The mayor of Port Antonio says the fate of the 33 Haitians who arrived in Portland yesterday will be decided this week. Mayor Benny White says they are now being housed at the Port Antonio Seventh Day Adventist Church in the parish capital. He says two adult males and an adult female with a baby, were found to be in poor health when they arrived. They had to be assisted by soldiers to disembark the vessel.Another adult female also fell ill last night and is now being treated.
The group, which was destined for the United States, was rescued in Jamaican waters by the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard who brought them ashore about 5 p.m. yesterday. But Mayor White says some of the Haitians who arrived were not coming to the island for the first time. He says at least one of the Haitians was among the group which arrived in the island about four weeks ago and was sent back to Haiti.
