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Haitians opted to leave holding centre for hotel – Govt.
The Haitians were seen outside a city hotel after they were released on Wednesday night.
Kaieteur News – The Government is categorically rejecting allegations that they are responsible for leaving 26 Haitian nationals stranded on the city streets.
They were released from the Hugo Chavez Centre late Wednesday night on their own volition.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Government appeared to be taking the reports of the Haitians seriously.
Government noted that following the order by Chief Justice Roxane George–Wiltshire to temporarily halt the deportation of the 26 non-nationals, steps were taken to release them.
According to the statement, this step was taken since it could not be determined when the legal proceedings will be concluded.
The statement noted that as a result, the Haitians were offered either to remain at the Hugo Chavez Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre, West Berbice, where they were being supervised and fed or to be released at an address of their choice.
“They chose the latter. After their meals, last evening, they were dropped off at the address requested. Their valuables and passports were delivered to them,” the statement added.
Additionally, the government explained, via the statement, that prior to their release the Haitians were not being accommodated at a detention centre.
“This centre is properly staffed, resourced and its guests are adequately fed and supervised. The facility is secured and the conditions hygienic,” the Government emphasized.
The statement comes after photos of the Haitian nationals and their belongings in front of a city hotel circulated social media.
The government was accused of carelessly discarding the foreigners after the Court halted their deportation.
Last Friday, the High Court halted the deportation of the Haitians despite arguments by Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.
Additionally, Nandlall in a statement that followed the decision noted that Guyana lacks the infrastructure and policies to accommodate a massive influx of immigrants.
Nandlall was at the time responding to questions about over 1,000 Cubans assembled at South Drain, Nickerie, Suriname waiting to enter Guyana via the ferry service, which was scheduled to resume operations from December 12. That resumption has been delayed.
As it regards the Haitians, they were taken into protective custody since November 26th after they were found in city hotels. The police force had launched an investigation. The Haitians are suspected to be victims in a human smuggling or trafficking in persons’ operation.
It was Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, who said the seven Haitian children who were found during the two police operations, might not be related to the adults, and they may have been trafficked.
Minister Benn had said that when Haitians enter the country, they usually disappear without any trace. For that reason, when this batch of Haitians entered the country, they were under police surveillance, subsequently leading to them being arrested.
The Minister also told reporters, that he is anticipating the Haitians can be sent back to Haiti shortly and the government will be seeking to implement visa requirements for Haitians who wish to travel to Guyana.
Guyana, as part of CARICOM, had dropped the need of visas for Haitians.
It was discovered, during investigations by this newspaper, that thousands of Haitians and Cubans were using Guyana as a stepping stone to the US and Brazil.
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