Bring them home... PNP wants shipworkers repatriated

The People’s National Party (PNP) is putting pressure on the Government to address plans for some 1,044 Jamaican ship workers to land in Falmouth tomorrow.

The crew members are aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise liner — Adventure of the Seas, which is now en route to Jamaica.

PNP Chairman Fitz Jackson told a media briefing on Sunday, that some stranded ship workers and their families reached out to the party for help. 

“All other countries in the region have put the necessary plans in plans in place and accepted their nationals back to their respective homeland. Jamaica is the only country that has so far failed to do similarly,” Jackson said.

Jackson called on the Government to immediately put arrangements in place to ensure that the Jamaicans are allowed to disembark upon fulfilling health protocols.

“Even at this late stage, there are safe and secure arrangements that can be implemented,” said Jackson, who is also the Opposition spokesman on national security.

“We demand that our fellow Jamaicans now in distress and uncertainty be allowed to join their families and loved ones here in Jamaica,” he added.

Meanwhile, Opposition spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Lisa Hanna, questioned whether proper logistics are in place to receive the nationals.

She underscored that it was the Government’s responsibility to ensure the safe repatriation of those aboard.

"In this time, we're not seeing certain people as a part of this. If you'll remember when the earthquake happened in Haiti, the Jamaican army was sent to Haiti to help the Haitian Government deal with logistics in that crisis. Why hasn't the army been called out now? Who is managing the protocols here? These are questions the Jamaican people really need to ask. Where's the Red Cross? Where's the Social Development Commission?” Hanna questioned.

Hanna demanded answers on whether the incoming ship has been granted permission to sail into Jamaican waters because “we are hearing that they have not been given permission just yet”.

“It almost appears as if the Government, or this particular Government, with our nationals, that's a pattern is emerging because somehow when our nationals are overseas, they seem to be forgotten about; we have to start caring for our people better than this,” Hanna insisted.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.