A co-ordinated effort by government agencies and departments has led to the successful detention of over 100 Haitian nationals who, in an attempt to enter the Turks and Caicos Islands illegally, reached West Caicos by boat on Monday. Medical checks confirmed that none of them were suffering from cholera.
Police and immigration officers found 116 migrants on West Caicos on Monday and another six on Tuesday. The joint police and immigration unit (SPICE) meanwhile dismissed reports that a second sloop had landed more migrants in the Chalk Sound area in Provo on Wednesday. SPICE said it conducted a thorough search after receiving reports that people were seen running through the bushes in Chalk Sound. They subsequently apprehended four Haitian males who had made their way from West Caicos to Provo. This brought the total detained over the past three days to 126.
A medical team from the Ministry of Health accompanied police for the West Caicos operation and their timely screening found no-one with any of the symptoms associated with cholera, the water borne disease which has recently spread through Haiti. The medical team was assisted by the Red Cross and the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies.
All of those detained were provided with humanitarian support including food, water, clothing if required and personal hygiene items. The sixteen children among the group were provided with medical care and proper adult supervision.
With the full co-operation of the Haitian authorities, all the prospective migrants have now been returned to Haiti, on direct flights from Providenciales. The public are requested to remain vigilant for signs of attempts to enter the country illegally and to report any suspicious activity to the police.
