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The Editor Speaks: Cuban migrants not winning any friends with escape ploy

Colin WilsonwebThe 30 or so Cuban migrants who are here detained at the Immigration Detention Centre have said their break out was a ploy to bring attention to their grievances at their incarceration.

All they have done is to make me hope they return back to where they came from very quickly, Cuba, and air their grievances there. Let them see how much notice their grievances are given.

Apparently some of them are angry at the luxury liner saving them from drowning and bringing them to Grand Cayman. They had been promised they said the cruise liner would take them to Mexico.

However, Mexico unsurprisingly, did not want them.

Their other grievances include the poor quality of the food they are receiving here and the extent of the medical services.

I am pleased to hear how better off it must be back in Cuba if we in Cayman don’t live up to their higher standards.

The cost to this small country of their “detention” here is enormous and it is freely given to them including a plane ride back home.

Breaking out places a great strain on our resources that can be better employed serving us.

Until this happened I had a certain amount of sympathy with them.

Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Gary Wong, said because of the breakout they have had to take new measures “where we have actually stationed officers up there now. It’s going to cut into the man power that we have here [at headquarters], but we find it necessary to have officers stationed there to monitor and interact with them and hear what these Cubans have to say.”

So my sympathy has given way to anger. Watching them on local television waving their arms at the cameras and shouting made me at first incredulous. Not one looked under nourished nor physically ill.

I’m sure Cuba was pleased to get rid of them and I doubt they will be welcoming them back with open arms.

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