Cubans opt to sail on to Honduras in 24ft boat

| 08/04/2011

(CNS): Another vessel carrying migrants from Cuba came into Cayman waters this week, officials revealed on Thursday. After a long absence, this is now the third vessel that has been spotted in the Cayman area carrying migrants from the neighbouring island this year. Immigration reported that the 24-foot vessel carrying 15 Cuban adult males was intercepted on Wednesday morning off the south coast of Cayman Brac. Officials said the boat and its passengers were inspected by local authorities but the migrants indicated their intention to travel to Honduras and departed around 5pm the same day.

Immigration said the boat and its passengers were monitored by Cayman Brac officials until their vessel passed Little Cayman. Under the controversial memorandum of understanding Cayman has with the Cuban government, if the refuges ask for any assistance from water to medical supplies they can only receive the assistance if they come ashore and agree to be deported back to Cuba. 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Check this out guys…..interesting…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvjabnuGNWw

  2. Paradise Lost says:

    Apparently the term “Christian” has many definitions. Cayman, ask yourself…What would Jesus do?

  3. Anonymous says:

    What does Cayman get from signing the MOU with Cuba? I get we couldn’t support allowing every Cuban stay here but what exactly do we get for restricting even private citizens from supplying rations to these people as they pass though?

  4. Anonymous says:

    Why is it so difficult for you people to understand or see the real issue here. If they asked for political assylum they will be given all the proper humane threatment. However they do not want that. They want Cayman to support illegal migration. We will not do that. They use Honduras as a stepping stone to get to the US. Soon Honduras will stop them as Costa Rica done.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Its interesting that the Cuban boats are always passing through to get somewhere else. Cayman must have quite the reputation in Cuba.

    CNS: It has nothing to do with the reputation of the Cayman Islands. The CIG has signed an MOU with the Cuban government that Cubans landing here will be repatriated. 

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes CNS, I’m certain the boat people are aware of this MOU when they escape from Cuba.

      CNS: Sarcasm noted but misplaced. I think you’ll find that they are very aware of the MOU and also the current policy of the Cayman government.

  6. Evidence says:

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv3mWhyOg4s

    Cayman,not ‘wortth water for cubans rafters

  7. Anonymous says:

    Ok so let me understand this. Mr Manderson was on the radio saying that  if people who were DEPORTED from the Cayman Islands were not allowed to apply for  permission to return it would be against their human rights. However it would seem to be against basic human rights and common decency not to at least make food, water and medical assistance to available these.

  8. Survivor says:

    If we don’t give these people the basic human necessities — food, water, fuel, then how can we think we deserve the label of “Christians”, let alone the label of “human”.

    There, but for the grace of God, go we.

    For those of you that might characterize the Sister Islands as a “scheduled stop”……. I can only say that I hope they are, and that the Sister Islands folk do what is right — do what their hearts tell them to. I know myself that I couldn’t look into the faces of people putting their lives on the gamble of a crappy “boat” for the chance at a better life and deny them the basic human needs.

  9. Anonymous says:

    I guess the socialist system in Cuba isn’t quite as appealing as Michael Moore and Obama makes it out to be.

  10. MER says:

    Don’t forget, “we’re a Christian nation”. If this vessel left us at 5pm, that means these people had less than 2 hours of sunlight left to navigate waters in a boat that should not even float around an inclosed lagoon! The least we could have done was allow them to stay the night and depart at sunrise giving a much better chance of proper navigation and survival!

    • Anonymous says:

      We dont even give them water…!! In Cayman we behave as the Aryan Race when it comes to Human Rights and Moral Decency.. Oh to be perfect!!

    • Anonymous says:

      What does a "Christian nation" have to do with them having only 2 hours of daylight? Do you think they left Cuba that morning? Where are they going to stop the next night and rest? It’s not a road they are on and can pull over when it gets dark, it’s open ocean, and will take several days to make the passage to Honduras so for them to be to sea at night is a must and cannot in any way be avoided. Just because it gets dark doesn’t mean the vessel becomes less safe, as a matter of fact, quite often the seas calm down after the sun sets.

      Maybe knowing a little about geography and having a tiny amount of knowledge about seamanship and boating in general would help you not to make such ignorant comments……….

      Or, maybe i’m wrong and the vessel is capable of making the 400+ mile crossing in under 12 hours.