Senator Brown Condemns Jamaica-US Deal on Third-Country National Transit

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Senator Lambert Brown used Friday's Senate session to condemn the Government's plan to sign a third-country national (TCN) arrangement with the United States (US) under which people removed from the US would be allowed to transit through Jamaica en route to other countries.

Referring to public comments by United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Brown characterised the pact as Washington seeking to offload what he described as among the most objectionable and dangerous individuals — including pedophiles — onto Jamaica.

"I raise the issue: why are you bringing to Jamaica the most despicable, pedophiles and dangerous people that your MOU has brought?" Brown said in the Upper House.

Senate President Tom Tavares-Finson promptly asked whether those remarks reflected the official stance of the People's National Party.

Brown replied: "I am saying here that in choosing to bring the TCN, you are choosing what Rubio said, despicable, pedophiles who don't want to get away from America and to dump on us."

Rubio stated in April that the United States was negotiating with several nations to accept persons from third countries who were living in the US without legal status. Speaking at a White House press briefing on April 30, he said: "We are working with other countries to say, 'We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings to your countries,'" Rubio said. "'Will you do that as a favour to us?' And the further away the better, so they can't come back across the border.'"