KINGSTON, Jamaica, Oct 13, CMC – The Jamaica government Tuesday reconfirmed that its agreement with the United States regarding the third country nationals (TNC) arrangement will not be prejudicial to the interest of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
The main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) earlier called for the government to immediately disclose the full details of the TCN arrangements amid reports that the first set of migrants are due to arrive here “shortly”, following the finalisation of arrangements between the two countries.
“The Government is asking Jamaicans to accept a security arrangement they have not been allowed to see,” said Opposition Spokesperson on National Security, Fitz Jackson.
“We have not been told where these individuals will be housed, under what security conditions or who will be responsible for monitoring them. Before a single flight lands, Parliament must see this agreement,” Jackson added.
But In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Kamina Johnson-Smith said Jamaica negotiated an agreement that was in accordance with the principles of safe and orderly migration and consistent with domestic and international law.
She reiterated that the Andrew Holness government is unable to release the migrant agreement because Washington has not agreed to make the document public and that specific parameters were negotiated under the deal.
“As I explained before, some countries have agreed to receive criminals, we have not; some countries have had their agreements made public, but our partner has not agreed for this one to be (it is not that there is anything prejudicial);
“…we also have negotiated for a brake to be applied if 10 TCNs apply for refugee status or otherwise seek to remain under other humanitarian process,” she said.
Johnson-Smith said that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will be fully responsible for the care, accommodation and return of the TCNs and that “Jamaica will only land and transport them to the IOM”.
In a joint statement on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Ministry of National Security and Peace confirmed that the operating procedures had been finalised to facilitate the arrival of the individuals from the United States.
They said that the agreement includes safeguards and guidelines to ensure the programme is carried out safely, orderly and in accordance with the law.
Under the arrangement, Jamaica will serve as a temporary transit point for third-country nationals being returned to their countries of origin or other countries willing to receive them.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been formally engaged to assist the individuals during their stay in Jamaica and coordinate their onward travel.
According to the ministries, a maximum of 25 individuals will be allowed to transit through Jamaica every two weeks.
The agreement also contains provisions allowing Jamaica to suspend the arrangement if 10 third-country nationals apply to remain in the country through asylum applications or other humanitarian processes.
Jamaica is among a handful of Caribbean Community (CAARICOM) countries that have entered into agreements with Washington regarding the TCN. The other countries that have agreed to the agreement include St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda.
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