Ja: Why is this story coming out of Guyana?

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP): OUSTED HAITIAN President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is preparing to leave Jamaica for South Africa, where he has requested asylum, Caribbean officials said yesterday.

South Africa confirmed Monday that Aristide has asked for asylum until his personal situation 'normalises', but didn't elaborate. Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said she will take the request later this week to the first meeting of the Cabinet appointed since general elections last month.

Aristide is expected to depart for South Africa around mid-May, in a few days' time, a senior official of the Guyana-based Caribbean Community said on condition of anonymity.

If Aristide is in Jamaica, why isn't this story coming out of Jamaica? Is the Patterson administration giving Aristide a slight touche to the backside, sort of like, 'yah, dred, time to mek tracks fe South Africa yard'?