Fighting words

After Honduras incident, Nelson declares Ja to get tough on trespassing vessels

Gary Spaulding and Edmond Campbell, Senior Gleaner Writers

As senior officials of the Jamaican Government rush to stave off a major diplomatic row with Honduras in the aftermath of an incident which left the captain of a Honduran fishing vessel dead, National Security Minister Dwight Nelson has dispatched a warning signal that all efforts will be made to protect Jamaica's economic zone.

Nelson disclosed late yesterday that the matter had been placed in the hands of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, which plans to initiate talks with Honduras through Jamaica's embassy in Mexico.

There is no Honduran embassy in Jamaica.

Yesterday, the Latin American Herald Tribune stated that Honduran navy chief Rear Admiral Juan Pablo Rodriguez claimed "excessive force" was used against the fishermen and the foreign ministry should file "the highest-level protest" with the Jamaican Government.

However, Nelson served a stern warning that local coastguard personnel manning Jamaican waters would not back down in the face of the potential row over the incident, which reportedly left at least three other Honduran crew members wounded.

"As minister of national security, I am stating that as of now, we are going to get tough on persons who encroach on Jamaica's economic zone," Nelson told The Gleaner.

He said Prime Minister Bruce Golding met with him, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Kenneth Baugh.

Tufton complained that Honduran fishermen plunder the fishing resources of Jamaica on a weekly basis.

"And when they come, they come with 150 people on the boats. So when they go diving, they take everything they can find under the surface."

Economic issue

Tufton pointed out that the issue was more complex than just encroachment on Jamaican waters.

"It's an economic issue, it's a diplomatic issue, it's a national security issue. It's a health issue also because it is not only lobster that they carry on these vessels; they carry wild animals that they trade - parrots, monkeys, that sort of thing. There are lots of issues that have to be sorted out."

Nelson came out in full support of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coastguard personnel who were involved in last Friday's incident, asserting that they duly followed precautions before taking action.

He rejected claims that the incident took place while the vessel was in Honduran waters.

The national security minister said that official reports reaching him indicate that the Honduran vessel was spotted 150 nautical miles south of Jamaica, which landed the boat squarely in Jamaican territorial waters.

"There are certain laid-down procedures which were followed by the JDF Coastguard," he said.

In keeping with these procedures, Nelson said contact was made by radio, but the Hondurans failed to respond.

He claimed the Jamaican coastguard sought to use 'amplified means' to get the Hondurans to accede to the commands, but to no avail.

Nelson said that as the coastguard went in pursuit, the Honduran vessel turned and headed towards the Jamaican ship as if to cause a collision.

"It was at that point the coastguard fired shots to disable the Honduran vessel," said Nelson.

"It was at this point that the Honduran vessel stopped and communicated by radio, which indicated that they had been hearing the signals of the Jamaican coastguard."

The Hondurans communicated that three persons were injured on the vessel and one was dead.

Report investigated

Nelson said the Jamaica coastguard at that point decided to send a boarding team of eight persons in a small boat to investigate the report that persons were injured or dead.

There were 16 people on the Jamaican ship.

The national security minister said the coastguard personnel came across about 100 people on the Honduran vessel who became hostile when they encountered the Jamaicans.

"They put up much resistance (and) would not allow the Jamaicans near where they said the dead and injured were," Nelson charged.

He said they brought two of the injured to the coastguard personnel.

At this point, the Hondurans were reportedly told that one of the men was in desperate need of medical attention.

"They were told that he would have to be rushed to hospital within five hours, or he would be dead," claimed the national security minister, noting that they complied in handing the men over.

Nelson told The Gleaner that the injured were airlifted to the Kingston Public Hospital, and the Hondurans were instructed to steer their vessel towards Kingston. However, the foreigners refused.

"The coastguard could have responded with force, but we chose not to as it could have resulted in more injuries and more deaths," he said.