Issues Raised Over Former Resident’s Death

The sons of a former Fiji resident Maya Nand have brought up the issue of their father dying in an Immigrant Centre and how they could do nothing to save him two years ago.

One of Nand's son Jay Ashish said his dad's last cry still haunts the family in which he had asked them to take him out of the Arizona Immigrant Centre or they will never see him again.

The New York Times reports that Nand, who was 54 at the time, was a legal immigrant from Fiji and diabetic. He had been calling his family over a 10-day period he had been at the Centre to take him out as he had breathing problems.

Ashish said his father told them that the medical staff did not take his condition seriously and was always told by guards to stop faking his sickness. He said the whole family kept pleading the Centre for medical attention but their cries fell on deaf ears.

Jay Ashish said his father applied for his USA citizenship however, it was rejected as he was convicted for domestic violence in 2002 however, was resolved to the courts satisfaction with a year of anger management classes.

He said the immigration officials still considered it grounds for deportation and without any warning shipped him to the Detention Centre where his health worsened and he died of heart attack in February 2006.

Meanwhile, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a statement yesterday stating that the Department looks after all its detained people well and proper medical service is provided to them. It said in addition the Department reviews the circumstances surrounding the death of a detainee and determines if further investigation is warranted. It did not elaborate on Nand's death.