Jamaicans account for 15% of Antigua prison population
Jamaicans account for about 15% of Antigua and Barbuda’s prison population, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has disclosed, as his government moves to strengthen enforcement against people living or working in the country without legal status.
Browne made the disclosure while addressing concerns over the growing number of non-nationals in the country’s prison system and reports of people overstaying their permitted time in Antigua and Barbuda.
“One of the things that we observed within the prison now is that the non-national population is growing. In fact, about 15% of the prison population now comprises Jamaicans in particular,” Browne said.
The prime minister said the government does not currently plan to criminalize immigration overstays. However, authorities are increasing enforcement against people who remain in the country without legal status or work illegally.
“One of the things that we observed within the prison now is that the non-national population is growing, and what we have decided, we’re not gonna criminalize individuals for (overstaying), at least not at this point, but we are tightening up on individuals who come into the country and stay here without time, work illegally and so on,” he explained.
Browne said people affected by the enforcement measures have been given 60 days to regularize their immigration status. They can also take advantage of an existing immigration amnesty program.
He warned that those who fail to regularize their status after being given the opportunity could face removal from the country.
He said, however, that, “if after giving all of these opportunities to them to regularize their status in the country and they fail to do so, well, they’re at risk, for deportation.”
Browne also raised concerns about non-nationals, particularly Jamaicans, who he said commit crimes in their home countries before seeking refuge in Antigua and Barbuda.
The prime minister cited recent cases involving people wanted in Jamaica who were subsequently apprehended and deported from Antigua and Barbuda.
“It was just about two weeks ago that we had a non-national who was wanted for murder in Jamaica that we had to deport, apprehend and deport. And, you recall, last year as well when the police took out this Jamaican guy in… Jennings who was involved in a spate of robberies.”
Browne said the cases point to a broader concern about people entering the country and living there outside the formal immigration system.
Those cases represent “a growing situation in which they are literally coming and living among us informally.,” he said.
He also alleged that some of the individuals are involved in narcotics trafficking.
“We definitely have to root them out of society because they’re hardening up the place. I’m told a number of them are also involved in narco-trafficking. The instructions to law enforcement is to find them and for immigration to deport them.”
The government’s approach, Browne said, is to give people an opportunity to regularize their status while taking action against those who remain in the country illegally or are involved in criminal activity.