Still stranded

More than 20 Haitians who had been stranded in Barbados are now back home.

However, several of their countrymen are still awaiting word as to when they will be able to leave.

But former Senator and chairman of the National Assistance Board Pastor David Durant has given his assurance that everything is being done to get the remaining Haitians quick and safe passage out of Barbados.

Some of the Haitians in a meeting with Pastor David Durant in January.

Their plight was made public in January when the men were evicted from the Brittons Hill home they had been renting after they ran out of money.

At that time they claimed they had been the victims of a scam and had paid between US$2,500 and US$3,000 to an agency in Haiti, with the assurance they would receive accommodation and jobs when they landed in Barbados.

After being evicted some of them were taken in by the Salvation Army.

Durant also opened the doors to his Restoration Ministries Church to the Haitians.

In giving Barbados TODAY an update, Durant said through the assistance of Government, Barbadians and the church, over 20 Haitians had been sent home.

“We managed to send back quite a few of them…some are back in Santo Domingo and some are back in Haiti, but some are still here up to now. I am trying to find ways and means to get them back, but I am still working on that.

“The ones who are here are living at different places. Some people have taken them in, some of them we have gotten comfort at the Salvation Army and that still stands at the moment and others have been helped by the church. That’s how we managed to send back quite a few of them,” Durant revealed.

“I think the faster we work on getting the rest of them home the better it will be so we can be at peace with our Caribbean neighbours.”

Durant said he was unsure as to the number of Haitians who were still stranded in Barbados.

He said while there was no timeline as to when the remaining men would be sent home, he was working with Government to have them back home as soon as possible.

Durant complained though, that some Barbadians were still continuing to take advantage of the Haitians.

According to him, while they were not allowed to work here legally, if their services were used they should be paid fairly.

“I’ve been getting some disturbing news of people exploiting these Haitians, where they’re working and either not being paid or getting next to nothing. I wouldn’t like that reputation of us to go abroad,” Durant noted.

“If you ask them to do something I think they are worthy of their hire, although we know they’re not supposed to do any work. If that’s the case don’t hire them at all then, instead of taking advantage of them.”

In a recent interview, Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong revealed to Barbados TODAY that Government had reintroduced a visa requirement for persons coming from Haiti.

He explained that Government had been forced to do so because Haitians were flocking to Barbados believing they could live and work here.
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb