HaitiChildren founder twice denied entry to Jamaica
Published:Sunday | June 23, 2024 | 12:11 AM
Susie Krabacher, the founder of the HaitiChildren non-profit catering to orphans in Haiti, was twice flagged by Jamaican immigration authorities in the last four weeks and denied entry to the island.
She first arrived at the Ian Fleming International Airport in Boscobel, St Mary, a few weeks ago and was denied landing.
Days later, she again attempted to enter the island from Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA), but was again denied entry.
“distressed and erratic”
The Sunday Gleaner sources say that immigration officials at Ian Fleming became concerned after her behaviour, which was described as “distressed and erratic”, reportedly caught their attention and she was eventually put in restraints.
“When I saw the pictures, my heart sank and I asked that care be taken. That was at the Ian Fleming International Airport,” a highly placed source told The Sunday Gleaner. “Someone called me and I made some calls and that’s how I became involved. The authorities kept her overnight and sent her back the next day on the first available flight. So I was called and I made some calls, offering sympathy and urging care.”
The reason for a second denial days later at NMIA is unclear.
According to HaitiChildren’s website, the organisation began in 1994, when Krabacher made her first trip to Haiti, and began helping the people of Cité, Soleil.
It says the non-profit organisation provides care and education to abandoned, orphaned, and disabled children in Haiti and lists its address as Carbondale, Colorado, in the United States.
“Our organisation has raised and invested over $40 million in Haiti, a unique endeavour catering to children with disabilities. Unfortunately, the government lacks the financial resources to care for these children, and most ‘orphanages’ funded by foreign aid only accept ‘perfect’ children who are more desirable for outward adoption,” reads a section of the site.