Garcia ruling on Monday

Bridgetown.

The High Court will on Monday decide if it has the jurisdiction to continue hearing the case brought against the Immigration Department by Cuban drug convict Raul Garcia.

Yesterday in the Number Six Supreme Court before Justice Margaret Reifer, lead attorney for the State Donna Brathwaite made a submission challenging the jurisdiction of the Court to further enquire into the validity of the detention and deportation order issued by the Minister of Immigration.

Brathwaite suggested that all of these orders were issue by the Minister in compliance with the Immigration Act and were therefore lawful.

She stated that section 21, sub section three of the act showed that the deporation order did not become invalid by the laspe of time and remained valid after being made, unless cancelled by the Minister.

David Comissiong the lead attorney for Garica dismissed Brathwaite arguments and referred to section 22 of the same act, which states that a person could  only be detained for as long as may be reasonably nesessary while arrangements are made for their removal from Barbados.