Inspector Bradley and Parsons (HTS video-still image)
(SNO) – The Canadian man who claimed he was stranded in St. Lucia while on vacation due to financial constraints, is scheduled to leave the island this weekend.
The Babonneau Police Station in collaboration with a prominent business in the Babonneau community purchased an airline ticket for Wayne Matthew Parsons on Friday, June 22, according to Inspector in charge of the Babonneau Police Station, Terry Bradley, in an exclusive interview with St. Lucia News Online (SNO).
Bradley said Parsons is scheduled to leave Saint Lucia at 3:35 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, 2018 via flight 1879 on Air Canada.
The senior cop said the business, in partnership with the station, also purchased “brand new clothing and shoes” as well as toiletries for Parsons’ journey.
Bradley said the business place, which prefers to remain anonymous, decided it was a good gesture considering that Saint Lucia depends on Canada for tourism and such a move would portray a positive image of the island.
He also noted that the business place has always worked in partnership with the Babonneau Police Station.
The middle-aged Canadian has been in police custody after his story came to pubic attention and the authorities discovered that he overstayed in Saint Lucia.
He was awaiting repatriation.
In a report on HTS, head of immigration, Assistant Superintendent Sean Alexander said: “From our understanding, he was just living on the streets of Castries. I personally have seen him begging around town, but at the time I didn’t know who he was, until it was drawn to the attention of immigration…. he was arrested by the Constabulary, the Castries Constabulary, and he was handed over to the Immigration Department.”
Alexander said Parsons’ family had promised to make arrangements to get him a plane ticket. He said if they had failed to do so, the ticket would have been purchased from the police’s budget. But thanks to Inspector Bradley and the business in Babonneau, the police will save some funds.
Alexander gave HTS a little bit more back on the Canadians background.
“He came in as a visitor and when his time had expired, he never came in for an extension. My understanding also — I spoke to my counterpart in Jamaica — and he did the same thing in Jamaica. [He] went to Jamaica, overstayed, but eventually he left Jamaica. But apparently he likes St. Lucia a little more, and he is just there on the streets begging. Well he wasn’t charged. He’s not charged as yet, but we are making arrangements for him to leave voluntarily.”
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