The Miami Herald
December 16, 2001

Last group of deportees in Guyana

 GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- (AP) -- The last of 130 deportees from the United States have arrived in Guyana, after months of delays that resulted in U.S. visa restrictions being imposed against the country's officials.

 Guyana began accepting the deportees in November. The final batch of 14 arrived last week.

 In October, the United States banned travel visas for members of Guyana's government, accusing Guyana of months of stalling in accepting 130 deportees being returned after serving time in U.S. prisons.

 ``Government has complied with conditions laid down by U.S. authorities,'' government spokesman Robert Luncheon said.

 ``There was some expectation in administrative circles here that the ban might be lifted by year-end.''

 Luncheon previously said his country's delay in accepting deportees was because of a 1999 incident in which a Jamaican national was mistakenly deported to Guyana. He said proper verification of nationalities took time.

 Guyana Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj has said the new deportees are in no way a threat to the Guyanese society. Some of those repatriated were convicted in the United States of crimes such as rape, drug trafficking and assault.

 The Human Services Ministry has set up a soup kitchen and sleeping quarters for those deportees who have no relatives or friends in Guyana to help them resettle.

                                    © 2001