Tweet
TOURIST FACES HELL AT AIRPORT - British visitor detained, roughed-up - Told to find own money for missed flight home
A British man's dream vacation in Jamaica recently turned into a nightmare after police hauled him from the check-in line at the airport, searched and transported him to the hospital at gunpoint to be scanned for drugs he was suspected to be transporting.
After one night of hell, handcuffed to a bed, with a dead body next to him, Martin Hole said the doctor returned on Tuesday morning to tell him that nothing strange was found. This, of course, was no surprise to him, as he had been proclaiming his innocence all along.
"It was a nightmare. I only see these things on the tv. They pulled me out of the line and began asking me questions. They took me to do a urine test and then told me that it said I had cocaine in me. I said, 'No way!'," he said.
from bad to worse
After being cleared of suspicion of drug trafficking, the tourist's experience was about to get worse. He was taken to a guest house on Port Henderson Road in Portmore, St Catherine, where he was told that a two-night stay would be paid for, and he would have to buy a new ticket to return home, at his expense.
The first-time visitor to Jamaica, who came at a friend's invitation, said his journey from the airport to the hospital was terrifying, as he was being guarded by three officers, all armed with high- powered weapons.
"This hospital was a nightmare. There were cockroaches all over, cockroaches crawling on the guy next to me, people dying everywhere! I saw a guy that got shot in his neck, it was just horrible."
The family that accommodated Hole for his two-week stay and took him to the airport, said they thought he was back in England safely, only to get a call on Tuesday that he was still in Jamaica. Hole said the police gave him J$1,500 as spending money and an apology along the lines of "sorry for the confusion". That, he said, was simply adding insult to injury.
Before his nightmarish encounter on Monday night, Hole said his stay in Jamaica had been wonderful. In fact, he has not been deterred from returning, even though it is clear that he was deeply shaken up by the incident.
The family that hosted him is, however, angry at the fact that Hole was basically abandoned. They said; "After they took him from the airport? That is wrong, nobody should be treated like that."
redress
Desperate to return to his home and family, the Brit, who works in the construction industry, left the island yesterday, courtesy of his brother in England, who bought a ticket. He, however, plans to take up the issue with the Jamaica High Commission when he gets back home.
When contacted by THE STAR, director of communications at the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Karl Angell, while not aware of the specific incident, said the normal protocol in such cases was for the passenger to be placed on the next available flight. He said if the flight is on another day, the police are obligated to place the passenger in a hotel, the cost of which is billed to the passenger's host country.
Hole, however, said he was not informed that any flight arrangements had been made on his behalf.
A British man's dream vacation in Jamaica recently turned into a nightmare after police hauled him from the check-in line at the airport, searched and transported him to the hospital at gunpoint to be scanned for drugs he was suspected to be transporting.
After one night of hell, handcuffed to a bed, with a dead body next to him, Martin Hole said the doctor returned on Tuesday morning to tell him that nothing strange was found. This, of course, was no surprise to him, as he had been proclaiming his innocence all along.
"It was a nightmare. I only see these things on the tv. They pulled me out of the line and began asking me questions. They took me to do a urine test and then told me that it said I had cocaine in me. I said, 'No way!'," he said.
from bad to worse
After being cleared of suspicion of drug trafficking, the tourist's experience was about to get worse. He was taken to a guest house on Port Henderson Road in Portmore, St Catherine, where he was told that a two-night stay would be paid for, and he would have to buy a new ticket to return home, at his expense.
The first-time visitor to Jamaica, who came at a friend's invitation, said his journey from the airport to the hospital was terrifying, as he was being guarded by three officers, all armed with high- powered weapons.
"This hospital was a nightmare. There were cockroaches all over, cockroaches crawling on the guy next to me, people dying everywhere! I saw a guy that got shot in his neck, it was just horrible."
The family that accommodated Hole for his two-week stay and took him to the airport, said they thought he was back in England safely, only to get a call on Tuesday that he was still in Jamaica. Hole said the police gave him J$1,500 as spending money and an apology along the lines of "sorry for the confusion". That, he said, was simply adding insult to injury.
Before his nightmarish encounter on Monday night, Hole said his stay in Jamaica had been wonderful. In fact, he has not been deterred from returning, even though it is clear that he was deeply shaken up by the incident.
The family that hosted him is, however, angry at the fact that Hole was basically abandoned. They said; "After they took him from the airport? That is wrong, nobody should be treated like that."
redress
Desperate to return to his home and family, the Brit, who works in the construction industry, left the island yesterday, courtesy of his brother in England, who bought a ticket. He, however, plans to take up the issue with the Jamaica High Commission when he gets back home.
When contacted by THE STAR, director of communications at the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Karl Angell, while not aware of the specific incident, said the normal protocol in such cases was for the passenger to be placed on the next available flight. He said if the flight is on another day, the police are obligated to place the passenger in a hotel, the cost of which is billed to the passenger's host country.
Hole, however, said he was not informed that any flight arrangements had been made on his behalf.
Yuh kno wha? Mi tink mi jus ah goh fine sum deserted island som whe an jus tek up residence an noh goh noh whe ah tall.
Just where exactly is this hospital? Any ideas?
And if so, then them should have serious suspiciion fi detain ppl fi demdeh long time (apparently it was a nite flight him did deh pan??/)), and maybe this hospitals xray dept not open at nite??
Comment