Visa roadblock for GibbsBy Akile Simon
Story Created: Aug 22, 2011 at 11:58 PM ECT
Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs was detained by immigration officials shortly after he arrived in Brazil last Friday as he did not have a Brazilian visa.
Gibbs travelled to Brazil last Friday to be an observer at a meeting of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). He was expected to attend the conference in which a memorandum of understanding was signed between the United States and the European Union to strengthen their ties in alleviating the drug trade through South America, West Africa and Europe.
Public Affairs director in the Police Service, Sharon Lee Assang, when contacted yesterday, said she wasn't aware of any problems encountered by Gibbs when he arrived in Brazil over the weekend.
She said, "This is the first time I am hearing that and I am amazed that sometimes you folks in the media get information long before me and I am working in the police service," Assang said.
However, Gibbs, during a telephone interview from Brazil yesterday, said he was kept at the airport for approximately four hours while officials at the Brazilian Embassy in Port of Spain arranged a visa for him.
He said he was not allowed to leave the airport by immigration officials. He said he was asked, at short notice, to be an observer at the IACP meeting.
"I wasn't informed that I needed a visa to travel to Brazil. I used my Canadian passport and when I came off the plane and headed to the terminal, I was asked for my visa which I did not have.
"I remained seated at the airport in the general area for three to four hours as people on both ends were working to sort it out. I appreciate everything everyone has done in such short space of time, given the fact it was Saturday and offices would have been closed."
After Gibbs received his visa, he was allowed to leave the airport terminal .
He is expected to return to the country later today.
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