Police apologises to MP Patterson for ‘watchlist’ oversight; …launches probe into blunder
The Guyana Police Force issued a formal apology to Alliance for Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), David Patterson today, following the ‘inadvertent’ inclusion of his name on an Immigration Department’s watchlist. The apology comes after Patterson was prevented from departing the country just moments before boarding a flight to the United States. Patterson and other opposition parliamentarians were slated to meet American Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and other US officials to discuss the political and economic conditions in Guyana.
Patterson, according to a statement from the Guyana Police Force, had his name placed on the watchlist in July 2023 during an ongoing investigation into allegations of indecent exposure. However, it has now been confirmed that Patterson’s name was not removed from the watchlist even after the investigation concluded.
The Guyana Police Force, responsible for maintaining such watchlists, acknowledged the oversight and issued an official statement expressing regret for the incident.
According to the Police, “The Guyana Police Force would like to apologize to Member of Parliament Mr. David Patterson, whose name inadvertently remained on an Immigration Department’s watchlist. We deeply regret any inconvenience this may have caused.”
The incident, according to the Police has raised concerns about the procedures and internal standard operating procedures (SOPs) within the Force and as such the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched a full-scale investigation into why Patterson’s name was not removed from the watchlist after the conclusion of the investigation.
As part of their efforts to rectify the situation, the Guyana Police Force said it has since removed Patterson’s name from the watchlist.
Patterson, who serves as the Shadow Minister of Public Works, had successfully cleared customs and immigration and was within the departure lounge when an immigration officer approached him. The immigration officer conveyed to Patterson that there was a no-fly order associated with his name in their system.
Recalling the encounter, Patterson is reported stating, “The immigration officer informed me that immigration had made a mistake in allowing me to proceed, said there was a no-fly order on me in their system, and asked that I accompany them to speak to the officer on duty.” Patterson further revealed that the immigration officer mentioned that the instructions had originated from “town.”
Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, acting on behalf of Patterson, had also engaged with immigration officers to ascertain the reason behind this travel restriction. The immigration officers confirmed that there was no court order obstructing Patterson’s departure; rather, someone had inserted a comment into the system. Patterson’s lawyer reminded the immigration officers of several court rulings that strictly prohibit individuals from being denied the right to travel without an explicit court order. Despite being aware of these rulings, the immigration officers asserted that they could not take any action without instructions from a senior authority, which they attempted to obtain without success.
Expressing his concern over this incident, Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, who is part of the delegation to Washington, in an invited comment criticised the government’s actions as unconstitutional and a breach of the freedom of movement of a Member of Parliament. He suggested that this interference appeared to be a deliberate attempt to disrupt the opposition’s participation in meetings scheduled in Washington, D.C.
Patterson was expected to present on Guyana’s oil and gas sector and the government’s management of these vital resources during the scheduled meetings in the United States.
The delegation, which includes Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, Peoples National Congress Reform (PNC/R) General Secretary Dawn Hastings, Shadow Local Government Minister and PNCR Executive Committee Member Ganesh Mahipaul, Shadow Attorney General and PNCR Executive Committee Member Roysdale Forde, Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and PNCR Executive Committee Member Amanza Walton-Desir, PNCR member Nima Flue Bess, AFC Chairman Catherine Hughes, AFC member Deonarine Ramsaroop, and Leader of the Guyana Action Party Vincent Henry, is set to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus, including Democratic Minority Leader Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. The discussions are expected to focus on the challenges and opportunities facing Guyana and how political stakeholders can collaborate to ensure that all Guyanese citizens, regardless of race or ethnicity, can benefit from the nation’s oil wealth, as announced by APNU+AFC.
