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Former registrar of the High Court, Vanessa Tamara Gibson-Marks. (iWN file photo)
Former registrar of the High Court, Vanessa Tamara Gibson-Marks. (iWN file photo)
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The Immigration Department on Friday prevented embattled former Registrar of the High Court, Vanessa Tamara Gibson-Marks from leaving St. Vincent, less than 24 hours after she was granted bail on theft, abuse of office, and false certification charges.

“Yes, it is so,” Chief Immigration Officer, Stanford Hamilton told I-Witness News.

“The information received is that there is ongoing investigation in which Miss Marks was needed and she was stopped,” Hamilton said, when asked why Gibson-Marks was prevented from leaving St. Vincent.

Marks was granted EC$30,000 bail with one surety when she appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, less than 24-hours after she returned to St. Vincent for the first time since she left on May 21, about 90 minutes after Attorney General Judith Jones-Morgan demanded her resignation during a meeting.

The court did not ask her to surrender her travel documents.

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“The court granted Miss Marks bail, and there were conditions in relation to the bail that was granted. The issue at hand had nothing to do with the bail which she was granted,” Hamilton told I-Witness News.

Asked what were these conditions, Hamilton said: “The condition in which she was granted bail was already stated on the bond. That had nothing to do with the issue in which she was stopped.”

Gibson-Marks checked in to travel on a one-way ticket to St. Lucia last Friday on LIAT flight L310, which was scheduled to depart St. Vincent at 7:15 a.m.

She was unchecked and her bags removed at 7:03 a.m.

The flight was initially booked by Duane Daniel — one of Gibson-Marks’ lawyer — in Daniel’s name last Thursday (Aug. 21), the same day that Gibson-Marks appeared in court.

The ticket was held until 7 p.m. on Aug. 21, then the hold was extended until 7:10 a.m. on Friday (Aug. 22).

On the morning of Aug. 22, a request was made for a change of name from Duane Daniel to Venessa Gibson and US$168 was paid for the flight.

Gibson-Marks was assigned seat 9B on the aircraft and a bag was checked.

She was unchecked 12 minutes before the flight was scheduled to depart.

Gibson-Marks pleaded not guilty to the charges against her and is scheduled to re-appear at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Oct. 7, 2014.

She is also expected in court next month to give cause why she should not be disbarred from practicing law in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

8 replies on “Immigration prevents former registrar from boarding flight to St. Lucia”

  1. Is the stage being set for this lady to file charges of defamation, intimidation and harassment against the gov’t of SVG? where we will have to pay her a lot more than $300 000?.

    1. Keese, I empathize. Yuh must be saying some REAL DANGEROUS THINGS these days, so that the lawyers or vetters have to gi’ dem ah second or even third look-see. Hope ‘tings wuk out fuh de better real, real soon, though. All the best, Sis.

  2. Stop your Politicing with former Registrar

    NO Immigration officer have (has) any authority to arrest or deny anyone unless the matter(s) relates to immigration.
    The former registrar did not violate any immigration laws. Her denial to leave SVG was political. It is very sad that very services in our beloved land are a political cess pool for government in power.
    The purpose of immigration services in any Country (and the Laws are generally the same).
    1 To regulate the flow of people coming to the country as visitor, students, residents, officials, workers and etcs.
    2. To regulate the departure or the removal those same people when and if they lose the right to remain.
    3. To make sure that no one assist anyone else to come into or stay SVG without proper authorization.
    Please tell which of these laws did the former registrar broken, Mr Immigration officer?
    1. Did the prosecutor presented in court any document that she is fly risk and that her passport and other traveling should be taken away? I am waiting for that answer.
    2. Did the court issue or band her from traveling from SVG to any other destination (s)?
    3. Who give the Immigration the authority to deny her from leaving since this issue is not Immigration matter?
    Stop your policiting with former Registrar for the horse already left the stable you cannot recovered from this the world knows that favoritism and nepotisms is the order of day is SVG. This is a set up to gain or cover up political damage it is too late.
    My government is serious about crime after the fact.— My government is serious about crime when it comes to small man who cannot defend themselves.
    This episode is like the Arggle photo when the bunch MP went there just to say, do not for us we are still relevant, Remember the airport is still building even though we for forget how many years it is now.
    This brings to Calliaqua my home town. Mr PM when will the Calliaqua building will be finish? The reason I am asking. This building and the Arggle airport is running together about 7 – 8 years now. Camparsion I will make chick (Calliaqua building) and the elephant( Arggle Airport)
    You guys have destroy our town hall and built a building with no insight. It was the center of entertainment center for East ST George. When full to capacity it holds 5-7 hundred people, now where the hall it is located on the second flood and it lay out probably holds 50 to 75 people. What a shame!
    Where is the respect and concern do you have for the people of Calliaqua? Do not underestimate us we have produced Doctors (MD) and Law, Permanent secretary, Cricketers, Musicians, Steel bands, Sea- captains, chefs, bilingual staff in the Ministry of foreign affairs, Inspector of Police, and police officers, and teachers of highest calibers and business men and nurse and etcs ( The property that the UPM occupy in Paul’s lot, for many years without paying their rent belongs to Calliaqua man).
    We are treated by ULP the same way the LP government. Don’t forget Calliaqua people was the foot soldiers for LP. What we got is the same town hall that you demolish and extension of the Calliaqua school which needed some face lift
    I remember that you boasted of two playing field which were built in quick succession in your constituency Mr, M P. I think that one cost 2 million dollars and other one cost about 880 thousand dollars.
    Yes, Calliaqua people them foolish! They love labour to death! So they love ULP too, we are the offspring of LP. We do not do not have to clean the two rivers, the school building is not priority, and fogging of mosquitoes is not important because we love Ulp to death. Or we just have to wait until we accepted my (Son)ship in constituency to get his blessings before something can done in Calliaqua, and for the building to finish? What a shame! You mean one who called us “crack pot”- simply put it( crack head) but the old proverb said “it takes one to know one”. And remember “ Moon run till day catch um”

  3. I find it very odd that someone who has pleaded not guilty would want to leave the country before she clears her name. I am not surprised she was stopped if her ticket was purchased in this underhand way. I am presuming it would be easier to extradite her to St Vincent if necessary. Having said that it would also be easier for her to flee the caribbean from St Lucia like all the others before her who has fled to America and never been brought to justice. Well done to the Vincentian for showing some balls unlike St Lucia where some people think they are above the law.

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