GOVERNMENT TAKES INITIATIVES TO ACCOMMODATE ARRIVAL OF HAITIANS…Min Vaz

GOVERNMENT TAKES INITIATIVES TO ACCOMMODATE
ARRIVAL OF HAITIANS...Min Vaz

Minister with responsibility for Information, Daryl Vaz announced that the Government has put in place additional medical supplies and security personnel to accommodate the 62 Haitians who arrived on the island on Tuesday.

Mr. Vaz said the Ministry of Health is in the process of purchasing additional medical supplies and materials for vector control and the administrative staff has requested additional vehicles and ambulances.

Security, which he said is a major concern for Jamaicans, has been stepped up. The police presence is continuous and a senior officer and seven other officers have been assigned to three shifts to safeguard the premises where the Haitians are being housed.

"There has been security screening of all the Haitians who arrived. There is a number of them who have returned and there is a possibility that there are about three or more prisoners who escaped prison in Haiti and are here. Let me send a clear signal that the Jamaican authorities are in contact with the international and Haitian authorities and we are able to track any criminal element who would want to escape and come to Jamaica. By later today, we will have that confirmation and if that is so, they will be taken into custody and returned to Haiti to face whatever charges were laid against them" Minister Vaz explained.

He said the Government was proactive and earmarked funds from the Haitian relief effort for the possibility of the landing of Haitians.
"Based on discussions with the Prime Minister this morning, it is not going to be possible to hold or host these Haitians here for any extended period of time and arrangements will be made to return them once we have been able to make contact with the Haitian authorities and work out their smooth transitional return" the Information Minister noted.

He added that the initial cost for accommodating the Haitians for one week including transportation to return them to Haiti is nine million dollars. Minister Vaz said while the Government is sympathetic towards the Haitians, the administration's decision is that the Haitians will have to be returned to their homeland.

The 62 Haitians who arrived in the island on Tuesday are being housed at the Port Antonio Seventh Day Adventist Church in Portland. The Minister said they received the necessary vaccines and screening on arrival. Three have been admitted to the Port Antonio Hospital with minor illnesses.