Immigration and Customs authorities have categorically denied charges by a Jamaican woman that she was finger-raped and thrown out of Barbados when she arrived on the island just over a week ago.
In a front page story carried in the Jamaica Observer newspaper yesterday, Shanique Myrie alleged she was subjected to two demeaning cavity searches by a female immigration officer who also shouted degrading comments about Jamaicans when she arrived at the Grantley Adams International Airport last March 14.
But Parliamentary Secretary in the Prime Minister’s office, with responsibility for Immigration, Senator Harry Husbands, said yesterday there was no record of Myrie being searched by either immigration or customs officers and a full statement would be issued after more investigations.
Husbands also told the WEEKEND NATION that indications suggest that Myrie was a victim of human trafficking, a racket-like affair that existed between Barbados and Jamaica.
“Shanique Myrie, on arrival in Barbados, claimed she would have been staying with a female resident, but a closer investigation however revealed she was actually staying with a Barbadian man who actually facilitates the entry of non-nationals into the island,” he said.
Noting that authorities had become fully aware of the trafficking between the two countries, Husbands added:?“Wherever these cases of facilitating are discovered, regardless of what country the individual is coming from, whether it be a CARICOM country or an extraregional country, that person is denied entry.”
In reference to the woman’s claim of being searched, he noted that searches were usually conducted by the Customs Department.
When contacted about the alleged incident, Comptroller of Customs Frank Holder said there was no record of any such activity pertaining to the complainant.
