The Foreign Affairs Ministry says the United States will be sending a delegation to Jamaica, to discuss protocols under the ship-riders agreement which governs the detention of Jamaican citizens held by the United States Coast Guard.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, made the announcement earlier today (Jun 21).

This follows days of controversy surrounding the alleged wrongful detention and mistreatment of five Jamaican fishermen by the US Coast Guard in 2017.

Four of the five men have since filed a lawsuit in a US court, seeking compensation for the alleged mistreatment suffered for several weeks while on board coast guard vessels.

Speaking in the Senate today, the Foreign Affairs Minister said, in the aftermath of the case in focus, government must ask itself, what can be done to strengthen the protocols of the ship-riders agreement.

Mrs. Johnson Smith said, stakeholders of the agreement will be invited to participate in the discussion, to ensure cohesion on the ship rider’s agreement.

The minister said her ministry will be actively seeking out the fishermen to hear their side of the story.

She added, that the opposition will be briefed, following the conclusion of the meetings.

And, the minister sought to clarify statements made about the case of five Jamaican fishermen who were detained, allegedly unlawfully, by US Coast Guard in 2017.

Johnson Smith said her statement last week indicating a lack of awareness, was in reference to the allegations of mistreatment and abuse, not the detention of the men.

She added that the ministry became aware of the allegations when they appeared in the media, and that no report had been made by the incarcerated men.

The Foreign Affairs Minister noted that there are protocols that follow where complaints of mistreatment are made, and there have been circumstances where complaints have been made and follow up conducted by the ministry.

She reiterated that no such complaint was received in the case of the fishermen.

The Foreign Affairs Minister sought to re-assure citizens that her ministry is committed to protecting the rights of Jamaican citizens at home or abroad.

She recounted the issue of mistreatment of Jamaican citizens on arrival in Trinidad, noting that her ministry successfully intervened in that matter, and has successfully reduced, if not eliminated, complaints about mistreatment of Jamaicans in that country.