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Manager of Club Privilege fined for overstaying
A Trinidad and Tobago national, who says he is the manager of Club Privilege, was yesterday fined for failing to comply with a six month permit he was granted to stay in Guyana.
Andre Nicholas Rochford, 43, of Lot 28 Victoria Street, Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that between January 5 and January 9, 2017 he failed to comply with conditions subject to which any permit is granted. He was permitted to stay in Guyana from July 5, 2015 to January 4, 2017 but overstayed the period.
Rochford told Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that he overstayed due to his negligence. He said that he was granted a three-month stay and was given another three month’s extension. Rochford said that upon checking his passport a few days ago, he discovered that he had overstayed.
Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that Rochford came to Guyana via the Cheddi Jagan International (CJIA) Airport on May 17, 2016. Jones said that the Trinidadian was granted six months’ stay and never applied for an extension.
According to the prosecutor, while police were conducting investigations at Club Privilege they arrested Rochford and discovered he had overstayed upon examining his passport.
Rochford was fined $15,000 with an alternative of two weeks imprisonment.
He paid the fine.
Meanwhile, in another case, two nationals of the Dominican Republic were also fined for overstaying. The women, Anna Diaz and Julicia Mercado were each fined $30,000 or in default four weeks imprisonment after pleading guilty to the offence.
The charge against Diaz stated that between December 1, 2016 and January 10, 2017 at Georgetown, she failed to comply with conditions subject to which any permit is granted. Diaz was permitted to stay from October 1, 2016 to November 30, 2016 but overstayed the period.
The charge against Mercado alleged that between June 20, 2015 and January 10, 2017, she failed to comply with conditions subject to which any permit is granted. She was permitted to stay in Guyana from June 5, 2015 and June 20, 2015, but overstayed.
Prosecutor Jones told the court that both women are from the Dominican Republic and that they came to Guyana via the CJIA on October 1, 2016 and June 5, 2015 respectively. The prosecutor said that the women never applied for an extension in time.
According to Jones, on January 10, Diaz and Mercado checked in at the Mabaruma Police Station Checkpoint, where their passports were checked and it was discovered that they had overstayed.
When asked by the Magistrate why they had overstayed their time, they both said that they love Guyana. However Mercado pointed out that she overstayed with hopes of getting the necessary documents to stay.
The Chief Magistrate also ordered that the women be escorted to the nearest port of exit after paying the fine or serving the jail term.
Diaz and Mercado spoke to the court with the aid of a Spanish interpreter facilitated by the Guyana Police Force.
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