Returning resident falls short in bid to help Haitians

Bryan’s Bay, Portland

When Eunice ‘Vicky’ Rashford, a returning resident from the United States, heard about a fine imposed by the court on Haitian nationals who recently landed in Jamaica illegally, she had only one thing in mind and that was to see how best she could assist them.

So it was that Rashford, who only just returned to the island last week, left her hotel room and headed to the Portland Parish Court yesterday morning to pay the fine for 10 Haitians, amounting to $70,000, as according to her, she was particularly interested in the well-being of the Haitian children.

Rashford, who spoke with The Gleaner on Wednesday from the verandah of the parish court, argued that there was no way that the Haitians would be able to come up with $7,000 each to pay their fine for entering Jamaica illegally as it was her belief that they fled their homeland in search of a better life.

“I learned about their plight after listening to the news. I always follow the news, whether print or electronic, about my homeland of Jamaica, but moreso about Portland, where I am from,” commented Rashford.

“So I came down to see how I can go about paying the fine for 10 Haitians. I am very concerned about the well-being of the children, and I don’t want them to be separated from their parents. I waited for a long time, and when I spoke to customer care at the parish court, I was told to [wait] a while longer as the agent wanted to seek clarity on how to proceed,” she added.

But what took place after was not what she expected as according to Rashford, she was advised that paying the fines would not change anything as the Haitians had already been tried and found guilty and that they were not going to be released.

“I was told that after the court case, they were transported to a facility in St Mary and that the children would not be exposed to any hard labour and that they were being treated on humanitarian grounds. But I still wanted to help by probably providing them with food and items of clothing. I was told that it is now an immigration issue, and that is when I lost all hope,” she said.

“I just could not digest what was happening. Here we have a group of people fleeing their homeland and ended up on our shores in Portland, seeking help and assistance. Let me state categorically and unequivocally that I am one for law and order and the law must be upheld, but how come not a single church group got involved in helping these people? They are humans, and just what is hard labour on the part of the Haitians?” she questioned.

It is not immediately clear what kind of activity would be required of the 29 Haitian adults after the court ruled on Tuesday that they were guilty of illegal entry and were to pay the fine or face three days of hard labour.

An attorney based in the parish, who asked not to be named, told The Gleaner that the term ‘hard labour’ is just a formality and that the days of convicted persons being tasked with breaking stones, building roadways, and cutting grass are no longer applicable.

“It is just a term being used by the court, but rest assured that they won’t be building bridges, cutting down property, or doing community service,” the attorney said.

On July 10, thirty-seven Haitian nationals landed at Boston Beach in Portland by boat. The group comprised 24 adult males, five adult females, and eight children.