Latest update December 19th, 2024 3:22 AM
Almost four years after case dismissed…Former postal employee struggles to overcome stigma of cocaine charges
Even though he has cleared of drug-related charges almost four years ago, 25 year-old Soesdyke resident, Syaer Grant –Stuart is still struggling in the aftermath of the sordid experience.
Syaer Grant-Stuart
In 2013, Grant – Stuart was held for allegedly trafficking 15.354kg of cocaine and placed before the Courts.
According to the charge, the incident is said to have occurred between March 21, 2013, and March 22, 2013, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, (CJIA).
Grant – Stuart was a mailman on duty at the Timehri Post Office when CANU intercepted packages which contained the cocaine.
He along with two other staff members attached the Post Office were taken in for questioning by law enforcement agents. However, Grant –Stuart was the sole defendant in the matter. On the day of the incident, Grant –Stuart had the duty of transporting the packages from a secure location to the aeroplane.
He is convinced that he was singled out by the police because he had handled the packages.
He contends, nonetheless that he knew nothing of the drugs in the parcels since they were all sealed.
Grant –Stuart consequently underwent a trial at the Providence Magistrates’ Court and after several months, the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit, (CANU) moved to have the matter discontinued against him in 2014.
Relieved that the charges were dismissed since he always held that he was innocent, Grant- Stuart proceeded to pick up the pieces of his life.
“I left the job at the post office even though it was offered to me after the case finished. All I wanted was to pick up the pieces of his life and move on,” he recalls.
He said that he began to feel optimistic about his dreams again and set his sights on some of his goals, which included travelling to the United States of America and Canada.
The young man soon found out that it was not that simple.
“I been trying for the past three years to leave the country but because of this incident, I keep getting rejected by both the Canadian and US Embassies.”
Grant –Stuart claims that the Embassy officials keep referring to the case as the basis of their rejection.
“I was charged not convicted. The matter was dismissed against me after CANU decided to drop the charges.
My record is clean. I even have a police clearance to show but it’s never enough for them (the embassy officials),” a clearly frustrated Grant –Stuart added.
At present, the father of two lives with his parents and operates a small block-making outlet from his Lot ‘H’ Grant Sand Road Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, (EBD) residence.
“I have a small business and it has been helping to sustain me and family. All I want now is to be able to travel freely. I want this stain removed.”
The young man further noted that his hope of travelling was further shattered when he was not allowed to travel to Canada with his brother, Walter Grant-Stuart, who was competing in the Paralympics Games in Canada.
“I was supposed to be helping my brother out with his bicycle,” Grant –Stuart said adding that his brother is a gold medalist in cycling.
He hopes that he will be allowed to travel after the issue is highlighted in the media
“I am turning to the media for help now because all there is really no other option.
All I want at this point is for the authorities to understand my situation and not hold the incident against me because at the end of the day, I didn’t commit the crime,” the man added.
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