(Barbados Nation) Plans to make it mandatory for Barbadians to be fingerprinted when leaving or entering the island’s air and sea ports have been deemed unconstitutional. On Thursday, High Court judge Justice Pamela Beckles also ruled that the Immigration (Biometrics) Regulations 2015 “were not properly and lawfully enacted in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 41 of the Interpretation Act, Chapter 1 of the Laws of Barbados for the enacting of regulations that are subject to negative resolution and as a result are null and void and of no legal effect”.
Attorney at law and Member of Parliament Edmund Hinkson, who headed a team of lawyers representing fellow attorney and political activist David Comissiong, described the decision as sending a clear message that “no Government is above the law”.
Comissiong had brought a constitutional case against Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, whose office is responsible for immigration, Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite and Chief Immigration Officer Wayne Marshall.
