Ja: Homeward bound

FIFTY-SIX of the 588 Haitian boat people who fled to Jamaica since the bloody uprising that led to the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on February 29, are to be repatriated by this weekend, Jamaica House said yesterday.

The Jamaica House statement, issued after a special meeting convened by Prime Minister P J Patterson to examine the Haitian refugee situation in Jamaica, said the 56 had expressed their desire to return home.

At the same time, another 164 of the Haitians who have sought refugee status in Jamaica and have already been interviewed by the Eligibility Committee are now awaiting word on their fate. Those who do not qualify for refugee status will be returned to Haiti by the end of next week, said the Jamaica House statement.