First flight with third country nationals to arrive in Jamaica ‘shortly,’ Gov’t says

KINGSTON, Jamaica —The first flight of third-country nationals (TCNs) is expected to arrive in Jamaica shortly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Ministry of National Security and Peace have said. In a joint statement on Monday, both ministries said the government and the United States had finalised operating procedures governing the arrangement, including necessary safeguards and parameters to ensure its implementation in a safe, orderly and lawful manner. "The government reiterates that this is a transit arrangement intended to facilitate the return of Third Country Nationals to their country of origin or other receiving countries, with the support of the IOM (International Organization of Migration), which has been formally engaged to provide assistance to individuals while they are in Jamaica and to facilitate their onward movement," the statement said. The government reiterated that the arrangement will not be funded by the government and that no TCN with criminal antecedents will be permitted to transit through Jamaica under the programme. It said the number of individuals will be a maximum of 25 per fortnight. Further, the government said the memorandum of understanding with the US provides for its suspension if 10 TCNs apply to remain in Jamaica through asylum applications or other humanitarian processes. READ: Jamaica, US finalise operating procedures related to TCNs