Don’t hate Garcia!

David Comissiong yesterday pleaded with the Barbadian public to stop hating Garcia. Here, Raul Garcia, leaving his detention facility yesterday. He will have his application for freedom heard on November 21, but could have better conditions to live in from this week.

By Barry Alleyne | Thu, October 25, 2012 - 12:09 AM

Stop the hating on Raul Garcia.

That’s what attorney-at-law David Comissiong pleaded with the Barbadian public to do yesterday.

“Hate Cuba for not letting him back to his home. Hate the United States for not letting him back there. But stop hating Raul Garcia for wanting his freedom,” Comissiong told reporters outside the No 6 Supreme Court.

The lawyer’s public call came after Justice Margaret Reifer mediated with Comissiong and attorneys from the Solicitor General’s Office for almost two hours before offering concessions in the conditions under which Garcia is detained at a house in Dalkeith, St Michael.

“I trust the Barbadian people will understand the situation. They may be vexed with the Government of the United States and the Government of Cuba, but don’t be vexed with Mr Garcia. He committed a crime, but has served his time, and deserves to be free.”

Please read the full story in today’s DAILY NATION, or in the eNATION edition.

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Posted by Samuel Shank 7 months ago: Why hate the USA? Is he a legal resident or citizen of the USA?

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Posted by Kenneth King 7 months ago: Mr.Comissiong to your appeal on Barbadians not to hate Mr. Garcia, we have not hated him, I am just concern that our hard earned monies are being wasted on someone who is not a Barbadian when we have other problems here and some poor people are not getting the kind of living conditions he is having....at our expense. If he was reading a few of the comments here over the months, he would have seen what many were saying; just what he has aired to reporters. He served his time and I fully agreed with that for his crime but I have an issue with him being allowed to walk free in this country because a Barbadian will never have such a privilege to do so in any country had he done such a crime.

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Posted by sherrie Thorpe 7 months ago: If Cuba or United States doesn't want him i would like Mr. Comissiong to give the public of Barbados a good reason why we should let him loose on Barbados soil? Probably you should take responsiblity for the indiviual and have him live in your quarters. Why can't we stand for what we believe why is everybody allowed to come into our country and do as they like.

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Posted by RANDY BRIDGEMAN 7 months ago: Seems to me Mr. Comissiong is using a common tactic in vogue nowadays: accuse an opponent (real or perceived) of being a hater which tends to put the latter on the defensive. Not working in your client Mr. Garcia's case, Comrade. Won't be surprised if Mr. Comissiong's next move is to file a petition seeking permanent residence for his client in Barbados.

Bajans for the most part have acknowledged that Mr. Garcia has served time for the very serious crime of dealing in the illicit drug trade, therefore should enjoy total freedom. The question is where he will enjoy this freedom. What we are in a disagreement with is the fact that he continues to reside in our country at taxpayer's expense. He's being housed, clothed and fed by our government. Perhaps I've missed it but I haven't read thus far, that either he or his sponsor have thanked the Barbados government for supplying these things gratis.

One would think that granting Mr. Garcia residence status or citizenship would be totally out of the question. In my view, the government would be wrong if it let him loose in our country, given his previous conviction as well as the twin facts that he's neither a citizen or legal resident of Barbados. The temptation for Mr. Garcia to get involved in drug trafficking again which would be detrimental to our society if it happened, may be too great. Risky business.

Wonder if our government has considered asking Mr. Chavez's Venezuela to accept this stateless man. Mr. Chavez is chummy with the leadership of our Caribbean neighbor to the north and may be apt to take Mr. Garcia off our hands as a favor to the regime there.