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Jamaica will not turn its back on Haitians |
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PM Golding asks international community not to abandon Haiti soon
3rd February 2010: Jamaica’s Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding has said that while the world focuses on bringing immediate aid to Haiti, it should not make the mistake of walking away when things appear to be returning to what may be regarded as normal.
Mr. Golding said that Haiti is going to face an enormous challenge to rebuild what they had, and to build beyond what they had.
 Despite a possibility of Haitians flooding local shores following the deadly earthquake, Jamaica would not turn its back on them, Mr. Golding said.
“We will not turn our backs on persons who have suffered a disaster worse than can be imagined. But for the grace of God, their disaster could have been ours; their relief and recovery must be part of our responsibility,” Mr. Golding said.
He stated that the Government has put in place arrangements to deal with the arrival of Haitians. They will be processed, confined within designated areas, given medical screening and treatment where necessary, as well as temporary accommodation and care until they can return home.
“Comments have been made about the possibility, if not likelihood, of a flood of Haitians landing on our shores. It is a real possibility for which we must prepare ourselves. The pace of relief and rebuilding efforts will determine the extent to which Haitians will feel the need to flee their own country,” Mr. Golding said.
“While they may not fall within the UN Convention definition of refugees, they would constitute a humanitarian cause to which we are obliged to respond appropriately. An Action Plan for the treatment of such persons has been drafted by the Ministry of Health and disseminated to the relevant agencies at the national and local levels. If necessary, we will seek the assistance of international agencies and donor countries,” he added.
By JIS
www.jis.gov.jm
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