Published: Sep 17, 2015, 01:52 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 17, 2015, 01:52 PM (IST)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul has reportedly been disgraced by immigration officials in Guyana which is the country of his birth. The West Indian batting legend who is the second highest run-scorer for the team in Tests after Brian Lara was asked whether he was an immigrant. Chanderpaul was taken aback when the question was popped to him by a Guayanese female authority at the airport, who failed to recognise him. The untoward incident occurred on Monday when Chanderpaul landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at Timehri.
“When I came in I was asked by a girl, who is the Immigration Officer, in I’m a Guyanese” Chanderpaul told guyanatimesgy.com. The official further probed Chanderpaul even after he asked her to refer to his official documents, but the Test-batting legend played down the incident with a sly sense of humour. “I said look at the form you will see the place of birth on it. She then asked me where is Unity village (Chanderpaul’s home village), so I was left to ask if she is really Guyanese,” Chanderpaul giggled. ALSO READ: Shivnarine Chanderpaul rates Brian Lara as greatest batsman
Chanderpaul was particularly surprised by the questions he was being probed with, since the airport buildings has huge posters of him placed at important points. READ: Shivnarine Chanderpaul hopes to complete 12,000-run milestone before Test retirement
Chanderpaul further explained that this was not the first incident of its kind involving him and airport authorities. “The thing is, these things keep happening. I remember last month we went out there for a West Indies Legends game in New York, and when I came back, I came out from the back-end of the aircraft, and by the time I got to the terminal it was already packed so I joined the VIP line,” he said.
“A guy came and told me ‘you can’t be here, get out and join the queue at the back.’ I end up coming out because I don’t have a diplomatic passport, and I ended up joining the line. These are some of the things that happen sometimes, but you have to put them behind you,” Chanderpaul added. ALSO READ: Shivnarine Chanderpaul still wants to play Test cricket
Chanderpaul labelled the treatment of national heroes as a shame. “I don’t have a diplomatic passport so I have to put up with these things. If people in your own country can’t recognise their national heroes then it’s a crying shame,” Chanderpaul said.
Asked why he did not have a diplomatic passport despite his stature as national hero, Chanderpaul sounded like he’d given up on hopes of receiving one . “I’ve asked a lot of times… I’ve never been told that I’ll get one, but I know a lot of other players have,” Chanderpaul said.
