(CNS): Sixteen men were repatriated to Cuba on 11 January and twenty more people were moved from Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman as the ministry responsible for immigration continues to navigate the ongoing crisis relating to the sharp increase in irregular landings by Cuban’s fleeing the neighbouring island. A Cayman Airways flight left Grand Cayman just before 10am Wednesday arriving in Havana just over a half hour later where the migrants were handed over to the Cuban authorities.

The plane then returned to Cayman Brac at lunchtime where it picked up 20 migrants who had arrived in Sister Islands waters over the holidays.

Deputy Premier and Minister of Border Control & Labour Chris Saunders thanked the Border control staff as well as those at the prison service and WORC who helped with the operation.

“We are dealing with a difficult irregular migration situation in our Islands that has stretched our national resources, but these dedicated professionals have consistently stepped up to ensure we are both maintaining security and adhering to our international human rights obligations,” said Saunders. “I look forward to increasing numbers of repatriation flights in 2023 as we work to expedite the political asylum application process following the passage of the necessary legal amendments. While we collectively have sympathy for the migrants’ economic plight, the Cayman Islands simply cannot absorb these increasing numbers of migrants or afford the burdensome cost of their long-term residence and maintenance here.”

CBC Director Charles Clifford explained that for security reasons two trained officers were required to secure each passenger being transported. “These operations are vital in managing the current migrant crisis these islands are facing. Additional repatriation flights will be arranged soon,” said Clifford.

The 20 migrants from Cayman Brac were brought to Grand Cayman because of the limited resources there to manage the current number of arrivals. Since the beginning of last year 28 migrants have now been repatriated and another twenty-three (23) are in process for repatriation. But there are still almost 400 Cubans who have landed illegally in Cayman over the last couple of years most of them in the last twelve months.