By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ACTIVIST Louby Georges said the Haitian government has committed to cover the burial costs of those who perished at sea after their boat capsized in waters off New Providence earlier this week.

Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Mr Georges said he was told directives were given to officials at The Haitian Embassy to notify the Bahamian government of the issue.

“What I can confirm and what I also understand is that the Haitian government, the central government in Haiti through the Minister of Foreign Affairs has announced or given directive to the embassy here (in The Bahamas) and they have decided that they are willing to foot the bill for the funeral costs for everyone,” he said.

“Well, families of course may claim their loved one’s bodies and they will decide how they want to go about with the funeral services and everything but for those that are not claimed, definitely the Haitian government has decided that they will pay for the funeral costs so there won’t be any burden on the Bahamian government.” 

During a press conference on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander made a strong appeal for family members of deceased victims from Sunday’s boating tragedy to come forward to assist with the identification process. 

So far, 17 Haitians, including a young girl, have been confirmed dead, while several people are believed to be still missing.

Since the incident, Mr Georges told The Tribune he has received scores of phone calls from concerned loved ones wanting to know the whereabouts of their missing relatives. 

“In fact, just about half hour ago, I had a lady who was messaging me on social media all week. She wanted to find out if her family member was at the detention centre and amongst the survivors,” he added.

“I asked for the name and she gave me the name and it was very difficult and heartbreaking for myself to announce to her that I see the name here or on the list amongst the ones that passed away and she was very distraught on the phone.” 

The activist said some family members of the deceased have already identified them and even started to make funeral arrangements.

He said: “There has been and I can confirm that there have been family members that has gone to the hospital to claim their family members bodies and those who started to make arrangements with funeral homes of their choice.

“I can confirm that the baby the little child, the one-year-old that was on the boat along with her mother, for sure those two have been claimed and was with the family members yesterday at the funeral home.”

Mr Georges added: “They went there after they would’ve come from the hospital. They took the identification; the child’s birth certificates and that sort of stuff. They had IDs for the mother so they would’ve brought in all of that stuff and they would’ve positively identified the bodies and so they signed the necessary paperwork, and the hospital is ready to turn the bodies over to them and onto the funeral homes.”

Police said some 50 people were travelling on a 33ft twin engine vessel when it overturned in rough seas near Blackbeard’s Cay around 1am on Sunday.

Officers suspect the boat travelling to Miami as a part of a human smuggling operation.

Yesterday, Mr Georges was asked how affected families were coping in view of the incident.

He said for some, there is a sense of regret while others are struggling to come to terms with tragedy because they were not aware that loved ones were planning to go on the voyage.

“That sense of regret is there,” the activist told The Tribune. “They are going through the grieving process. It’s still hard to believe and understand. You have to understand that these persons were not sick and elderly and they were not bedridden so there was no expectation that your family members would just perish and in such a tragic way.”

“Some of the family members that I spoke to, they were actually unaware that their family members were going to take the voyage. In fact, some of the people hailed from various family islands like Harbour Island, Eleuthera and that sort of thing so the ones here in Nassau, they were not aware. They did not know so they’re still in a state of shock.” 

He added: “However, for the ones that I’ve spoken to so far. They have decided that they will take up the responsibility to try to send their family members or lay them to rest as best as they possibly can.”

At last report, some 22 Haitian survivors from Sunday’s deadly boating accident were said to be in custody.

On Tuesday, Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell told reporters that only two of them had work permits to be in the country, which he said will likely be revoked.

He also revealed work permit holders along with those in custody are expected to be repatriated once investigations are completed.

Yesterday, Mr Georges appealed to those considering making such a voyage not to do so, saying the risks are “just too great”.

“There is three possible outcomes. You either make it, you may die out there or you may be arrested. There’s just too much risk and when you look at and think about the amount of money that is being spent on a single individual for these voyages, you can invest that in my opinion sorting out yourself here,” he added.

“So, I try to discourage everyone from taking those voyages.”