Cubans sail up on Seven Mile Beach
(CNS): A group of 30 Cuban refugees who had turned up in the Sister Islands earlier this week, which includes three women and several return migrants, were in local waters close to the West Bay public beach Thursday morning at the end of Grand Cayman’s famous Seven Mile Beach. The makeshift craft in which the migrants arrived was escorted out of local waters by the authorities around lunch time but none of the migrants opted to land. The group were first spotted off South Sound in the early hours of (23 May) while Cayman's attention was firmly on its election results. The group then sailed into the West Bay area where they undertook repairs to their engine before opting to press on in their perilous ocean quest to Honduras in their makeshift vessel.
As the boat was anchored off West Bay dock this morning many of the local Cuban population in the district had come to greet the travellers and expressed real concerns about not being able to assist them as a result of the government’s existing policy regarding migrants from the neighbouring island of Cuba.
Category: Local News
PPM HELP: Please PPM can you help get rid of this stupid law of not allowing us the peoples of Cayman to give some of our own water and food to the cubans asking help?.
PPM this could save your new government lotsss of $$$$:
Locking them up for several days or months providing food and also sending them back by plane. All at The Cayman Government and peoples expense.
Instead allowing us the peoples to give them some of our own water, food and help whenever they arrive and waive them good bye.
Cuba is not paying any mind or giving any credit or money to Cayman for helping get them back to them. They really can't care less for what happenes to them. If they really wanted them not to leave Cuba they would stop them from leaving. They can do so at any time. Cuba security is one of the best in the world but the less peoples they have there opposing them the better is for them.
Help the Cubans asking help instead of having us the peoples pay the price for a law which gives us no benefit or Cayman.
Support freedom and Human rights.
Please be reminded of what reason this law had to be in place. There is also a safe and legal way for Cubans to leave Cuba. As one writer said, there is more to this than meets the eye. For example Cuba officials are smart enough to know that it is very expensive to keep prisoners, so this could be the way they deal with crime in Cuba. Is it fair for any country to harbour and encourgae such ilegal travel?. A few years ago, the Cubans invaded Cayman, they started to go on so bad that the own caymanians fussing now had to get the Goverment to take them away from Cayman, they were very ungrateful and was very criminaly minded. This might offend a few persons that do not understand International Human Rights Law. Doyou know what would happen if Cayman was to entertain even one of this Cubans? Imagine the exodus and chaos that would take place in Cuba, then Cayman would be encouraging un-safe and ilegal activities. So the people can complain and make it seem so inhumane about the few Cubans that pass this waters, has anyone ever wonder what happens to the Cubans that have gone north? , after all the Great USA is just a few miles off the coast. If they are caught in the waters of USA, they will be sent home. And do we really know who these person are? They can be criminals that have been released to leave Cuba. Lot of Cubans are here in Cayman, a lot of them have married to Caymanian for the purpose of escape Cuba. Yes I have a heart and feel sorry for them, but I do know they dont seem to be humble and they are not very grateful when you try to help. They demand and insist that they should get what ever they want. They were lot of stories of them dumping the milk and throwing the bread at officials during Tent City Days. Dont belive? Ask the officials and Preachers that tried to assist them. ohh how we forget so fast.
The US has nothing to do with this, and it does not send Cubans back who make it to US waters. Cayman's policy is stupid , mean and expensive.
Actually you are wrong on that. "It begins with the so-called “wet-foot, dry-foot policy” that puts Cubans who reach U.S. soil on a fast track to permanent residency. … Under the amendment, when a Cuban migrant is apprehended in the water between the two countries, he is considered to have “wet feet” and is sent back home. A Cuban who makes it to the U.S. shore, however, can “dry feet” and can qualify for legal permanent resident status and U.S. citizenship.
The law does make exceptions for Cubans caught at sea who can prove they are vulnerable to persecution if sent back. The evidence has to be clear and convincing for the government to grant asylum, however. "
Actually All Of You Are Wrong!!! In Order For Cubans To Stay On American Soil They Must Step Foot Down In A City Of The U.S. I.E. Key West, Marathon,Key Largo, Miami. If They Hit Any Outer Lying Islands Doesn't Matter If The Islands Reside In U.S. Waters. They Will Be Deported Home To Cuba.
That's wrong. In order to stay in the US, they have to land on US soil.
Another racist diatribe.
People of Grand Cayman lets all come together and petition against this policy, it's not right that us the citizens of the Cayman Islands cannot assist them in any way possible, just think it could of been you, your child/ren, your sister, your brother, your mother or your father who is trying to make it to freedom and a better life. I'm not saying that we should just allow them to dock up and start living in our country all I'm simply saying is this policy that has been put in place since 1997 (that if anyone assist them in anyway we could be arrested) is ridiculous. If we are willing to help supply them with food,water and any basic necessities needed at our own cost then please allow us too without us fearing our own freedom everyone knows what the citizens in Cuba go through day in and day out we've all heard the stories and or seen first hand what happens over there so if the people decide to leave Cuba and so happens to past by Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands and the citizens of Cayman wanna assist them it shouldn't be an issue or fear of our freedom. This was so sad watching them and not being able to assist them in anyway because I could of been arrested. My heart broke in so many pieces yesterday knowing they were just trying to make it to a better life and the starter for their boat had gone on them. I only wish I could of been able to give them food and water. I'm a person that loves to help people who are in need I don't have much money but if I can help others I like too because I know God will give me countless blessing for doing so and that matters more to me then being recognized for my good doings. If only everyone had a heart like mines and saw things the way I did then maybe Cayman would be a humble and happy place. Even though I'm only 20 years old I have a good heart and I like to help others it's the way my mother raised me to be.
This is not more than what it's called, HUMAN TRAFFIC, that's the name, we need to step up and see who is doing this, not because we want to stop people from leaving Cuba, but because there is someone getting rich out of Cuban's lives. I am 100% sure that the Cuban government its behind all of these crap. There is nothing that moves in there, that they don't know about, and all of these BIG BOATS coming out of there and they don't know??? If Cayman wants to really help, they should stop all of those right there and investigate who is behind all of these, because have you all stop to think that those people, if they dont have any money to proceed from Honduras all the way to Mexico, they could be dead in the stop??? I am really mad, not because Cayman didn't help them, but because everyone is looking at this and NO ONE IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS A CRIMINAL MATTER, IT IS NOT FUN. PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE CUBA FOR FUN, AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE CRIMINALS, THOSE GETTING MONEY, THEY ARE NOT TRAFIKING DRUGS, BUT PEOPLE, HUMAN BEINGS, AND NO ONE IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING????
PPM PROMISED CHANGE: This law can be one that can save our our country some money.
Please STOP the inhumane treatment to the cubans at sea and the unlawful imprisoment. They have done nothing more than try to leave Cuba seeking freedom and please you who not been there done thatttt do not start critizising by what you have seen as a tourist if it was so good peoples would not leave even risking their lives like most or many of them does and will continue to do until some thing good happness thatwould stop them from wanting to leave every thing behind included their loved ones.
The only thing they are asking from the peoples of Cayman is what we all are entitled to: HELP.
How can we compare that HELP FROM OUR PEOPLES to all the money which our previous governemt has wasted on them depreving them of their freedom and returning them to Cuba all at Cayman expense.
Thanks to all who helps.
I'm sorry but something has to change with this Law about us as a community cant lend a helping hand to these people. But all you can hear we are a christian community Christians wouldnt act this way towards no one let us the people decide to give these people water food and clothing etc government wouldnt have to fork nothen out of their pockets towards this. How would you all feel if you where adrift on the sea for days looking to better your life. What they need to do is STOP handing out to these able body people that is on this Islands every month from Social Service. Thats where Government needs to look in to cutting.
Cayman Islands should be ashamed to allow humans to go to sea in a make-shift craft. SHAME SHAME you call yourselves God fearing? smh Sounds like you fear Cuba more than fear GOD
I implore the new Government to review our current policy relating to the repatriation of Cubans and the costs involved in so doing. FOI the costs people and asks yourself is this another drain on our public purse which truly achieves limited benefits for our people and with no aid from America, who are we protecting? The Cayman Islands or other borders? Please PPM, have the fortitude to be reasonable and coherent in application when truly identifying the financial wastes affecting our people.
Hey, leave America out of it. If they had wanted to go there, they would probably have started from the north side of their island and sailed north instead of the opposite. It's pretty clear this is a regular run to Honduras, and Cayman is a transit stop. Give them some gas and water and send them on their way. They are not trying to invade Cayman: you're just on the way to where they are going.
May our good Lord preserve them and make their journey safe.
What surprises me continually is that we can find these people but not people who disappear for days shipping nor drug shipments coming in…