fp Turks and Caicos

“In common with our neighbours, primarily the U.S. and Bahamas, we have adopted a policy of not deporting people who were already in the country on Jan. 12 when the earthquake occurred,” Gov. Wetherell said.

But the governor said the Turks and Caicos Islands also shared the policy with other countries that those arriving illegally after Jan. 12 will be sent back to Haiti as soon as he is assured there are facilities in Haiti to receive them.

Gov. Wetherell said the Turks and Caicos Islands is in a difficult position because it is a small country without the capacity to accommodate Haitians securely for a long period. On Jan. 27, marine police on patrol intercepted the boatload of Haitian nationals about five miles off Provo. The sloop was towed to shore where a total of 122 Haitians were handed over to immigration authorities for processing.

Among the Haitians who arrived after eight days at sea were 97 men, 21 women, three boys and one girl — the children between ages 8 and 15, police said. They are being held at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex.

Gov. Wetherell said the government will use funds from the U.K. to organize a facility in Providenciales to house the 122 somewhere other than the Lightbourne complex until arrangements can be made to repatriate them. He did not say where they would be housed or how soon they might be sent back, but he expected it to be "very soon". The governor said he was “encouraged by the outpouring of support and compassion from the community” for the Haitians. Assistant Commissioner of Police Dave Ryder said the same last week.

“The excellent coordination between all agencies and the commitment shown by businesses and individuals within the community helped ensure that persons from the sloop were brought ashore quickly, safely and securely,” Ryder said.

“Of great importance was that this was achieved in such a manner as to treat them with dignity and compassion, whilst ensuring that their medical and humanitarian needs were met,” Ryder said. Neil Hall, responsible for the country’s Maritime Affairs, has said that there was a marked decrease in sloops from Haiti in 2009, but officials remain vigilant in protecting the borders of the country.