Attorney says humanitarian crisis developing at St. Mary facility housing Haitians

    

Human rights advocate Malene Alleyne is claiming that a humanitarian crisis is developing at the facility in St. Mary where Haitians who entered Jamaica illegally, are being housed.

 

The group includes 37 people who are seeking asylum.

 

Ms. Alleyne said the eight Haitians who arrived in the island on Sunday, at a beach in Hector's River, Portland, were also taken to the St. Mary facility on Monday night.

 

But she outlined worrying conditions reported to her by the residents at the location. 

 

"So last night was a situation of, I want to say, chaos, because I was getting calls on my phone about what is happening and why have police authorities brought other Haitians to the facility. Even the children at the facility, they haven't received education; since July they've been here, they haven't had access to Jamaican school. We're hearing that there is no water on many days. There's an issue with access to water. They're not getting adequate food is the complaint I'm hearing," said the attorney. 

 

Ms. Alleyne said, with more Haitians expected to flee their homeland, dedicated holding areas should be established. 

 

"We need something in place that is coordinated and not ad hoc. We need designated facilities for foreign nationals with an irregular status and asylum-seekers, that are appropriate to their status. And we need to ensure that these facilities provide proper humanitarian assistance."

 

She urged the government to do better, noting that "what we are putting Haitians through in Jamaica...is so un-Jamaican".    

 

Ms. Alleyne was a guest on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.