Gareth Davis, Gleaner WriterPORTLAND:
THE INFLUX of Haitian refugees continues to increase as 55 more boat people landed at Edison Bay, Manchioneal, Portland, on Saturday.
The group includes 28 males, seven females and 20 children below the age of 10.
They landed at about 2:45 p.m. Saturday, after being escorted to shore by local fishermen.
The Haitians claimed to have left their homeland late Thursday night aboard their 20-foot paddle boat, with the aid of an experienced captain, who also claimed - through an interpreter - that it was his fourth visit to Jamaica.
The Haitians were later transferred to the Winnifred Rest Home, in Fairy Hill, increasing the number of Haitian boat people now housed at the shelter to 157 in the two-week period since they started arriving in 2005.
Just last week Gilbert Scott, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, said it has now become a major concern, as the batches which arrived in the last two weeks, included persons who had returned to Haiti voluntarily, but have now returned to Jamaica with family members.
The situation, Mr. Scott added, is now under close scrutiny from the national security ministry.
The refugees say that they were fleeing political persecution and the economic hardships being experienced in their country.
