One day after the Guyana Police Force issued a wanted bulletin for local pilot, Orlando Charles, the wanted man has issued a statement denying the allegations of trafficking in persons being made against him and expressing surprise at the bulletin issued by the Police.
In the statement, Charles said there is an outstanding issue with a group of workers who worked on a construction project being carried out by him. He said while some of the workers have settled their grievance, some others are still at odds with him over payment.
Charles said the matter reached the Bartica Police station and he provided a statement as it was being investigated. He made it clear that he was never responsible for the workers coming to Guyana or their movement in Guyana and has never been involved in any act of trafficking in person.
The pilot and businessman said he was left confused that after he visited the Bartica station and was released on station bail, a wanted bulletin was issued for him claiming involvement in trafficking in persons.
He said having learnt of the wanted bulletin, he made contact through his Attorney with the Major Crimes Unit, Criminal Investigation Department, agreeing to present himself to the Police as requested.
The pilot said he is being represented by Attorney Sanjeev Datadin.
“I had nothing to do with bringing them into Guyana nor controlling their movement or where they were employed. Indeed a dispute arose with some of them over wages and I agreed to resolve the matter to our mutual agreement and some of the persons readily accepted settlement whilst others wanted more money. The discussions with the latter are ongoing and a reckoning was taking place”, he explained in the statement.
He said he has since learned that the allegations of trafficking in persons stemmed from an organisation based in Bartica that met with some of his workers and told them that the group could take over their payment dispute and get it solved quickly.
The Pilot said he does not believe a pay dispute with foreign workers should be classified under trafficking in persons and sees the attempt to malign him with such allegations as a deliberate move to tarnish his name and his business.
He intends to challenge the accusations and the wanted bulletin issued by the Police.
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