By Robert Hart/Gareth Davis, Gleaner WritersTHE PHYSICAL and human resources in Portland have been stretched to the limit, thus creating a stir among local residents, following the arrival yesterday of 128 new Haitian boat people.
At the same time, Foreign Affairs Minister K.D. Knight said the Government has been in touch with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and has been seeking financial assistance in handling the growing number of Haitians who have fled their homeland.
Mr. Knight told The Gleaner last night that talks with the UNHCR are 'looking positive' and that the Government is expecting to receive some level of assistance by the end of this week.
Yesterday, the Haitians arrived in two groups, with the first batch of 94 including 12 women and 11 children landing at Hectors River, Portland, about 6:30 a.m., and the second batch of 34 landing at Armity Hall, St. Thomas, about 8:30 a.m.
The refugees claimed that they had come under attack from forces loyal to the new interim government that replaced ousted former president Jean Bertrand Aristide, who has been in Jamaica since March 15.
"They said they were forced to flee their homeland in the dead of night, Friday," Inspector Desroy Livingstone of the Portland police told The Gleaner.
Inspector Livingstone said that the Haitians appeared to be in good health, with the exception of two males who had extensive burns on parts of their body.
"We learnt from one of the refugees that during their long journey at sea, they had started cooking aboard one of the boats, when it was struck by a powerful wave causing the pot to overturn, causing severe burns to the arms and legs of the two Haitians. The refugees have since been transferred to the Fair Prospect Health Centre to undergo processing."
This new influx of refugees brings the total to 368 Haitians currently residing in Portland, of which 240, including a new born baby boy, are being housed at the Winniefred Rest Home, Portland.
But with this new and untimely arrival, emergency and civil society groups are beginning to show signs of stress and frustration in coping with the day-to-day operations at the shelters.
Fay Neufville, parish co-ordinator for the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), told The Gleaner yesterday that the resources of the Parish Disaster Committee (PDC) are stretched to the limit.
"There is now a serious strain on the emergency and civil society groups," she said. "The entire parish is now experiencing a serious water shortage, and despite the shortage, we are already trucking water to the refugees at Fairy Hill, everyday, from the Ministry of Water's self-styled Rapid Response Unit. This new influx of refugees is a clear indication that we will now be required to truck water twice per day to them."
Mrs. Neufville also indicated that there was a level of uncertainty as to where the 128 Haitians, will be housed, as the Winniefred Rest Home property can only accommodate one additional tent.
"As it is now, we are in dire need of land space to put up at least five more tents, to adequately house the new bunch. The land space at the Winniefred property is already exhausted," she explained.
Yesterday, Dean Peart, Minister of Land and Environment, told The Gleaner that the Haitians would be temporarily accommodated by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Port Antonio, the same organisation that housed another batch of Haitians who arrived earlier this month.
"The numbers coming in are causing a problem, but we have to deal with it," the Minister said. Mr. Peart, who has been overseeing the Haitian relief effort, has Cabinet responsibility for disaster and humanitarian relief.
LOCALS CLASH WITH HEALTH WORKERS
Mrs. Neufville also noted that more water tanks would have to be brought in, as the four 650-gallon water tanks that are already at the Winniefred Rest Home, will not be adequate to provide for cooking, bathing, and other domestic purposes. She also said that there is need for more utensils, and that additional cooks have to be brought in to prepare meals for the now large group of refugees.
Meantime, local residents at Fair Prospect clashed with health workers yesterday, who they claimed had denied them entry to the health facility.
Mark Townsend, an electrician and local resident, told The Gleaner that his girlfriend, who is pregnant, was turned away from the clinic by health workers.
"This has got to stop," he said. "Not only was she denied attention, but also other local residents were turned away. Yet still they are giving all the attention to the Haitians. We are citizens of this country and are to enjoy the spoils and scarce benefits too," he said.
However, a health official, who asked not to be named, gave a different version to the story. According to the official, many patients who turned up for treatment and check-ups had no prior appointment or business for the day, therefore they were asked to return on the day of their appointment.
Wilfred Penn, Inspector, at the Port Antonio Police Station has indicated that the arrival of more Haitians puts a strain on the local police, whose ability to provide adequate security is being seriously compromised.
