OCHO RIOS, St Ann — News yesterday that a boatload of Haitian asylum seekers was intercepted off the coast of St Ann’s Bay, turned out to be nothing more than a hoax.

Rumours that the Haitians were stopped by the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard and that the women travelling on the boats were taken to a girls’ home in the parish, started to circulate about midday yesterday, and by last night was all over St Ann.

However, commanding officer for the parish, Superintendent Gary Griffiths said the reports were nothing but a hoax.

According to Superintendent Griffitsh, he too, had hear the rumours and had received a number of phone calls about the Haitians’ arrival.

Nonetheless, he said the police in Area II were on high alert and have been monitoring the coastline from the border in Portland to Trelawny.

“We are taking care of our borders and we have gotten some hoax calls about Haitians landing, but nothing was confirmed,” Superintendent Griffiths said, adding that the police would continue their lookout for Haitian asylum seekers.

Meantime, yesterday some residents in St Ann reasoned that fishermen on a boat near St Ann’s Bay, who were stopped by the coast guards, may have been mistaken for Haitians.

Residents, believing the boat was transporting Haitians, reportedly raised an alarm and a large crowd quickly converged on the Roxborough beach.

— Alesia Edwards

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