The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE Haitian community is “utterly dismayed” and trying to understand what happened on a voyage that ended in rough seas last week with 12 persons of an estimated 200 missing, social activist Rodney Moncur said yesterday.

It is understood that four Haitians drowned early on the voyage when they jumped from the boat carrying them before nearing Andros. The boat left Cap Haitien eight days ago. Up to press time, 197 Haitians were in custody.

Mr Moncur, who says he has developed close ties with the Haitian community, believes that the fate of this group reveals the worsening conditions in Haiti, a country yet to recover from a catastrophic earthquake that erupted more than two years ago.

“They have been distraught since the earthquake and have ever since been struggling to get themselves together. The Bahamas still represents a land of great opportunity to my brothers and sisters who struggle to make ends meet, feed themselves and provide for their families.

“I am personally sympathetic to them, especially considering this incident which comes weeks after 11 of them died at sea.”

Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday confirmed that officials were working to have the group – with 84 others – repatriated yesterday. However, those efforts were delayed to Wednesday because of bad weather.

“We had planned to have them repatriated straight out of Andros,” Mr Mitchell said, “but bad weather did not permit that. What we now have to do is airlift them here to New Providence and then have them, along with 84 here at the detention centre, sent off on Wednesday.”

When Bahamas Information Services (BIS) initially announced the incident, it reported that 152 migrants were in custody, the remains of an estimated 200 that left Cap Haitien. A search and rescue had been launched to recover the remaining persons.

Because of the large number, the survivors were being housed at the Catholic Centre and at a warehouse at the Mangrove Cay dock.

The Department of Immigration said it was satisfied that the authorities in Mangrove Cay were doing everything they could to make the detainees comfortable until they could be repatriated.

They were examined by medical personnel and found to be in good health, with the exception of a few who were treated for dehydration.

Department Director Jack Thompson said it was believed that some Haitians might have drowned, but because of the rough seas, the search had been challenging.

“We here in New Providence are strategising on how to proceed. Once the weather subsides, we stand ready to take the appropriate action,” he said yesterday.

The United States Coast Guard assisted the mission, using its helicopter to take two Defence Force marines and two immigration officers to Mangrove Cay to help out.

The Haitians were picked up on Saturday at Lisbon Cay, off Mangrove Cay, seven days after leaving Cap Haitien.

Island Administrator Maxine Duncombe, in her report to NEMA on conditions in Mangrove Cay during Tropical Storm Isaac, reported their arrival.

On Saturday, the Bahamas Department of Meteorology issued a Hurricane Watch for the island of Andros and advised small craft operators to remain in port.