Attorney: No action by police on deported migrant

ATTORNEY Criston J Williams on Friday told Newsday he had heard nothing from the police regarding an invitation to interview a Venezuelan deportee who had accused the authorities of breaking the law and crimes against humanity in recently deporting him and other Venezuelan migrants.

Williams' law firm Quatum Legal is representing Juan Manuel Acosta, one of about 30 Venezuelans deported from Trinidad on August 13 after a High Court ruling by Justice Frank Seepersad that said refugees could be legally deported.

Williams' colleague Blaine Sobrian on Thursday had told Newsday that in conducting mass deportations, the TT authorities had allegedly breached the Immigration Act (sections 41 and 42) by not following a prescribed legal procedure and the International Criminal Court Act (section 10) by committing a crime against humanity.

Sobrian wanted Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher to investigate possible violations by Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds and the Immigration Division. Williams said, "We are waiting on the Commissioner of Police to respond to us.

"He will avail himself to the commissioner to give a statement."

He said Harewood-Christopher should have a desire to preserve the rule of law in this case. Williams said the Prime Minister as head of the National Security Council should consider whether TT was fulfilling its international responsibilities in cases like this, which he said would affect the operations of the International of Migration and UNHCR locally. Williams claimed a simple Google search showed that no such deportations of refugees were happening anywhere else in the world, but TT.

Asked if it was safe for Acosta to present himself to the police as a witness mere days after illegally returning to TT after his deportation for illegal entry, Williams said, "I have faith and trust in the commissioner to treat with this matter, with him as a witness."

With Christopher now on a six-month extension of her term, did he have confidence in his impartiality and courage to act independently to investigate public officials in the Acosta matter. "I'd like to have faith and trust. I've heard she's a godly woman.

"She should act with our fear or favour. She should do the right thing."

He did not envision going to court to seek an order known as a mandamus to force the CoP to act in this matter.

Otherwise he said the Venezuelan migrants spared from deportation and freed from the Heliport were all okay, him saying, "No complaints."

Williams said he was still awaiting the Court of Appeal to hear the judicial review case of the deported batch of Venezuelans challenging the legality of the authorities action in the deportation. "Due process was not followed," Williams alleged of the deportations.

He said he would love to hear the views of the new president of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis on this matter, plus Dr Rowley, and the Law Association (LATT.)

Newsday was unable to contact Harewood-Christopher or Hinds for a response.