Kingston – Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith says the government is currently discussing plans to repatriate several Jamaicans who were reportedly caught fishing illegally in Colombian waters.
Speaking in Senate on Friday, Johnson Smith said that the vessel was seized with 34 Jamaicans aboard.
With this development, Johnson Smith said boat owners and fishers need to be mindful that countries in the region have changed their laws regarding how they deal with non-nationals caught fishing in their territorial waters.
Based on this, she said boat owners must obtain insurance and not simply rely on their government.
The Foreign Affairs Minister also revealed that the government has contributed to the repatriation of close to 5 000 Jamaicans over the last two years.
She said during the pandemic there was an increase in the need to secure the country’s nationals and more than 3 000 were returned from ships across ten lines in seas and oceans around the world. (CMC)