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Caribisch Netwerk reports that an eighteen year old resident of St. Eustatius was declared “unwanted” by the Immigration and Naturalization Service Caribbean Netherlands (IND). The young man, Juan Huggins, can be deported anytime to St. Kitts.
In December last year, when he was seventeen, Huggins was convicted of rape. In June this year he was released, after which he received a direct letter from the IND with the announcement that he would be declared “unwanted”. Despite protests, the Secretary of Security and Justice, Peter de Graaf, ruled on Monday that Huggins no longer is welcome onSt. Eustatius. On Tuesday, the decision was handed over to the boy, who was born on St. Kitts.
In his decision, De Graaf argues that, given the serous violation of public safety for which imprisonment was imposed, “the interests of the nation by declaring the concerned “unwanted”, deserves more weight than the conditions in favor of the person concerned, including the length of his stay of a total of thirteen years in St. Eustatius. ” Huggins still denies that there has been a rape.
Since his fifth, the boy lived on Statia, where he grew up with his grandmother. His parents and other family members still live in St. Kitts. He sees them twice a year when he’s on vacation. Consultant Cristie de Sande of SOS Statia supports Huggins in hiscase. “As far as I know, this is the first “declaration of being unwanted” in the history of Statia. Besides that this decision is disastrous for him and his grandmother, for me, it is also a black day for Statia. In my view, the IND Caribbean Netherlands failed to clarify how this person poses a threat to public order or national security. ”
On August 27, during an interrogation by the IND, his grandmother explained: “I would like him to stay. His mother does not look after him and I’ve been taking care of him from childhood. His mother gave him away to my son. He then gave him to my daughter when he was three months old, but when she became pregnant, I got Juan. Give him a second chance. ”
It is suggested, that in a report by the probation of June 30 this year, prepared by employee James Williams, it would be stated that no one knows Huggins on St. Kitts and that his family would not want to support him. He is afraid to have to go to St. Kitts. Williams nor the IND want to respond to the matter “because of the privacy of the customer.”
“The person concerned has indicated to return twice a year to St. Kitts for holidays. Then he always stays with family and also meets other family members.” In his decision, De Graaf concludes that the report of the probation does not have the weight that the person concerned wants to give it
On Wednesday there will be a hearing in connection with the refusal of a residence permit for an indefinite period. According to De Graaf, even if this permit would be granted, this will not make the declaration of being unwanted.