Wade informs court Haitians missing

ATTORNEY-at-LAW Darren Wade, representing the 26 Haitians who were recently the subject of controversy, subsequently to being placed in protective custody, has informed the court that he is unaware of the whereabouts of the said individuals.
This was disclosed by Wade during the court proceedings in the case Allandres Archer, the Applicant and Attorney General, the Respondent, before Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George on Friday at the Demerara High Court.

When questioned by the Chief Justice during the proceedings on whether or not the individuals are within the jurisdiction, Wade indicated that ‘based on the instructions that he received, the Haitians would have left the jurisdiction.’

The Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs on Friday during an interview with the media relating to the matter, indicated that he had sent a letter to Wade informing him that he is in possession of information indicating that the Haitians were no longer in Guyana and may not have authorised the filings of the proceedings.
“I asked in that letter that the 26 Haitians be produced in the court in the event that Mr. Wade is disputing the information which I received. Significantly, Mr. Wade informed the court that it is in fact true that he is unaware of the whereabouts of the 26 Haitians and that his information is they have left the jurisdiction,” Nandlall explained.

Wade during the court proceedings confirmed that he had received the email from the Attorney General’s Chambers less than 10 minutes prior to commencement of the proceedings. The proceedings were filed for and on behalf of the 26 Haitians by Archer who is contending a breach of fundamental rights of the individuals consequent to being placed in protective custody at the Hugo Chávez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration.

Consequent upon providing false information to immigration officials on their arrival in Guyana and based on information revealed to the police during interrogation arousing suspicion of human smuggling, a deportation order was sought and granted by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on December 1. The Chief Justice on December 3 issued a conservatory order halting the deportation of 26 Haitians, in an action filed by Wade contending that the order for deportation issued by the magistrate was arbitrary, and in violation of the fundamental rights of his clients.