BAHAMAS: Jamaicans Among Scores Deported — Another Round of Repatriations Planned
Jamaica Gleaner (Kingston), Aug. 7, 2006
Scores of illegal immigrants, including Haitians, Jamaicans and Guyanese, were deported last week in the Government’s latest crackdown on immigration breaches.
Immigration officials announced Friday that 129 illegal immigrants were ‘repatriated’ — the bulk of whom were Haitians. On Tuesday some 115 residents of the French-speaking Caribbean country were deported while 11 Jamaicans, two Guyanese and one Filipino left Friday, Assistant Director of Immigration William Nottage confirmed.
“We have had, over the last two weeks now, a total of five repatriation exercises and we have got another one planned for next week,” Nottage reportedly told The Guardian. “And then, there is the repatriation on a regular basis, even though on a lesser scale.”
With a steady flow of Haitian immigrants fleeing their economically unstable homeland for The Bahamas in barely seaworthy vessels during this hurricane season, Nottage said the department was “very worried.”
He said the risk of loss of life was greater for immigrants making the voyage during the hurricane season.
