Haitians exempted from paying arrears – PM Skerrit

People try to get food at a food distribution center in Port-au-Prince January 17, 2010. World leaders pledged aid to rebuild a devastated Haiti, but on the streets of its wrecked capital earthquake survivors were still waiting on Sunday for the basics: food, water and medicine. REUTERS/Kena Betancur

Haitians have received the privilege of extending their stay in Dominica without the payment of any arrears.

The Government of Dominica’s decision to do so was announced by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit in the wake of the recent major Haiti earthquake, which occurred on Wednesday.

Haitians residing in Dominica, whose stay may have expired,  who may have entered the country without proper documentation or through illegal means were initially told by Minister for National Security, Immigration, and Labour, Charles Savarin that they were given a six-month grace period to make way for the situation in their homeland to subside.

“First of all the decision was taken to give them a six-month extension, I left the state the same day I took that decision. I heard subsequently that the authorities were asking them to pay arrears. I intend as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to waive the arrears for them,” Skerrit said at a media briefing at the Government Information Service building on Friday.

During the six-month grace period Haitians will not be prosecuted by the law for any immigration offence. On a normal basis, Haitians are usually required to pay a EC$50(US$18.50) fee and show their return ticket at the Immigration Office to have their stay in Dominica extended.

While monetary pledges and relief efforts got underway here on Thursday and Friday, many persons expressed concern over Haitians’ ability to pay the fee and purchase a travel ticket.

“It has to be a carte blanche arrangement, it must be a carte blanche arrangement … What they gonna do if the person cannot pay? So I intend to make it very clear that all arrears would also be part of the package in terms of waiving the arrears that Haitians owe in respect to extensions,” Skerrit added.

He pointed out there was no decision taken over those who have paid already.

“I cannot deal with those who have paid because I was out of state … we can look at those who have paid in a different manner but from henceforth nobody has to pay arrears,” the Dominica leader stated.

Skerrit, who is also CARICOM chairman, led a Ministerial delegation to Haiti on Friday. However, the flight never landed at the Port au-Prince International Airport due to the number of air relief flights entering Haiti.

PM Skerrit was accompanied by Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson and the head of Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency. According to reports, their flight’s pilot was told it was impossible to land and he would have to circle the airport for at least three hours before gaining clearance to land.

– By Edona Jno Baptiste, News Coordinator/Reporter

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8 Comments

  1. Miss FACTS
    January 20, 2010

    Yes we can help them they are ppl just like us , but do they act like it no . We can be in the same situation but u think that they can pull or would even help pull us out a whole if we ever in this possition no , i deal with this ppl in my everyday life n they would prefer eat bread n juice everyday to be able to send money haiti so what happened to the money.Them ppl are greedy n heartless inspite of all i wouldnt n we shouldnt render evil for evil ,but i eat stale bread at my home although i am capable of buying so why did they do dat . When u say u hungry u eat was ever come ur way them ppl just to heavy for my part and dominica have enough F******* haitian so when all u give them all the lands wat are the young dominicans going to get !!! All u dominicans to .. just making ppl use n walk on all u, all i kno ppl does help when they have the riches n posibilities too but what the hell all u have !! all u lapo bonda alone callin master .
    Yes their maybe alot of dominicans else where but trust me they conduct their selves propaly n not like animals .
    Dominica find is they especially that want to take in haitian , but wat happen to the better of islands why couldnt they !!! all u have to much nice heart my a** , it must look like all u forget haiti was a former french colony so why isnt france helping but is all u !! fix dominica n make it become something first then u will be able to help .

    Anyway help them as much as u can

  2. Loyalty God and Dominica
    January 19, 2010

    Dominica already has 5-10,000 Haitians, when u do that in de 6 months u’ll have 20-30,000 Haitians in de country and they are of no benefit, they’ll only cripple the economy.

    I say this cuase most Haitians here (unlike Dominicans in other neighboring islands) are mostly illiterate and have no job skills whatsoever, which means they are not a huge benefit to the labour force. Also every dollar they make, at least 70% goes back to Haitian which only helps drain the little money we have in the country. And with all the money they deprive the country of, Our Gov’t still has to drain its resources to support them as they are a burden to our health, educational and social sectors.

    i mean yes we can help with but sayin take 5000 Haitians, extend there stay by a year and i even heard people make comments like GIVE Haitians land in Dominica, com’on its going to far. These people have their voodoo culture and i/ we don’t want it in D/ca. I/ We dont want their blight.

    And once again, Haitians in Dominica can’t be compared to Dominicans in Antigua or eslewhere.

  3. child
    January 19, 2010

    did anyone see when those haitians was throwing and stamping on biscuits(or am i the only one that saw )god forgive me but i thik those people should stay in their country .i just feel bad for the children

  4. yes i
    January 19, 2010

    I don’t want more haitians here in dominica I’m sorry but I don’t mind helping them but we have enough here

  5. not seeking to
    January 18, 2010

    u people need to stop being so hypocritical. Dominicans inside of Dominica suffering some of you couldn’t care less, and all you ‘haitians are our brothers.” Please.
    I agree we should help them, the old saying goes, you never know where you going to fall, but while we’re busy trying to save our brother by another father, lets try to save our brother by the same mother.
    I’m just saying.

  6. lookscene
    January 18, 2010

    @disappointed

    u honestly heard all the Haitians say they rather cash? and from what i saw some ppl ddint want the biscuit cause they thought it was stale!! and there were still a great amount of them chasing the truck some didn’t care if it was or not.. you are going to find ignorant ppl no matter where.. but hey disappointed these ppl are hungry tired and scared their life and world is upside down.. Dominicans from Dr never used to help Haitians in the 1st place.. u dont know why they shot the dr ppl. when dr ppl discriminate against Haitians greatly they only helping now cause the world is looking give me a break. i would like to see how u would act in that situation. dont judge these ppl these ppl are strong.

  7. disappointed
    January 18, 2010

    hey its good that the govt of d/ca has extented it courtesies to the haitians. I felt very sadened by the situation especially the high mortality rate. ever since the disater, i hav been following the news and internet postings including vidoes n pics. however, i was quite disapponted and rather disgusted at the manner in which the hatians conducted themselves. its a shame that these people fought n threw food at the aid workers claiming that the food is no good n they wud prefer cash. it was even a bigger disappointment wen i saw last night that two aid workers from the dominican republic were shot by the hatians. still with all the help, they claim that they are getting no help whatsoever. Most hatians i encounterd with before tend to hav a lil negativity in their attitude but i never thought it would be displayed at a time like this. this leaves me thinking -was the earthquake was really a punishment from god as alledged? my heart still goes out to the children n all innocent people at this time but its a shame that peple could be so ungrateful and unmannerly.

  8. CHAMER
    January 18, 2010

    very good decision. lets always remember that dominicans can find themselfs in the same position. the hatians are our brothers lets treat them well. many may dis agree because i have listerned to the way that we dominicans speak about the hatians and critisize them. talking about their stay in da but we tend to forget that there are more dominicans out of da than those that are there. peace, love ,strength to our governement and the people

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