Pancras Albert
A high ranking police officer in the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has reportedly been denied access into the US.
An article on Caribbean News Now states that Deputy Commissioner Pancras Albert was prevented from boarding a flight to the US Virgin Islands territory, St. Croix on Wednesday.
Officials from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Home Affairs and National Security, according to the publication, has not issued any word on the matter.
In August last year, the US decided to suspend officers of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force from participating in training programmes arranged or financed by the United States.
The ban had included Commissioner of Police Vernon Fancois, who was also prevented from travelling to the United States to represent regional police commanders at a Conference of Black Police Officers in the United States.
This measure, according to a statement from Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony last year, was due to the killing of 12 persons by police officers between 2010 and 2011 under what was described then as “Operation Restore Confidence.”
Questions are now being raised as to whether Albert’s denial of access to St. Croix was as a result of the US sanction on St. Lucian police.
Francois, according to an HTS report, said a lot of speculation has surrounded the alleged incident, as compared to facts.