Jamaica Weighs U.S. Proposal for Temporary Migrant Processing Center.

Hear mi now, word a walk 'round di island say di big wigs inna Kingston and di officials over a Uncle Sam land are inna some serious reasoning. Di whole a yard a talk 'bout how di United States government a look to Jamaica as a temporary landing spot fi migrants dem pick up pan di high seas. It look like di situation inna di region get so heavy dat Washington a reach out to di Rock fi see if we can help dem manage di flow a people who a try cross di water fi seek a better life.

Di core a di matter is dat di U.S. Coast Guard a pick up plenty people—mostly from our neighbors inna Haiti—and dem need a place fi put dem while dem sort out di paperwork and decide who fi send back or where dem fi go next. Instead a just taking everyone straight back to a situation dat stay rocky, di plan is fi Jamaica serve as a kind a middle-ground. Dis would mean dat folks intercepted at sea woulda come a yard fi a short time, stay inna some kind a facility, and den di authorities woulda move dem along once di right protocols are followed.

Now, yuh know how it go already—everybody pan di corner have dem opinion. Some people a say it’s a good look fi Jamaica show some kindness to our Caribbean brothers and sisters, especially since things so tough over a Haiti right now. Dem feel say as a leader inna di region, Jamaica shoulda step up and help manage di crisis. But at di same time, a lot a people worried. Dem a ask if we have di resources fi house so much people and if di U.S. ago foot di bill fi all di food, medicine, and security dat ago needed. We already have enough pan our plate, so di government haffi walk a fine line wid dis deal.

Di Jamaican officials dem a play it close to dem chest, but dem confirm dat di talks are definitely happening. Dem a look pan di logistics fi ensure dat if we do take in dese migrants, it wouldn’t mash up our own security or put too much pressure pan di local systems. Dem a emphasize dat any arrangement would be strictly temporary. It’s a big-man politics play, and di world a watch fi see if Jamaica ago agree fi turn into a regional hub fi dis kind a migration management. One thing is fi sure, di sea keeps rolling and di pressure inna di region nah cool down no time soon.