Dear Editor,
On October 20, 2016, I arrived at the Simpson Bay (Anguilla Dock) to pick up an employee of the Anguilla Immigration Department in order for her to visit her friend at the St. Maarten Medical Center, between 3:30pm to 4:30pm and thereafter to take her back to the pier on the French side in order for her to take the ferry back to Anguilla.
At the Anguilla dock in Simpson Bay she presented herself to the Immigration Officer with an Anguilla travel document along with her expired British passport. The Immigration Officer on duty at the Anguilla dock did not allow her to enter the country but she was, however, very polite and friendly as she really tried to assist by making several calls to her superior in connection hereof.
At that point, knowing several officers at the Anguilla Immigration I intervened and spoke with our lady Immigration Officer explaining that this person is truly employed with the Immigration Department of Anguilla who only wants to go see her friend in the hospital, and if it would help by standing as guarantor that she will return after the hospital visit that very same afternoon. The officer acknowledged that she knew me and understood and did not have a problem with it, but her superior who she called denied the entry and therefore could not do anything further but follow the command.
At this point I called several other top persons about the problem and they also tried to help, but it not being their department led to no success thus the Anguillian was then put back on the ferry to Anguilla.
Now, this wasn’t somebody that was from some unknown country that may have posed a threat or wanted to stay illegally, this was a born Anguillian (neighbour country) and an employer of the Anguilla Immigration Department as well. I felt really embarrassed about this whole situation and decided that I will have to publish this in the newspapers in order for something better to change in the future. We worry about what’s going on in the world with big nations fighting and here are we little islands having these unnecessary problems amongst ourselves.
Celeste Beauperthuy
