Being in Guyana best thing ever happen to me- deported BVI businessman
Written by Demerara Waves
Thursday, 01 September 2011 12:26
Source
DA Alphonso in yellow cap shortly after landing at the CJI Airport
(VIRGIN ISLANDS NEWS ONLINE) New Amsterdam, Berbice, GUYANA – It has been two months since prominent Virgin Islands businessman Desmond “DA” Alphonso was deported to Guyana, and according to him there are no regrets and has already begun getting his life together.
Speaking to Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview from his new home in Tucber, New Amsterdam, Berbice, Mr. Alphonso said returning to Guyana was the best decision of his life.
“I have no regrets coming back home, it is the best thing that ever happen to me, the people and the place real nice and everyone friendly. From the outside people talk about killing and stealing but everything just cool and normal. I feel more relaxed, I go and come when I want,” the businessman revealed.
He admitted that at first when he was deported, he felt as though he had lost everything, but now he is very much appreciative of it all as his business in Tortola continues to run as normal and he didn’t have to give up or sell any of his assets.
“But everything happen for the best, I here and my business still running, everything running as normal. I have not given up nothing or sell nothing and don’t need to sell nothing,” Mr. Alphonso said, noting that his business is being run by his brother Frankie Alphonso.
Speaking briefly on the situation leading up to his actual deportation on Tuesday June 28, 2011, after being held from Friday June 24, 2011 Mr. Alphonso said he was picked up on the Friday afternoon and was expected to be deported the following morning which was unfair to him.
“I was there from eight months old, spend 41 years. They pick me up from Friday afternoon, and want to put me on a plane Saturday morning, I said me ain’t going nowhere unless I get my stuff done that is why I hold out, till Monday and Tuesday,” he declared. “It was unfair to me because everyone else had a time to leave and I had not even a minute.”
The deportation order came following Mr. Alphonso’s guilty plea of harbouring three wanted Jamaican men in 2007. He served a four-year sentence which ended on July 29, 2009 but was on remand over a murder charge.
In March 2010 following a two-week trial for the murder of Christopher Bailey, he was unanimously found not guilty by a nine member jury.
However, on April 1, 2010, Mr. Alphonso lodged an appeal against the deportation order which was issued under the hand of the previous Governor, David Pearey. He then filed a motion challenging the constitutionality of the appeal procedure.
The businessman’s main contention was that the Governor ought not to hear his appeal as he was the same person who made the deportation order and consequently, he will not be impartial, which infringes Article 16 (9) of the Constitution. However, Justice Indra Hariprashad-Charles in her ruling said the Governor who made the deportation order has since retired and the Territory now has a new Governor.
Then in May following an appeal for Justice Hariprashad-Charles ruling to be stayed, the full Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean upheld her decision paving the way for the deportation hearing.
Written by Demerara Waves
Thursday, 01 September 2011 12:26
Source
DA Alphonso in yellow cap shortly after landing at the CJI Airport(VIRGIN ISLANDS NEWS ONLINE) New Amsterdam, Berbice, GUYANA – It has been two months since prominent Virgin Islands businessman Desmond “DA” Alphonso was deported to Guyana, and according to him there are no regrets and has already begun getting his life together.
Speaking to Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview from his new home in Tucber, New Amsterdam, Berbice, Mr. Alphonso said returning to Guyana was the best decision of his life.
“I have no regrets coming back home, it is the best thing that ever happen to me, the people and the place real nice and everyone friendly. From the outside people talk about killing and stealing but everything just cool and normal. I feel more relaxed, I go and come when I want,” the businessman revealed.
He admitted that at first when he was deported, he felt as though he had lost everything, but now he is very much appreciative of it all as his business in Tortola continues to run as normal and he didn’t have to give up or sell any of his assets.
“But everything happen for the best, I here and my business still running, everything running as normal. I have not given up nothing or sell nothing and don’t need to sell nothing,” Mr. Alphonso said, noting that his business is being run by his brother Frankie Alphonso.
Speaking briefly on the situation leading up to his actual deportation on Tuesday June 28, 2011, after being held from Friday June 24, 2011 Mr. Alphonso said he was picked up on the Friday afternoon and was expected to be deported the following morning which was unfair to him.
“I was there from eight months old, spend 41 years. They pick me up from Friday afternoon, and want to put me on a plane Saturday morning, I said me ain’t going nowhere unless I get my stuff done that is why I hold out, till Monday and Tuesday,” he declared. “It was unfair to me because everyone else had a time to leave and I had not even a minute.”
The deportation order came following Mr. Alphonso’s guilty plea of harbouring three wanted Jamaican men in 2007. He served a four-year sentence which ended on July 29, 2009 but was on remand over a murder charge.
In March 2010 following a two-week trial for the murder of Christopher Bailey, he was unanimously found not guilty by a nine member jury.
However, on April 1, 2010, Mr. Alphonso lodged an appeal against the deportation order which was issued under the hand of the previous Governor, David Pearey. He then filed a motion challenging the constitutionality of the appeal procedure.
The businessman’s main contention was that the Governor ought not to hear his appeal as he was the same person who made the deportation order and consequently, he will not be impartial, which infringes Article 16 (9) of the Constitution. However, Justice Indra Hariprashad-Charles in her ruling said the Governor who made the deportation order has since retired and the Territory now has a new Governor.
Then in May following an appeal for Justice Hariprashad-Charles ruling to be stayed, the full Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean upheld her decision paving the way for the deportation hearing.
