquiry into this matter.”

Rowley visited Barbados last weekend to play golf. He insisted he did not go for any conversation with Mottleyabout the Thomas affair, and said the trip had been planned well in advance.