Tweet
On the evening of Jan. 12 when Haiti was devastated by a massive earthquake, Jamaica, which lies just 160 kilometres to the west, sought to assure President René Préval that Jamaica was is in the process of organising a “practical response” to their plight.“Jamaica has always responded immediately in whatever way we can to natural disasters in Haiti and this time will be no exception,” said Prime Minister Bruce Golding.As one of Haiti’s closest neighbours, Jamaica’s local officials were placed on high alert to prepare for the possible influx of refugees and declared that any Haitian who gets to Jamaica’s shores would not be turned away.
“While they may not fall within the U.N. Convention definition of refugees, they would constitute a humanitarian cause to which we are obliged to respond appropriately,” Golding declared.
This was underscored by Information Minister Daryl Vaz, who argued that despite financial constraints, Jamaica would help any Haitians who arrived.
“They will be processed, confined within designated facilities, required to undergo medical screening and treatment, where necessary, and given temporary accommodation and care until they can be returned to their homeland,” Vaz said
Related IPS Articles
But the expected influx did not occur until the morning of Tuesday, Mar. 23, when a boatload of Haitians was spotted off the coast of the eastern parish of Portland.
There were 62 in all, arriving in a number of boats.
Fishermen and police from the parish capital of Port Antonio reported that they saw the first boatload of Haitians at about 3:00 a.m. off the coast of the tiny village of Manchioneal.
Five hours later, the police reported seeing Haitians in a 20-foot boat called the “Ebenezer #4 Anzdeno”. This group consisted of 24 men, two women and one child.
“We have been travelling on the sea seven days. We left Wednesday,” said one of the Haitians, who spoke very little English. When asked if they were heading for the United States, he said: “Wherever.”
The refugees were helped to shore by local fishermen.
“It was about three o’clock in the morning and it was dark as we were going fishing and we saw the boat in the sea so we called out to them…we threw a rope out to them to help them and we then called the police and they came, so we took them in,” said fisherman Errol Richards.
Although the refugees were welcomed warmly by many, some expressed concern about the safety of local residents when it was revealed that three of the refugees were prison escapees. They were taken into custody by the local police.
While the Jamaican government initially stated that no Haitians would be turned away, that tune changed only hours after news of their arrival when Vaz told reporters at a press briefing in the capital Kingston that due to financial constraints the Haitians would have to be immediately repatriated.
“Jamaica is facing its challenges like the rest of the world,” Vaz said, noting that it would cost about 100,000 dollars to host the Haitians for one week, as well as transportation to return them home.
“We are cognizant of all of the challenges people are facing in Haiti, but we have to be responsible in terms of our responsibility to our Jamaican people,” said Vaz. “(With) the times and the situation that we are facing, it is difficult for us to continue spending funds that we could be spending here on very essential services.”
http://www.ipsnews.net/2010/04/jamaica-haitian-refugees-sent-home/
“While they may not fall within the U.N. Convention definition of refugees, they would constitute a humanitarian cause to which we are obliged to respond appropriately,” Golding declared.
This was underscored by Information Minister Daryl Vaz, who argued that despite financial constraints, Jamaica would help any Haitians who arrived.
“They will be processed, confined within designated facilities, required to undergo medical screening and treatment, where necessary, and given temporary accommodation and care until they can be returned to their homeland,” Vaz said
Related IPS Articles
- HAITI: Looking More and More Like a War Zone
- HAITI: Watching the Sky with Dread
- HAITI: Artists Join UN to Rebuild Cultural Life
But the expected influx did not occur until the morning of Tuesday, Mar. 23, when a boatload of Haitians was spotted off the coast of the eastern parish of Portland.
There were 62 in all, arriving in a number of boats.
Fishermen and police from the parish capital of Port Antonio reported that they saw the first boatload of Haitians at about 3:00 a.m. off the coast of the tiny village of Manchioneal.
Five hours later, the police reported seeing Haitians in a 20-foot boat called the “Ebenezer #4 Anzdeno”. This group consisted of 24 men, two women and one child.
“We have been travelling on the sea seven days. We left Wednesday,” said one of the Haitians, who spoke very little English. When asked if they were heading for the United States, he said: “Wherever.”
The refugees were helped to shore by local fishermen.
“It was about three o’clock in the morning and it was dark as we were going fishing and we saw the boat in the sea so we called out to them…we threw a rope out to them to help them and we then called the police and they came, so we took them in,” said fisherman Errol Richards.
Although the refugees were welcomed warmly by many, some expressed concern about the safety of local residents when it was revealed that three of the refugees were prison escapees. They were taken into custody by the local police.
While the Jamaican government initially stated that no Haitians would be turned away, that tune changed only hours after news of their arrival when Vaz told reporters at a press briefing in the capital Kingston that due to financial constraints the Haitians would have to be immediately repatriated.
“Jamaica is facing its challenges like the rest of the world,” Vaz said, noting that it would cost about 100,000 dollars to host the Haitians for one week, as well as transportation to return them home.
“We are cognizant of all of the challenges people are facing in Haiti, but we have to be responsible in terms of our responsibility to our Jamaican people,” said Vaz. “(With) the times and the situation that we are facing, it is difficult for us to continue spending funds that we could be spending here on very essential services.”
http://www.ipsnews.net/2010/04/jamaica-haitian-refugees-sent-home/
The only people I see still referring to themselves as "coloured" are Jamaicans and South Africans.
Comment