Reports indicate that 153 Ghanaians and Nigerians who arrived in Barbados on February 1, 2008 aboard a charter flight from Ghana are still stranded in that country. A Ghana International Airlines (GIA) return flight on February 15th failed show up as planned, leaving the passengers stranded on the Caribbean Island. The stranded passengers were told that a flight would come on February 29th, reports say. But the February 29th flight from the GIA also did not show up. Running out of money, a number of them have sought to take up any job that can earn them something to support themselves. Sources say the stranded passengers are now seeking work permits from the Barbados government to enable them look for employment. Many of the people are relying on the benevolence of Barbadians to make while desperately waiting for their flight. Sources say officials of the Barbado Ministry of Transport, Works and International Transport had been working to ensure that the stranded visitors from Ghana returned home. "Ever since it has been brought to the [government’s] attention that a number of persons who entered Barbados from Ghana on February 1, 2008 for a two-week stay had been stranded here due to a break-down of private tour arrangements, government has intervened”, official sources say. The sources say the Barbadian government was actively seeking to facilitate their repatriation. The visit was organised through private sector arrangements by a Ghana tour company using a Barbadian counterpart as ground handler. “It was not initiated by any Government entity", a statement from the authorities insisted. Giving a background to the circumstances that led to the situation the statement said the authorities in that country received an e-mailed application from the GIA asking for permission to organise a trip to the country. The GIA according to the correspondence was working in collaboration with Season's Tours and Travel, a company certified by the Ghana Tourist Board. The statement said the Ministry of Transport, Works and International Transport queried the actual period of the tour since no return date had been given. On January 28, a revised application was received from Ghana Airlines, stating in part that "the revised dates were now January 31-February 1, 2008 with a subsequent service on February 15 to return passengers," the statement added. On January 29, Ghana Airlines advised the Ministry that they were expecting approximately 160 passengers into Barbados on January 31, of which 40 would be proceeding to other Caribbean countries, via alternative arrangements, and the remaining 120 would be returning to Ghana on the flight on February 15, 2008. It was also stated that the charter in question had yet to return to the island. "Based on the exchanges with Ghana Airlines and the involvement of a tour operator certified by the Ghana Tourist Board, there was every confidence that the charter would return to Barbados for the passengers on February 15, as indicated. A permit for the charter was therefore issued to Ghana International Airlines Ltd. The charter service, for whatever reasons, has yet to return. According to records of the Immigration Department, 153 passengers were landed in Barbados from the Ghana Airlines flight, including those going onto other Caribbean countries. Ninety-six persons remained in Barbados. The Ministry is in touch with Ghana Airlines and has tried to prompt urgent action from the Ghana Tourist Board on this matter. The local ground handling agency for Seasons' Travel and Tours has also been proactive in these efforts, to rectify the situation, the statement noted.