Cayman signs new MOU with Cuba over migrants
Cuban migrants on Cayman Brac, Friday 13 March 2015 (Photo by James Tibbetts)
(CNS): Deputy Governor Franz Manderson has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with Cuba on behalf of the Cayman Islands, which officials say will speed up the process of sending migrants back home when they land in Cayman. The authorities have been dealing with a significant rise in the numbers of Cubans leaving their country, hoping ultimately to reach the United States. But with many of them attempting to make the treacherous journey in make-shift vessels, some wind up in Cayman, where, if they cannot continue that journey unassisted, they are taken into custody and in almost all cases repatriated.
More than 150 Cubans have landed in Cayman already this year and the local authorities are struggling to cope, not just with the numbers but the costs of detaining the refugees before they are deported.
For the third round of migration talks between the CIG and Cuba this week a delegation from the neighbouring island, led by Ambassador Rafael Dausá Céspedes, Director of Consular Affairs and Cuban Residents Abroad, came to Cayman. It ended after two days with the new MOU.
The document, which not yet been released, was described as outlining “a more efficient repatriation process for irregular Cuban migrants”. Officials said the two countries have also agreed on an annual review of the operation and effectiveness of the MOU.
The migrants who choose to land in Cayman, in accordance with the MOU, face repatriation but over the last year there have been problems sending the Cubans home and the immigration detention centre at Fairbanks, which is now being managed by the prison, reached maximum capacity on a number of occasions. It has been the scene of a number of disturbances, including a near riot and break-outs, with several Cubans still missing following the most recent escape earlier this month.
Although Cubans already face immediate deportation under the old MOU, officials have said that the latest agreement will see the migrants sent back to Havana even quicker, with the hope of cutting costs for the CIG. The government has been exceeding its budget allocation for dealing with Cuban migrants and during the last financial year spent well over $1.5 million of public money detaining Cubans awaiting repatriation.
Following the improvements in the relationship between the US and Cuban governments and President Obama’s policy changes, fears in Cuba that the US will suspend the ‘wet-foot, dry-foot’ policy, which allows Cubans who make it onto US soil to qualify for residency, appear to be driving a surge in migration from Cuba.
Category: Local News
Anonymous @ 3:11p – I suggest that you get yourself a little barge and go outside the 12 mile limit and field out, okay?
And E. Stenna – can I ask you where are these people trying to reach – ultimately? No; it isn’t Honduras or Mexico. You and I both know that it is the US.
And what does the US do with the Cubans that leave from the north side of Cuba rather than the south? If they are able to intercept them with their Coast Guard cutters, they take them on board, give them food, water and medical aid if they need it AND THEY TAKE THEM BACK TO CUBA!
But because the ones that come our way sailed from the south side to avoid the US Coast Guard, we should help them – right?
Check Anonymous @ 3:11p; he probably could use some help on his barge.
Why is it so d____ hard for you all to understand that Cayman shouldn’t be helping these people to ILLEGALLY reach where they’re wanting to go when that country is picking them up on the open sea and taking them back to Cuba? Douuuhhh
Our official policy in dealing with these poor refugees makes a mockery of God and makes liars of the God-fearing people we claim to be in the preamble to our Constitution. “He hath founded it upon the seas”? This on our crest makes a mockery of God in light of the fact that we deny providing the thirsty and hungry with water and food. What does Jesus say about this? “In as much as you have denied the least of these water when they were thirsty and food when they were hungry, you have done so unto Me.”
This tirade from Jesus aptly applies to the situation:
“Hypocrites! Vipers! Whited sepulchers full of dead men’s bones!”
To further insult God, this (self-proclaimed) “Christian” land of Cayman is now striving to further expedite throwing these poor needy oppressed people back into the hands of their Godless oppressors. The wealthy in-need-of-nothing (so-called) “Christian” people are rushing to ship them back to an officially atheist nation even more efficiently. (As a money-saving measure at that! I guess this is Christian hospitality Cayman-style.
Why are the churches in these islands so impotently mute about this travesty? Where is the voice of “God’s (so-called) people”? Silent so far. The church congregations and the Cayman Ministers Association are busy with more important things to do, I guess. As a further insult to God, the Legislative Assembly has the audacity to open with prayer. Who are they kidding with this pompous sanctimonious pretense? To whom are they praying? Not to the God I know. He says He is deaf to the prayers of wicked hypocrites.
And we wonder why our land is rife with violence and hatred, and we lament that Cayman is socially sick. My mother used to say, “You reap what you sow” and we are busy sowing insults to God. Bottom line: “I will repay saith the Lord”. The reaping has been bountiful, indeed. Satan is smiling. “Well done!” says the prince of the power of the air and lord of this world.
Very well done, indeed.
Are you saying that God wants us to give the cubans some supplies and sent to their death?. It’s only a matter a time before a huge boat load of cubans capsizes in our waters and we have multiple deaths like we are reading about in the international news today. Our policy of non assistance and protection to those fleeing percution saves lives. One Cuban has already died in our waters how many more must die before we wake up and support this policy. Stop the inhume treatment of sending the cubans to their deaths.
Cayman is allready being paid back that is why everything is failing
You should thank God that Obama removed Cuba from terrorist list …..
Hope this new MoU includes the provision of basic humanitarian aid to transient refuees, such as providing food, water, fuel and medical supplies
I can’t understand why every keeps thinking that the MOU is about giving assistance. The Government has been saying for years that the MOU concerns Cuba accepting those migrants that enter cayman illegally.