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Trinidad Slams Door Shut on Trinis Stranded in Barbados

Prime Minister Mia Mottley shows off a Kensington Oval ready for T20 World Cup

It has been reported the Trinidad and Tobago government through National Security Minister, Stuart Young has again refused to receive 33 CITIZENS stranded in Barbados since the week of March 23, 2020 back into the country.

The Barbados government attempted to piggyback on an arrangement with the European Union who sent a plane this week to collect Europeans stranded in the Caribbean. Barbados was the hub for the operation with the plane scheduled to pickup passengers in Tobago. It was an opportunity for the 33 stranded Trinidadians to bum a ride to Tobago which is a hop skip and a jump from Trinidad.

We are the only nationals in the world who are denied entry into our country. He said his countrymen who were mainly people over 65 all broke down in tears –Nationnews.com

What is the reason for the Trinidad government exercising this level of intransigence towards its citizens? There is no logical explanation if the consideration was taken that the stranded Trinidadians have been in quarantine in Barbados since April 8, 2020. It also puzzles why the Trinidad government would have sent COVID 19 test kits to Barbados this week costing USD2500.00 after the group was quarantined with the expectation existing protocol in Trinidad requires the group enter quarantine again IF they eventually are allowed to return to the land of birth. All rather strange.

The blogmaster is of the view the Rowley government is ‘pissed’ at the group for engaging in non essential travel. Rowley should expect to see this issue when he checks the rear view mirror come general election time.

The Trinidad government owns a regional airline for crissakes.

 

 

 

173 responses to “Trinidad Slams Door Shut on Trinis Stranded in Barbados”

  1. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    whiteHill,

    She IS exhausting. I totally understand. Besides the last time it wasn’t political so she found it easier to give up. But as for this one, I fear the effort would kill you.

  2. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “Now here you come twisting people thoughts around using an example that is in no way similar to the 33 Trinis.”

    Fool (sorry to call you by your ‘first name’), but didn’t I mention I KNEW the two issues weren’t similar?

  3. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Artax

    Fool (sorry to call you by your ‘first name’), but didn’t I mention I KNEW the two issues weren’t similar?
    Xxxccxxxxc

    Good effort fool but u cant fool me

  4. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “What is being said is that govt used an easy way out in avoidance of having to tassle with the govt of Trini…..”

    No. no, no, no……… not what is being ,said,…… it’s what YOU are ‘saying.’

    Why should the Barbados ‘government’ “tassle with the government of Trini?

    Shouldn’t this be a matter between the Trinis and the government of Trinidad and Tobago?

    Look, you’ve made your point. Contributors asked you to elaborate and you ‘said’ re: “Dont bother asking me for any explanations on my comments. Mariposa did not create the problem,” which is essentially a “cop out.’ Contributors are left to assume, (as Bajans say) you’re talking about what you ‘FEEL’….. and not what you KNOW.

    And an individual, (who, ironically pushes the idea of “debating issues rather than drifting off into insults and abuse),” told you “If people want answers on constitutional law, tell them to go to lawyers.”

    Under these circumstances, why bother to continue this discussion?

    It has run its course and isn’t going anywhere, other than in circles.

  5. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Wuhloss u can say whatever the hell u want
    Why dont u butt out …and No i did not create the problem
    The govt did
    U can have the last word

  6. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Hal Austin April 9, 2020 7:21 AM “By the way, as to courtesy, if someone comes from the sewer he behaves like a rat.”

    But I thought that we all came from our mother’s wombs?

  7. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @whiteHill April 9, 2020 9:21 AM “…spitefully allowing those who supported the losing party to languish economically because of their affiliation; no state contracts or jobs of any kind.”

    Don’t worry whitehill.

    Here I am.

    Never been affiliated to any party [because I expect that none would have me, lolll!!!]

    Never got a state contract.

    Never got a state job.

    Sometimes you don’t get stuff BECAUSE YOU SUPPORT NO PARTY.

    The B’s hate you.

    The D’s hate you.

    Etc.

  8. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @David April 9, 2020 12:33 PM “The Barbados government had the option to send the Trinis back to the UK or extend the humanitarian gesture.”

    I smell the hands of the English in this. I would not be surprised if British government had refused permission for the Trinidadians to return to the U.K.

    Less we forget, please remember WINDRUSH.

    One of my cousins, when he was nearly 50, and who had lived in the U.K since he was 15 found himself in exile in Jamaica for quite a while because he was refused permission to return to the U.K. after holidaying in Jamaica with his Jamaican wife.

    I don’t know why we still insist on seeing these descendants of enslavers as these nice people.

  9. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @whiteHill April 9, 2020 7:40 PM “Only if Silly woman begs me,”

    I beg you please.

  10. whiteHill Avatar
    whiteHill

    @Silly Woman, here I am trying to pick a fight and you’re playing along.I’m out of medication so there you go, no doubt you had a mind this was the case.Your comment @10:41, hell, I don’t get to hear something like this coming from Bajan women nearly enough. More often than not, I get the impression these descendants are viewed as the forerunners to their Messiah.

  11. TheOgazerts Avatar
    TheOgazerts

    I have struggled hard to get my mind around this “colossal failure” by the government as pointed out by some. It appears that I lack the mental capacity to grasp the magnitude of this problem.

    I asked myself two questions
    (1) How many Barbadians were affected by COVID19 brought in by these Trinidadians?
    (2) How many Barbadians were Killed by cOVID19 brought in by these Trinidadians?
    I have searched diligently for the alarming statistics which have enraged a segment of the population. I have not found them.

    I can only conclude that this is just a next chapter of B versus D saga. It is just another tempest in a teacup. A rumble in the fowl-pen.

    Give it a rest. Where’s the beef? It’s a nothing burger.

    ——————————————————————xxx———————————————————————-
    I have seen some touted the possibility of legal action against the govt of Barbados if we had refused entry to these travelers in distress. I cannot see how this could proceed prior to action against the government of their own country Trinidad.

  12. David Avatar
    David

    https://barbadosunderground.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/barbados-underground.png

  13. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    No @Theo please reread carefully…as I am the only one who has made that point then your remarks refer to my comments.

    So its very simple, The CCJ ruling in the Myrie is precedent and would apply to Bdos and the Trinis…The Trini govt had imposed a new edict approved by their cabinet which overrode normal citizenship rights.

    You live in US…in the immediate aftermath of 9-11 the US imposed some rules which trampled citizens rights and superseded frredoms… i see the Trini matter in same light.

    Or said differently in most countries the decree of a national emergency/National security threat ruling gives the govt broad power to do all things to safeguard the nation…denying a plane of citizens entry would certainly be one of them.

    Please be reminded that Pres Bush was being advised to shoot passenger planes out of the sky on that fateful day…an order was actually issued based on his DECLARATION of a national security threat.. do you perceive if in fact citizens were killed by those US fighters jets (rather than crashing) that their estate would successfully or could sucesssgully sue the govt?

    Do you perceive that TnT emergency powers Act or decrees are LESS robust!

    Not a lawyer guy…just trying to read and understand life’s rules!

  14. David Avatar
    David

    Especially when the same Trinidad government allowed a Venezuelan government official to enter Trinidad on April 1, 2020.

    https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/why-was-venezuelas-vp-allowed-to-fly-into-t-t/article_ae626fba-73fb-11ea-9661-efc894e125e8.html

  15. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @David, I am not making a legal case for TnT…just stating basic facts which must be considered, that’s all.

    I do not see the Trinis winning against their govt but that’s a layman’s opinion…astute lawyers would find a way to pursue this if one of the 35 is so inclined.

    The Venezuelan VP item is lovely noise and no more. She and her entourage came in to met specifically with officials. They did not mingle in the broader community and after their meeting left just as surreptiously without mingling… that sequence cannot be used by the 35 to show a distinct bad faith… in and out with limited or no community contact vrs in and return to the community (yes, yes they could have been quarantined)..

    As I said some astute lawyer can go for it. I would certainly like to see the outcome.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    What is your point, the 14 could have been quarantined to assuage concerns.

  17. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Thank you for letting me “have the last word.”

    Ladies and gentlemen, l’ll begin by ‘saying,’ over the past few days we’ve witnessed a scenario that has been played out on BU on several occasions.

    A certain individual came to this forum with their usual fabricated, politically motivated NONSENSE, which, despite the ‘background noises,’ was EXPOSED as SHIITE, by people who think RATIONALLY and REASONABLY.

    We’ll await the next issue for them to ‘nit pick’ and come with more irrational political motivated shiite, accompanied by the ‘background noises.’

    Once again, I thank you.

    Shucks. it didn’t take them long. They’re on another blog ‘talking’ about government “sitting idly by and allowing price gouging.”

  18. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    David I have made my point senor. You are clearly speed reading and not paying close attention.

    So let me be blunt: Min Young and his govt issued a national security decree. It overrode regular rules and gave the govt significant power to do as they saw fit to safeguard the nation.

    Something pissed them off about the 35 returning Trinis and they said basically: “eff off, I have the power to do that. Sue me if you dont like it. ”

    That clear enough.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    You may want to simplify the matter but locking citizens out of their country cannot be dismissed with palaver.

  20. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Pick-a-noism at its finest.

  21. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Senor, it’s NOT palaver..it’s the decree of the govt.

    We CAN palaver it all we want but the deed is done and as I alluded to re US and 9-11 and shooting down planes the citizens appear to have little recourse. That’s not palaver David that REALITY!

    Maybe we will find out WHY their govt acted so callously and maybe there are ulterior motives but at the moment its just basic facts and nothing can change that.

    How are my citing facts or the rules of governance which would be called at the base level in any court challenge… PALAVER… you confuse me at times, bro!

  22. Michael comissiong Avatar
    Michael comissiong

    This is what happens when u have self serving politicians but day dose run till night catch it

  23. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    self serving politicians in Bim or TT?

  24. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Stop speaking in parables and spell out what you mean. Head games are for druggies.

  25. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    I repeat myself: in the Caribbean, the cases of infection occur with linear progression. In other words, the doubling rate of the virus is decreasing every day! This is a strong indicator that our hot and humid climate kills the Wuhan Lung Bug.

    Under no circumstances should we panic although white corpses are piling up in impoverished cities like NYC or London. We’ll be Wuhan-free by the end of this month at the latest. Unlike the U.S. and U.K.!

    Our government does everything right. Tourism and health finely balanced. We thank You Goddess Bim for giving us Mia Mottley as our guide!

    We will talk about the economic consequences later 😉

    Tron
    – always fair and balanced –

  26. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    Look. The 35 Trinidadians are fortunate to be alive and well and that they did not contract covid. We are fortunate that we are alive and well also. In times like this people should be grateful to be alive and well. We too like looking for legal solutions to every problem. Lawyers are not gods. Every problem does not need a legal solution. Barbados was generous to take the Trinidadians when they could not go forward to Trinidad, and could not go back to England. Do we really believe that Barbados a country of 283,000 people had the ability to force the U.K. a country of 63 million to take back non-U.K. non-citizens who are already on our soil?

    The Trinidadians are well, perhaps a few thousand dollars poorer, but well.

    No Bajans caught anything from them.

    And I wish that people would stop saying that the Trinis are stranded in Barbados. Barbados up to toda is a pretty nice place to be.

    I wish as well that people would stop saying that we are locked down/imprisoned in our homes. We are not imprisoned. We can still open our windows and doors. We can still sit on our galleries/verandas/patios/back steps/front steps/in our yards, as long as we observe social distance from our neighbors when we do so. We can still say “morning” to our neighbors from across the street. Many streets are 20 feet wide, and even the older streets/alleys/gaps/lanes are more than 6 feet wide.

  27. David Avatar
    David

    @Simple Simon

    Nice comment.

  28. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Simple Simon
    Alright then! Well said.

  29. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The behaviour of the government of T & T shows very clearly the difference between the developed countries and the savages.

    One example: Since mid-March, Germany has evacuated more than 150,000 citizens home to safety via the Barbados hub. To a lesser extent the Americans and British as well as other Europeans. This was a very responsible cooperation between these governments and our government. Barbados has clearly shown that we are a very developed country on this issue.

    Many civil rights activists complain that the North treats coloured people as inferior people. But aren’t the governments of many countries of the deep South also treating their own citizens as second-class human beings? Just asking.

    That’s not supposed to be a racist attitude? If this is not racism, then consequently the KKK would have to act only for scientific reasons.

  30. David Avatar
    David

    Today’s press has reported Guyana, Bermuda, Cayman and other countries have arranged for its citizens to return to the land of birth via charters.

  31. fortyacresandamule Avatar
    fortyacresandamule

    Making a mountain out of a ant hill if you ask me. Are those thirty-five people suffering in any way in BIM.? So what if they are to be inconvenience for a few more days here? What if they were stranded thousand of miles away in some very poor third world country? Grown people today are so spoiled and entitled. I say good for Rowley. Why should the heath of 1.3 million people be sacrificed by 35.

  32. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    The Trinidadians know they have a weak government in Barbados and are exploiting it.

  33. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    The 35 were not tested for the virus
    So saying that the.35 did not contract the virus is giving misinformation
    Medical info says that people can have the virus and not show symptoms
    Barbadians would not be divided on this issue if govt had kept its big mouth out of the problem and let the Trinidad govt deal with the 35
    From the beginning it was never a problem by which barbados had to deal
    The people passport destination was for Trinidad not barbados

  34. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    The seriousness of this virus is a need for all steps be made to stop the spread of the virus
    China after learning the hard way decided to close its borders

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8203781/China-closes-border-Russia-drives-city-Wuhan-style-lockdown.html

  35. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    David
    I warned all yuh this is politicking. I understand the lawyer for the Trinis was informed by the Tdad government about 2 weeks ago about the procedure for returning. This group is mostly Indo-Trini ent? Don’t pay the mouttas no mind, their agenda is to paint the Bdos government as incompetent. I ask again isn’t Rowley’s own daughter and many thousands of other Trinis “stranded” across the world?

  36. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    I just wanted to tell everyone here at BU that the Chinese have started to dissolve the African quarter in Guangzhou. They’ll put African students and other African tenants on the streets. They are now homeless there. The Chinese accuse the Africans of being responsible for the Wuhan plague.

    Our government should seriously ask itself whether it wants to maintain the visa waiver agreement between Barbados and China. The DLP government signed this treaty in 2014, even though it was already known at that time that the Chinese treat people of African origin as sub-humans. Citizens should seriously ask themselves whether they want to trust the DLP.

  37. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Reference: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/10/china/africans-guangzhou-china-coronavirus-hnk-intl/index.html

  38. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Commissiong weighs in on the fight to get the 33 home

    TOP STORY
    Swab shortage in Barbados
    Apr 10, 2020
    12 min ago
    THE government of Barbados has confirmed that it received coronavirus testing kits from Trinidad and Tobago two weeks ago for the testing of 33 T&T nationals who were quarantined in Barbados up to Monday.
    However, due to the shortage of other resources needed in the testing process, health authorities there intend to stick to the established policy of limiting tests to people with symptoms of COVID-19 and not wasting them on the symptom-free.
    Speaking to the Express on Thursday night, Barbados’ Ambassador to Caricom David Comissiong underscored his country’s need to “husband” its precious few testing resources.

    “Our testing protocol is based on the fact that medical material and personnel used for COVID-19 testing are scarce and must therefore be treated in the most efficient manner,” he said.

    He added that the regime being applied to citizens of Barbados and everyone else was that “testing is only done if the person is exhibiting symptoms”.

    He noted that, in addition to testing kits, the process requires swabs, reagents and human personnel, all of which are in short supply, not only in Barbados, but throughout the world.

    Comissiong emphasised that Barbados’ treatment of the group of 33 Trinidadians was consistent with its policy of not testing quarantined people who had not exhibited any of the symptoms linked to COVID-19.

    He added that, given the shortage of supplies, COVID-19 testing is a “luxury” that Barbados cannot afford to provide even to its own symptom-free citizens, much less to a group as large as the symptom-free Trinidadians.

    Since February 11, Barbados has conducted a total of 655 tests for COVID-19.

    The Trinidadians were taken into quarantine on March 24 after being forced to deplane in Barbados on the afternoon of March 23 when the T&T government refused to allow them entry, having closed all borders to arrivals at midnight on March 22.

    According to Comissiong, the group was monitored for symptoms over the required 14-day quarantine period. On Monday, with none having exhibited any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, all were released and deemed free to travel.

    “They were treated just like any other Bajan would’ve been treated,” said Comissiong.

    The Express understands that, following their release, the German government was able to organise seats for all of them on a Condor flight headed to Tobago on Wednesday to repatriate German nationals.

    This plan perished when the T&T government again refused to allow them back home without a test verifying their virus-free status.

  39. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    The Express understands that, following their release, the German government was able to organise seats for all of them on a Condor flight headed to Tobago on Wednesday to repatriate German nationals.
    This plan perished when the T&T government again refused to allow them back home without a test verifying their virus-free status.(Quote

    Bandit government. Gangsters. The Hindu racist may be right afterall.

  40. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” The number of people infected with COVID-19 in Barbados rose to 68 today, with one positive result out of 11 tests done by the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory yesterday.

    The new patient is a 53-year-old Barbadian woman, who returned from abroad on March 11.”

    From March 11 till today April 11th is 30 days. How many people could she have infected ? Hope she recovers soon.

  41. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” The public health laboratory has carried out 747 tests to date.” 68 tested positive for Covid 19.

    9% of people tested are positive. That seems high to me but I am just a layman.

  42. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ Hal Austin April 11, 2020 6:02 PM @ AND AT ALL

    We should let this melt in our mouth: White folks are organizing a flight to Trixidad for the blacks. But the black masters don’t want their black subjects back.

    Imagine if Trump did that to black Americans. In fact, we don’t need white race warriors or the KKK. We already have the government of Trixidad doing the racist dirty work and degrading blacks.

    It is now crystal clear to the world that blacks are only second-class citizens in the eyes of many Caribbean governments. Black people did not have so few rights even in the darkest days of slavery.

  43. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Once again i will say over and over again
    Barbados better judgement wisely used would have trumped their best intentions towards the 33
    The article clearly explain why and the obstacles barbados would have face

  44. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    David
    The Express newspaper appears to be willfully under reporting this matter. How comes there is no mention of the exchange of correspondence between the GoTT and the “stranded” Trinis’ attorneys, which the Minister mentioned at yday’s presser? I encourage you to find Minister Young’s comments at that meeting.

  45. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    BU has done enough to highlight the matter. Do you know this blog went viral? Rowley is going to have to defend this matter at the next polls.

  46. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Enuff. 11, 2020 9:27 PM

    David
    The Express newspaper appears to be willfully under reporting this matter. How comes there is no mention of the exchange of correspondence between the GoTT and the “stranded” Trinis’ attorneys, which the Minister mentioned at yday’s presser? I encourage you to find Minister Young’s comments at that meeting.
    xxxxcxxccccccccccccccccc

    Why your insistence in missing the point which Trinidad insist and rightfully so
    It is all about testing u can cherry pick all u dam pleases
    But once there are on Barbados soil or any soil for that matter
    Trinidad has a right to asked the govt for a document stating these 33 were tested Now grounds for refusal has been laid by Trinidad
    Barbados govt indeed has shot itself 33times in the mouth
    I read where another govt was sending barbados testing kits i think it was Surname

  47. David Avatar
    David

    Sometimes you need to know when to hush.

  48. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ Enuff April 11, 2020 9:27 PM

    All civilized nations on this earth welcome their citizens in times of crisis. If necessary, the citizens entering the country must first be quarantined or tested in a facility in their home country.

    The government of Trixidiad treats its own citizens worse than the slave owners of the 18th century. This also weakens the position of the Caribbean states in cases like the Windrushers. Why shouldn’t the whites in the north racially discriminate against Caribbean citizens when their own governments treat them like subhumans?

    It is fortunate that we have Mia Mottley as our leader. Our government treats its citizens with civility. A Barbadian passport is valuable. A Trixidas passport, on the other hand, is not even good for wiping the a** because the paper quality is so bad.

  49. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The Minister of Security of T & T (a white man, no wonder) provides all white racists with the blueprint that discrimination against coloured people (Hindu, Africans) is perfectly OK. All you have to do is invoke pathogens, crime, the usual racist prejudices.

    I could well imagine that the KKK will soon send a delegation to Port of Spain to thank the security minister personally.

    In future, when the Caribbean countries come to London for the windrushers, the British Foreign Minister can simply refer to the precedent in T & T.

  50. FrankTalk Avatar
    FrankTalk

    COWARDS KNOWS WHO TO MESS WITH: What if they were flying from London to TnT, would the have refused them entry…I think NOT.

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