Mark Titus, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Chairman of the Justice Commission and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston, Father Jim Webb, says foreign nationals who are given refugee status have the same rights as Jamaicans and must be dealt with accordingly.
"Under the Geneva Convention of 1951 and Protocol of 1967, these foreign nationals are deemed Jamaicans as soon as they are granted refugee status and they are entitled to obtain work without a permit and would be issued with a document accordingly," Father Webb told The Gleaner.
He was responding to reports of Haitians obtaining forged work documents from the Ministry of Labour for employment.
Alvin McIntosh, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, speaking on The Gleaner/Power 106's 'Good Evening Jamaica', denied the claims and said no employee had been sent on leave in relation to the matter.
"Six Haitians were granted refugee status in 2001 and are now residing in the parish of Trelawny," Father Webb added. "Between 2004 and 2005, of the over 600 refugees in Jamaica, 19 were granted refugee status."
Of the 19, five reside in St. Catherine, while the remainder live at Montpelier, St. James.
According to him, no work permits have been issued to these refugees in the last year.
The clergyman, in comparing the copy of the work exemption for a Haitian security guard obtained by The Gleaner and one in his possession, said they were different.
"The only thing I can say about the person named on the document is that he was not among the most recent batch that I have applied for," he stated.
Father Webb explained that the Justice Commission collaborates with the Jamaica Council for Human Rights (JCHR) to make representation on behalf of foreign nationals who wish to appeal a negative ruling by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on their application for refugee status.
When there is an unfavourable ruling, a three-man tribunal chaired by Father Webb reviews these appeals, makes the necessary representation and then applies for exemption for work permit on their behalf.
