Trinidad and Tobago Chief Immigration Officer Herman Browne, issued a special permit to openly gay Sir Elton John, to ensure he had no problems when visiting Tobago for the Plymouth Jazz Festival 2007.
Pastors from Tobago were using an old law to propose banning the flamboyant homosexual from performing in the sister isle, Tobago. To be specific, Section 8 (E) of the Prohibition Class of the Immigration Act states:"Prostitutes, homosexuals or persons living on the earnings of prostitutes or homosexuals, or persons reasonably suspected as coming to Trinidad and Tobago for these and any other immoral purposes"
Browne in an interview with the Trinidad Express, stated he did not give Elton John the permit based on his sexual orientation, but to prevent any unforeseen incidents when the mega star arrived. According to Browne, a special permit can be issued to anyone, at anytime, for any reason.
"It was a recommendation that came from the Chief Immigration Officer. There was a lot of public controversy surrounding the whole thing, so it was just a judgment call on my part," Browne said. "All's well that ends well," Browne said. "He came, he performed and he left."
Sir Elton John stay in the twin republic lasted a total of four hours, with two of those four hours spent on stage at the Plymouth Jazz Festival.
