Cuban woman remains alone at IDC

(CNS): The Cayman Islands government deported 24 Cuban migrants back to their home country last week with the exception of one woman. There has been no comment from officials why the female did not leave with the 17 men and seven woman who left on a chartered flight from Owen Roberts International Airport, Grand Cayman on Wednesday at 11.20 am. Immigration and prison officials supervised the repatriation, including accompanying the migrants on the flight, and they have since returned back to Cayman. The lone woman remains at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) in Fairbanks having arrived in Cayman in September.

The CIG recently met with Cuban officials after some problems in that country’s system for the repatriation of migrants that land in Cayman had led to exceptionally long delays in the return of the refugees. After several escapes and a near riot as the numbers of detainees increased significantly the authorities are now hoping that the new agreement with the Cuban government will see future deportations move more quickly.

Cayman has seen an increase in migrants passing through and landing here recently and according to US statistics the number of Cubans arriving there so far this year is already more than double the previous year. In addition, the US coast guard has also noted that in the past around 20% of the refugees were using makeshift vessels to undertake the treacherous journey. This year, more than 80 percent of the migrants spotted at sea have been in rustic boats that the passengers had built themselves.