The government has indicated its intentions to protect the interests of the Jamaican people in stanching the flow of Haitian refugees appearing on the island's north east coast.
While Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman, on Monday did not outline the immediate steps to be taken to deal with the current wave of refugees, it is clear that Jamaica cannot operate an open border system in this regard.
The fact is there is a high cost involved in accommodating and processing the refugees - in providing food, housing, medication and repatriation where necessary. Whatever help the country gets through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, this cannot off-set an indeterminate and ever-increasing number arriving each week.
International conventions and our own tradition of hospitality, will prompt the Government to be courteous hosts and neighbours in providing immediate humanitarian relief and shelter. However, when there is good reason to believe that the country's generosity is being exploited, then some barriers have to be erected.
In the times of Haiti's worst manifestations of social unrest, the people of Jamaica have extended the hand of friendship and provided temporary shelter for those who fled their homeland expressing fears of political victimisation among other things. Last year in the aftermath of the flight of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as president from growing rebel assault, more than 500 of his compatriots followed suit in rickety boats and ended up in Jamaica.
While there remains some degree of instability in that country, there is no clear immediate crisis driving the current wave turning up in Jamaica, except perhaps the urge to escape grinding poverty. Reports suggest that among those arriving in recent times, accompanied by relatives, are some who were repatriated towards the end of last year, after the government had satisfied itself that they were in no immediate physical danger nor could be classified as political refugees.
According to Senator Whiteman, attempts will be made to put on a fast track legal procedures for several Haitians seeking refugee status to determine whether they will be allowed to stay in the island. A quicker system of processing and repatriation is equally urgent.
We believe it is time to revisit proposals for a joint CARICOM response to the problem. This would necessarily involve engaging the Latortue administration in discussions on some of the concerns which the wider Caribbean has had in relation to efforts to end the political instability in his country.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
