PRESIDENT of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisation’s (FITUN), David Abdulah will be sending the Ministry of National Security a letter condemning the acts by security officials towards their delegates over the last few days.

’There was a delegate for the IV Peoples Summit by the name of Alberto Yayhito, from Puerto Rico, who was in part of the environmental movement in that country who was coming as part of the Puerto Rican delegation for the IV Peoples Summit. He was denied entry to Trinidad and Tobago, but it wasn’t simply the denial of entry, but the manner in which the State forces dealt with it that we wish to condemn,’ he said.

Abdulah said heavily armed members of the security forces went onto the LIAT plane around 8 p.m. on Wednesday night, called out his name and then handcuffed him and dragged him off the plane traumatising all the other passengers.

According to Abdulah, this was uncalled for considering that in all their previous meetings with the acting Commissioner of Police, James Philbert, they had agreed that none of the delegates would be treated unfairly.

’We want to say that that was totally unacceptable and we wish to condemn it outright. He was put back on a flight this morning and sent back to Puerto Rico. We did however; seek to make interventions on his behalf with authorities here, but to no avail,’ he added.

At a press conference, at the Ministry of National Security, Philbert defended the decision of the Immigration Department to deny entry to two foreign protestors from Puerto Rico and North America respectively after they were found with a large quantity of material prepared for protest and demonstrations.

Philbert said information received was that one of the protestors was arrested on numerous occasions at summits and conferences in other countries and had he ignored such information it would have been reckless.

’Our advice was that this individual came from Puerto Rico and has a long history of international interaction in protest and demonstrations, and based on advise we had and given to the Chief Immigration Officer the action was taken.

’Out of an abundance of caution that’s where we went and anyone with a profile like that we will object strongly to them coming here,’ Philbert said.