CITY Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday fined 20-year-old Cuban national Wilfredo Ramirez $30,000 for overstaying his time in Guyana.Ramirez pleaded guilty to the charge which detailed that between June 15 and July 26, at Georgetown, he failed to comply with certain immigration conditions. That is to say: having been permitted to stay in Guyana from May 15 to June 14, he overstayed the said period.

The unrepresented man broke down in tears after the charge was read to him.

Police Prosecutor Dinero Jones informed the court that, on May 15, Ramirez came to Guyana on vacation and was permitted to stay for one month — until June 14. However, on July 26, police acting on information went to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they contacted the defendant. A search was conducted on his person and he was found in possession of his passport, which revealed that he had overstayed his permitted time. Ramirez was then arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, where he was later charged with the offence.

When asked what he had to say, Ramirez responded that he wanted to contact his family. He explained that he had come to Guyana on a one-way ticket, and was working to accumulate money to travel back to his homeland.

The defendant, a security guard in Cuba, will receive his passport after he has paid the court-ordered fine. His failure to pay the fine will, however, result in him having to serve two weeks’ imprisonment.