Jamaican Journalist asked to leave Grenada

IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS in Grenada have given a Jamaican journalist associated with the regional news agency CARIBUPDATE 24 hours to leave the country.

Tenesha Thomas, formerly of the Gleaner newspaper in Kingston, has been here on special assignment for CARIBUPATE, a regional news agency based in Hollywood, Florida, and owned by Grenadian-born journalist Hamlet Mark.

Thomas has been CARIBUPDATE's Special Caribbean Political Correspondent since January 1, 2008, and has been sent on assignment in St George's to cover the build-up to likely general elections there.

Four immigration officials took Thomas in, claiming she had over-stayed her time in the country.

Thomas, who however had a returned ticket for the first week in March, showed officials that her passport was stamped until August 2, 2008.

A top immigration official said the date was meant to be the eighth of the second month, rather than the second of the eighth month.

Mark said that after discussions with the immigration officials, they acknowledged that there might have been a mix-up, and that they were satisfied that Thomas had no intention of overstaying in Grenada or breaking any laws.

Mark said given that scenario, he offered to then have the situation regularized so that she can complete the assignment, but they insisted that she should leave on the next available flight to Kingston.

He said the immigration said while they were not formally deporting her, she is not allowed to stay.

"Her biggest sin is that she is associated with me and CARIBUPDATE, and somebody somewhere might be uncomfortable with the kind of reporting we do," Mark said.

"After all this is the political season, and a few people around here are getting a little too edgy for their own good," he said.

While Thomas was in immigration custody today, Mark had called Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, seeking his personal intervention on the matter as the Minister for National Security and Immigration.

Dr Mitchell had his press secretary Barry Collymore return Mark's call.

In a brief meeting with Collymore, Mark said that he viewed the development as a direct attack against him, his company and the work that it does, and that he is convinced that the immigration officials were working from direct instructions.

Mark said on arrival it was made clear to immigration officials at the airport that Thomas would be here for 10 weeks on special assignment through the US-based CARIBUPDATE, and at the time no issue was raised.

He also noted it is the kind of thing they have done in about half a dozen other Caribbean islands and never had a problem.

"We have moved in, done extended assignments and moved out. But Grenada now seems to be the exception," he said.

The Grenada immigration said Thomas, will be free to return immediately if she chooses, and that she can get a CARICOM National Skill certificate from her native Jamaica.

However they turned down CARIBUPDATE's request to have her stay, and have the document they are demanding handed in "within a few days." - HAMLET MEDIA GROUP INC.