Haitian nationals, who arrived in the island over the past week, examine a copy of The Gleaner yesterday as they await their fate at the Portland Rehabilitation Centre, where they are being housed. - Rudolph Brown/Staff Photographer
JAMAICA HAS signalled that it will give humanitarian assistance and considers itself legally obligated to the Haitians arriving here, as they flee political violence that has killed dozens in their strife-torn country.
On Monday, the Cabinet will consider recommendations arising out of a multi-agency think tank session held yesterday to devise strategies to address the current situation concerning the treatment of arriving Haitians.
The recommendations were formulated at a strategy meeting of Government ministries and agencies, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade yesterday.
According to a release issued by the Ministry yesterday, "The meeting was unanimous in the view that Jamaica fully appreciates its immediate humanitarian and legal obligations to the Haitians and intended to discharge them."
On Thursday, 20 Haitians arrived in Portland aboard a 15-foot boat dubbed 'One Love', pushing the number of Haitians landing in Jamaica to 30 since last Saturday.
The group includes a three-year-old, two pregnant women, several students and policemen.
According to Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Delano Franklyn, to the best of his knowledge the "Haitians have not applied for asylum."
The meeting, which was chaired by Under-Secretary Ambassador Raymond Wolfe of the Foreign Ministry, comprehensively reviewed arrangements pertaining to the refugees' welfare and discussed contingency proposals in the event of more Haitians arriving.
Matters discussed included accommodation, health, status and security.
Under an action plan mapped out during the meeting, the Ministry of National Security will continue to have lead responsibility for the Haitians. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) through its Disaster Committees, will continue to take charge of accommodation and administrative details.
Minister of Information Burchell Whiteman said that "there were no details about the cost of the collaborative effort between the ministries and the agencies", but suggested that the cost of the humanitarian effort was immaterial.
"When your neighbour is in trouble, you have to do something," Minister Whiteman said.
"...don't know how many persons we will be dealing with it, and deal with the situation as it arises."
According to a release, it was agreed during the meeting to intensify efforts to find suitable accommodation for the Haitians housed at the Salvation Army Headquarters in Port Antonio.
It was also revealed that medical assessments found that the Haitians were generally in good health.
In the wake of violent unrest in their country, ten Haitians arrived by boat on Saturday, February 14, 2004 in Manchioneal, Portland, with 20 more arriving at Hector's River on Thursday also in that parish.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministries of National Security - including the Security Forces and Immigration - Health, Local Government, Labour and Social Security, the Cabinet Office, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, the Attorney General's Department and the Foreign Ministry.
The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for Friday, February 27.
