By Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

western bureau:

A deportation order was made for nine Chinese nationals who overstayed their permitted time in the island.

On Friday, the nine, Zue Chen, 20; Feng Chen, 24; Zhenlin Li, 31; Shankang Li, 30; Fa Lin, 31; Xuebing Huage, 38; Jianwei Shi, 24,Mingtai Wu, 37; and Ping Jiang, 25; all pleaded guilty to the charge in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court.

They were arrested and charged on Sunday August 13, when they went to the Sangster International Airport charter terminal to board a private aircraft to Nassau, Bahamas.

Immigration officers on duty examined their passports and discovered that Shankang and Ping who arrived in October 10 last year were only permitted to stay for one month. The Chens arrived on June 17 and were to stay only 10 days in the country.

Two months

Zhenlin and Fa Lin have been in the country since November 10 last year, spending two more months than the period they were allowed to stay while Huage, Shi and Wu who arrived in the island in May, were supposed to have left the island before June 27.

Some of them claimed that the language barrier was responsible for them overstaying while others claimed that they were given permission by the Chinese High Commission.