Jamaican Denied Entry; Detained; Claims Assault

A Jamaican man is planning to sue the government after he claims immigration officials assaulted him. Christopher McIntyre arrived in Belize on New Year’s Eve for his first visit, encouraged by his friend Sheila Williams, who has been here several times. However, his trip turned into a nightmare. He was denied entry because his travel documents didn’t meet immigration requirements and was detained for a couple of days. When he was supposed to be sent back to Jamaica, he missed his flight and alleges he was assaulted. Sheila Williams visited News Five today and explained that the mix-up happened because she mistakenly put his hotel address in her name. When she tried to clarify the situation with immigration authorities, they were rude to her.

 

Christopher McIntyre, Denied Entry to Belize, Assaulted

“I came in Belize on the 29 of December.  I came in Belize the 29th of December for my birthday. My birthday is December 31st, but unfortunately, I got detained by the immigration. The reason for the detention, they said I didn’t have a reservation in my name. And the next thing, when they had me detained, they said they were gonna have me sent back on the 3rd of January. So on the 3rd of January, they made the flight miss me. So when they had the flight miss me, I said to them I wanted to go home and such forth and instead of them make me feel better, they pulled me on the ground, the immigration made the police pull me on the ground, hit me on my face right here and then hit me in my ribs. And they tell me like, shut up, shut up, and relax, shut up, like I shouldn’t speak. And, you know, I didn’t have any rights. I came here to just meet with family and such forth in Belize and once I got detained, this is the treatment I got.”

 

Sheila Williams, Friend of Christopher McIntyre

“He arrived, and myself and a friend of mine, who’s Belizean, Sheldon were outside.  And I said, this is taking too long, so Sheldon went up and asked the officer and they said, well, he’s being detained inside. So, the officer went in. I said, can I see him? I mean, he’s never left Jamaica. He’s got to be scared. So they did bring me in and let me talk to him. And they said it’s the Air B and Bs. I was on the phone trying to get them to change the reservation to Christopher’s name.”

 

Marion Ali

“They explained to you that that was the issue?”

 

Sheila Williams

“That was the issue and then this woman, she said she was a supervisor. She came and she says, time’s up. We don’t have enough time for that. She pulled me aside and she basically told me I’m American. I have no rights in Belize to invite anybody to Belize because I am not a Belizean citizen. And I said, well, I’ve got my friend outside. He’s a Belizean citizen. Can he speak? And she says, the matter is done. You need to leave and go back outside. He’s being detained.”