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A Cuban couple was on Monday fined $60,000 each by City Magistrate Judy Latchman after admitting to overstaying in Guyana.
William Cascara, 45 and Vankezia Beban, 29 were charged with overstaying their time in Guyana from April 10 to June 1, 2017 after being permitted to stay from October 5, 2016 and April 9, 2017. They pleaded guilty.
Police Prosecutor, Shawn Gonsalves told the court that the couple entered Guyana via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on October 5, 2016 and was granted 6 months stay in the country.
However, Gonsalves noted that on June 1, 2017, the couple was stopped by police while in a vehicle en route to Lethem and their passports were checked when it was discovered that they had overstayed.
With the aid of an interpreter, the couple explained to the court that they had come to Guyana on tourist visas and had tried working in the country.
Magistrate Latchman fined the couple $60,000 each, with an alternative of six months imprisonment.
3 thoughts on “Cubans charged with overstaying in Guyana”
There are so many Cubans entering Guyana on a monthly basis, it is very difficult to keep track of them. The Immigration Officers have a very difficult time processing them. Most of them never go back to Cuba..
What are the evidences that the Cubans remain here. What is the problem if they want to stay? The Cubans come from a country that have millions of well-educated people, while under the JAGDEO-PPP, we are left with a SEMI ILLITERATE young population and a brain drain – that is very difficult to redeem.
The Cubans are the best that can help Guyana to carry out a mass adult education programme that will go a far in rectifying a BROKEN EDUCATION SYSTEM.
Granted, we have to protect our borders and be aware of who are in the country. , but I cringe every time I read of the harsh penalties applied to Cubans and Venezuelans caught over staying in our midst. One wonders how lenient is our immigration in granting extensions and how expeditous and costly is the process. Not too long ago, Guyana was hardly a place where someone came for betterment. Also let us not forget that the Guyanese diaspora is still the most wide spread in the Caribbean (we are strangers in many lands) Enforce our laws, yes but should we really be taking 60,000 dollars from a Venezuelan parent (at this time) combating starvation at home.