Jamaican fishermen held in Colombia to return home Friday
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Thirty-four Jamaican fishermen who were held in Colombia on allegations of illegal fishing, are scheduled to return to the island on Friday, a day earlier than previously announced. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith made the revelation in a statement on Thursday.
“The Jamaican fishermen are expected to arrive in Port Royal at approximately 11:00 pm on Friday, November 11, subject to favourable conditions at sea,” the Minister said in the statement.
“The Jamaican and Colombian coast guards have agreed to meet at a coordinating point at 8:00 am tomorrow to allow for the transfer of the crew members from the Colombian vessel to the Jamaican vessel. Two representatives of PICA (Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency) will also be present alongside the JDF (Jamaica Defence Force) to receive the crew,” the statement continued.
Meanwhile, as it relates to the foreign nationals who are also members of the crew, the Minister highlighted that, “checks have revealed that four nationals from the Dominican Republic are legally employed to operate in Jamaica and will therefore be included in the repatriation to Jamaica on Friday. The Honduran and Nicaraguan authorities have been advised of the circumstances of their nationals who have not been able to demonstrate a legal right to work in Jamaica.”
Minister Johnson Smith further explained that the owner of the seized Jamaican vessel has made arrangements for receiving the crew members and transferring them to their respective destinations.
