The Jamaican government has defended its decision to deport 12 of the 16 Haitians who arrived in Jamaica as caregivers for 59 disabled orphans. The orphans were allowed entry in March as part of a humanitarian effort led by the international charity, Mustard Seed Communities.
The Haitians were deported at midnight on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang informed the Jamaica Observer that the decision was based on security concerns and doubts regarding their claim of being caregivers.
According to Dr. Chang, while the Government welcomed the orphans and their caregivers due to the crisis in Haiti — where gangs have seized control of large parts of the capital — it soon became apparent that only two of the 16 Haitians were actual caregivers — a claim that was also backed by MSC’s Chief Executive Officer, Father Garvin Augustine. The remaining individuals appeared unaware of their supposed responsibilities.
Read: Jamaica deports caregivers of Haitian orphans after flee attempt
A ‘dishonest scheme’
The national security minister expressed his disappointment with the fact that the so-called caregivers where not honest about their intentions.
“When we realized that 14 of the so-called caregivers were here staying in breach of their conditions, they were absconding, and in fact one … who seems to be a troublemaker, had gotten a car … and was driving around making mischief,” Chang said.
The troublemaker Chang reference is believed to be the Haitian adult who had taken one of the disabled Haitian orphans — a 14-year-old child — from the Bustamante Hospital for Children where he had surgery recently.
Chang added, “They [the Haitian caregivers] then became abusive to the people at Jacob’s Ladder [where the orphans are being housed], misbehaving, and when the police went there they were hostile to the police. So we decided, through immigration, that they were in breach of their conditions, they came under false pretense and we were going to deport them, so we deported them.”
He also mentioned that the “troublemaker” and another individual are still at large.
“The people who came here were illegal migrants in our country and I have the law behind me to send them back where they came from, and they were all of questionable character,” said Chang.
“The entire scheme was a dishonest scheme, and if it was not for the integrity, strength and character of the Mustard Seed Communities, as a respected international Catholic charity, they would have drawn the country through the mud. The private sector and the Government will help Mustard Seed to manage, but we have sent home these people who are troublemakers,” Chang stated.
The police are currently tracking an address in Stony Hill, St Andrew, and a school in Ocho Rios, St Ann, as part of the ongoing search for the two missing individuals.
