Some 37 Haitian migrants, including eight children, who arrived in Portland earlier in July have formally filed a petition seeking asylum from the Jamaican Government.

The Government has recognised the request for asylum. Robert Morgan, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) with responsibility for Information, confirmed the petition during a Saturday (July 22) radio interview. Morgan reported that the letter with the request was received on Friday from Malene Alleyne, founder of Freedom Imaginaires.

The development came as the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) was making arrangements to have the group repatriated to Haiti after the adults appeared in court and were each fined J$7,000 or three days of hard labour for illegal entry into Jamaica.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet press conference conference last week, Morgan indicated that the Haitians were advised this week of the possibility of applying for asylum but at the time none took up the offer.

During the radio interview, Morgan outlined next steps in the legal process, pointing out that the Jamaican Government has been observing established protocols in putting the Haitians before the court prior to the application for asylum.

Also speaking in a radio interview, Alleyne urged the Government to halt the process and comply with UN Refugee Agency and Inter-American Commission on Human Rights directives to suspend the forced return of Haitians.