The United Nations' refugee agency will donate some $500,000 to help Jamaica deal with an influx of Haitian boat migrants sparked by a recent rebellion in the impoverished country, the government said Thursday.

The agreement comes four days after a group of 128 Haitians landed off Jamaica's east coast, bringing to 429 the number to reach shore since a revolt in February ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

The U.N. funds, to be dispersed gradually, will help feed and accommodate the Haitians at several shelters throughout the Caribbean island, Jamaica's Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

The U.N. High Commission for Refugees will also help repatriate any of the migrants who wish to return home, just 100 miles east of Jamaica.

Jamaica has already received about $30,000 from the Geneva-based agency.

Several of the Haitians have applied for political asylum and are being interviewed, though officials have declined to say how many.

Previous groups of migrants said they faced persecution by rebels.

The uprising has prompted lawlessness and a rise in poverty since Aristide fled Feb. 29 as rebels converged on the Haitian capital.

The migrants represent the largest influx of Haitians to Jamaica since thousands fled here in the mid-1990s after Aristide was ousted in a military coup.

Guest; you are missing the point,  these people want out of Haiti.

It is right to give the money to Jamaica to help them deal with this issue.  The jamaicans can only take so much before they start resenting the refugees and start mistreating them.

Besides do you really trust any haitian organization?

this is funny...so you think the money should be given to a Haitian organization to take care of people trying to leave Haiti and who probably at this moment wish they weren't even Haitian?...

Let's see what I find wrong with this post...

1. Jamaica is generous enough to help our people in distress while the one we really look up to turn his back on us (the U.S.) and Jamaica did it without any intensions (at least none we can see)...I think if they receive money to take care of their people, then so be it...who was complaining when Jamaican people were giving the little they had in good faith while all the while in here I was posting about getting something started (a Fundraiser) to help out and got virtually nothing (just a side point)

2. What Haitian organization should this money go to? and this money they will use it for what exactly? to keep the people in Haiti? how by paying them cash to stay?