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SA immigration detains Reggae Boy
South African immigration detains Reggae Boy
Saturday, November 14, 2009
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Colorado Rapids frontman Omar Cummings gave himself and his teammate a scare yesterday when he was detained by South African immigration authorities for having a damaged passport.
With an on-time arrival at the OR Tambo International Airport here and the majority of the Reggae Boyz party swishing through the traveller-friendly immigration and customs system, Cummings' detention resulted in a more than two-hour delay for the weary group who had just flown 14 1/2 hours across the Atlantic from Atlanta in the USA.
Omar Cummings (left) in battle against El Salvador in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Florida in the summer. Immigration officials at this point of entry became concerned with Cummings' passport which had a part of his name torn off on the main page of the old blue version of the Jamaican document.
The two last letters in the player's surname was cut off plus the covers of the passport were separated from the rest of it.
But after a team of Jamaican officials, led by head of delegation Garfield Sinclair, intervened and reasoned with South African officials, the player was allowed to enter, much to the delight of his teammates.
After his arrival at the Southern Sun hotel where the team spent the night before departing today for Bloemfontein where the Boyz will play the World Cup hosts in a friendly on Tuesday, Cummings claimed the damage to the passport was not his fault.
He told the Jamaica media here that the passport became torn after a US airport official removed the stabled portion of the I94 immigration form, ripping off a piece of the page with the name.
Concerns have been raised whether or not the Jamaican international will be allowed back into the USA when the team departs South Africa next Wednesday. But those concerns were put to rest when it was said that Cummings will receive a special immigrations certificate explaining how the document was damaged which will aid in his further travels until he receives a new book.
- Sean Williams
South African immigration detains Reggae Boy
Saturday, November 14, 2009
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Colorado Rapids frontman Omar Cummings gave himself and his teammate a scare yesterday when he was detained by South African immigration authorities for having a damaged passport.
With an on-time arrival at the OR Tambo International Airport here and the majority of the Reggae Boyz party swishing through the traveller-friendly immigration and customs system, Cummings' detention resulted in a more than two-hour delay for the weary group who had just flown 14 1/2 hours across the Atlantic from Atlanta in the USA.
Omar Cummings (left) in battle against El Salvador in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Florida in the summer. Immigration officials at this point of entry became concerned with Cummings' passport which had a part of his name torn off on the main page of the old blue version of the Jamaican document.The two last letters in the player's surname was cut off plus the covers of the passport were separated from the rest of it.
But after a team of Jamaican officials, led by head of delegation Garfield Sinclair, intervened and reasoned with South African officials, the player was allowed to enter, much to the delight of his teammates.
After his arrival at the Southern Sun hotel where the team spent the night before departing today for Bloemfontein where the Boyz will play the World Cup hosts in a friendly on Tuesday, Cummings claimed the damage to the passport was not his fault.
He told the Jamaica media here that the passport became torn after a US airport official removed the stabled portion of the I94 immigration form, ripping off a piece of the page with the name.
Concerns have been raised whether or not the Jamaican international will be allowed back into the USA when the team departs South Africa next Wednesday. But those concerns were put to rest when it was said that Cummings will receive a special immigrations certificate explaining how the document was damaged which will aid in his further travels until he receives a new book.
- Sean Williams