A group of 17 deportees from the US arrived at the Piarco International Airport on May 24 and were interviewed by personnel of the protective services and non-governmental group Vision on a Mission before they were allowed to leave.

Head of Vision on a Mission Giselle Chance described the return of 17 deported nationals as "a smoother and easier transition" compared to the experience with the first group of 11 who arrived on March 28.

In a telephone interview, Chance said, "We were there since 3 am but there was a delay in the flight. Once they landed, we were there to greet them. We briefly introduced ourselves and the services we provide. We also had a phone ready for them to call their loved ones and they were very appreciative of that."

Vision on a Mission is an NGO founded by Wayne Chance in 1995 with a mandate to rehabilitate formerly incarcerated men and reintegrate them into society.

Chance said they distributed care packages and answered questions about the programmes available and even about the country.

"Some of them have been away from TT for at least 50 years."

Of the 17, Chance said only three needed immediate accommodation.

"They will be accommodated at the Wallerfield Rehabilitation Centre. Another five said they would need more external help, like retrieval of documentation, so we'll help with that."

She believes the organisation helped ease the stress levels that the deported nationals may have faced and caused an easier transition.

"The welcoming environment assisted them in meaning more amenable to the immigration process. I think it went very smoothly.

"We were able to work alongside the immigration officials, the police and defence force."

Asked how it was different from the March 28 intake of deportees, Chance said Vision on a Mission was actually involved in the process.

"This time we were included in the process of receiving them in a more formal way.

"We didn't have the issue we had on the last occasion where we didn't know who they were and they didn't know who we were."

She said this gave the deportees a better understanding of the resources available to them.

The lack of inclusion from the March 28 batch meant Vision on a Mission was not able to help.

"While we were there in the airport, we were not able to identify them. The one or two of them that we identified had made arrangements with their families and were not open to speaking with us in a detailed way.

"But now they have our numbers and their relatives have our contacts as well. It's a much better outcome on this occasion."

In a brief interview on May 24, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander said the process was a new approach in a series of new approaches when handling deported nationals.

"It seems like it was not done in this manner before. I won't want to say too much of what was done differently, but the monitoring and the counselling."

Alexander said compassion and empathy must be shown to these deported nationals.

"This is their home regardless of how you look at it. These