The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday took further evidence from the young Guyanese man who was strip-searched at the Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados, relieved of US$300 and deported.

The young man, 20, from the East Coast Demerara and his mother provided the Protocol and Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with photocopies of the cambio receipt where the foreign exchange was purchased; the cambio stamp which was on a US$100 bill; a receipt which was paid in advance for hotel accommodation; a passport, airline ticket receipt and a signed statement of his experience at the airport.

When contacted yesterday, the Honorary Consul in Barbados, Norman Faria told Stabroek News from Bridgetown that “action was being taken” and he could not comment further.

Stabroek News understands that the matter has reached the Barbadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs but the ministry has requested further information from the Guyana Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The information provided by the young man is to be forwarded to the Barbadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Honorary Consul in Barbados for investigations to proceed.

The receipt for the foreign currency, which the young man used when he travelled to Barbados, indicated that the sum of US$1,200 had been bought. Of this sum, the young man’s mother told Stabroek News, US$200 had been used to buy his airline ticket and airport tax; the sum of $9,000 (US$45) had been used for a taxi to take him to the airport and US$40 had been used to pay for accommodation in advance in Barbados.

In addition, she said that when he was sent back to Guyana, another $9,000 (US$45) was spent on taxi fare to get home.

The mother said she was upset over the incident because her child had never been involved with the law, was fairly quiet and was not one to get into brawls. She said her husband, who is overseas, was upset over the incident as he worked very hard to keep his family comfortable in Guyana.

President Bharrat Jagdeo is due to pay a State visit to Barbados soon and told Stabroek News that he had taken the report of the harassment seriously.

The President has spoken out about the harassment of Guyanese at the airport at several regional meetings. At the last Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Jamaica, he reached an agreement with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur to allow Guyanese immigration officers to be stationed at Grantley Adams to ensure that Guyanese were not singled out for harassment. (Miranda La Rose)