Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PORTOFSPAIN115
2008-03-07 11:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Port Of Spain
Cable title:
DEPORTEE ISSUE CONTINUES IN THE NEWS
how-toVZCZCXRO8393 RR RUEHGR DE RUEHSP #0115 0671155 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 071155Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9027 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 000115
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF KCRM PREL PGOV TD
SUBJECT: DEPORTEE ISSUE CONTINUES IN THE NEWS
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.
UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 000115
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF KCRM PREL PGOV TD
SUBJECT: DEPORTEE ISSUE CONTINUES IN THE NEWS
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Fed by Parliamentary bickering involving
opposition attacks on the government's crime record, and media
sensationalism, the deportee issue is experiencing one of its period
upswings. The Embassy, through an op-ed piece from the Ambassador
has pushed back, seeking to introduce some facts into an often
ill-informed and emotional discussion. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) The latest go-around on deportees began in late January when
National Security Minister Martin Joseph briefed Parliament on the
overall crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago. As part of his
presentation, he noted that 156 out of the 2,000 persons deported
here over the last six years had been arrested locally for criminal
offenses. This led to some opposition posturing and press play, but
it was relatively constrained.
3. The latest upsurge of deportee interest, though, began in early
February when The Guardian newspaper published a long article
charging that deportees arrived "in jail clothes and slippers."
Their treatment at the hands of the U.S., the article continued,
contributed directly to deportees returning to a life of crime once
back in Trinidad and Tobago. A series of further articles and
editorials on the subject (one on "senior citizen" deportees)
followed, some pieces being more temperate than others. Not to be
outdone, opposition MPs again raised this issue in late February.
Specifically, Subhas Panday referred to deportees in a debate,
lambasting the GOTT for allegedly failing to monitor deportees once
they are back home.
4. (U) Seeking to inject factual information into the deportee
debate, the Ambassador drafted an op-ed published in the Express
newspaper on March 4. Drawing on DHS provided information, the
Ambassador made clear that deportees are not sent back to their home
country in jail garb and are treated humanely and with their rights
protected throughout the deportee process. Drawing on his own
empirical research, the Ambassador also pointed out "the average
number of deportees charged per year (in T&T for criminal offenses)
from 2005 through 2007 is 40 compared with 12 in the previous three
years. Therefore, I recalculated the contribution of deportees to
the number of prosecutions assuming 4,432 prosecutions per year, the
annual average from 2002 through 2004...the deportee contribution
was a measly 0.9 per cent (of persons prosecuted for criminal
acts)."
5. (U) Though the Express published only a lightly edited version of
the Ambassador's op-ed, the Guardian chose to ignore the thrust of
the piece and "reported" that the U.S. had confirmed "Deportees
commit most of the crime." We have sent a subsequent letter to the
Guardian to ask it correct the misimpression left by its article.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: The deportee issue continues to be one where
emotion often trumps the facts. We will continue to fight the good
fight on this, but it almost assuredly will remain a topic of both
public and private discussion. END COMMENT.
AUSTIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF KCRM PREL PGOV TD
SUBJECT: DEPORTEE ISSUE CONTINUES IN THE NEWS
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Fed by Parliamentary bickering involving
opposition attacks on the government's crime record, and media
sensationalism, the deportee issue is experiencing one of its period
upswings. The Embassy, through an op-ed piece from the Ambassador
has pushed back, seeking to introduce some facts into an often
ill-informed and emotional discussion. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) The latest go-around on deportees began in late January when
National Security Minister Martin Joseph briefed Parliament on the
overall crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago. As part of his
presentation, he noted that 156 out of the 2,000 persons deported
here over the last six years had been arrested locally for criminal
offenses. This led to some opposition posturing and press play, but
it was relatively constrained.
3. The latest upsurge of deportee interest, though, began in early
February when The Guardian newspaper published a long article
charging that deportees arrived "in jail clothes and slippers."
Their treatment at the hands of the U.S., the article continued,
contributed directly to deportees returning to a life of crime once
back in Trinidad and Tobago. A series of further articles and
editorials on the subject (one on "senior citizen" deportees)
followed, some pieces being more temperate than others. Not to be
outdone, opposition MPs again raised this issue in late February.
Specifically, Subhas Panday referred to deportees in a debate,
lambasting the GOTT for allegedly failing to monitor deportees once
they are back home.
4. (U) Seeking to inject factual information into the deportee
debate, the Ambassador drafted an op-ed published in the Express
newspaper on March 4. Drawing on DHS provided information, the
Ambassador made clear that deportees are not sent back to their home
country in jail garb and are treated humanely and with their rights
protected throughout the deportee process. Drawing on his own
empirical research, the Ambassador also pointed out "the average
number of deportees charged per year (in T&T for criminal offenses)
from 2005 through 2007 is 40 compared with 12 in the previous three
years. Therefore, I recalculated the contribution of deportees to
the number of prosecutions assuming 4,432 prosecutions per year, the
annual average from 2002 through 2004...the deportee contribution
was a measly 0.9 per cent (of persons prosecuted for criminal
acts)."
5. (U) Though the Express published only a lightly edited version of
the Ambassador's op-ed, the Guardian chose to ignore the thrust of
the piece and "reported" that the U.S. had confirmed "Deportees
commit most of the crime." We have sent a subsequent letter to the
Guardian to ask it correct the misimpression left by its article.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: The deportee issue continues to be one where
emotion often trumps the facts. We will continue to fight the good
fight on this, but it almost assuredly will remain a topic of both
public and private discussion. END COMMENT.
AUSTIN