Punta Cana.- Amid calls from international organizations for the Dominican Republic to accommodate Haitian refugees, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is set to inaugurate a migrant care, referral, and resource center in Punta Cana, La Altagracia province.
The opening ceremony of the CARE center is scheduled for tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. in Verón, Punta Cana, with invitations extended to authorities, local organizations, community leaders, and the media. Josúe Gastelbondo Amaya, the Head of Mission for IOM in the Dominican Republic, explains that the center’s inauguration is part of the organization’s efforts to facilitate orderly, fair, and regular migration management in the country.
The United Nations’ specialized agency anticipates that the CARE center will serve as a crucial resource for assisting vulnerable populations in the eastern region of the Dominican Republic.
For years, illegal Haitian migrants have established settlements near the Friusa Crossing in Punta Cana, leading to periodic evictions by the National Police, Ministry of Environment authorities, and the Directorate General of Immigration.
Amidst ongoing violence in Haiti, which has prompted an internal exodus of hundreds of thousands of families, some seeking refuge in the Dominican Republic, neighboring Jamaica has stepped up to offer assistance.
According to a report from the EFE agency, non-profit organizations Mustard Seed Communities (MSC) of Jamaica and HaitiChildren of Haiti have signed a memorandum of understanding to accommodate 59 severely disabled orphans and their 13 Haitian caregivers in Jamaica.
The group is expected to arrive in Jamaica and stay at the newly built Ephesus Village, Jacob’s Ladder, in the town of Moneague, Saint Ann parish. The agreement, initially lasting two years, will be financed by donations received by HaitiChildren.
Garvin Augustine, executive director of MSC, expressed gratitude for the cooperation of government agencies in facilitating legal entry for the children into Jamaica, ensuring they receive necessary care in a secure environment.
In related news, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force reported intercepting 95 Haitian migrants on Wednesday afternoon, amidst the ongoing crisis in Haiti. The undocumented immigrants were processed and handed over to immigration authorities in the country.