A boy born of Jamaican parents in St Maarten yesterday attempted suicide about a year after being in custody for living illegally on the Dutch-Caribbean island.

According to reports coming from St Maarten, the boy was discovered in what was described as an unusual position in his cell while police were inspecting them in the capital, Philipsburg. Upon further investigation it was discovered that he had attempted to hang himself but the material he used broke.

The teen, THE STAR understands, has been in custody for about a year waiting for the Jamaican Government to issue him a passport that would allow the authorities in St Maarten to deport him. Information coming out of St Maarten says the boy was born there of Jamaican parents. However, under that country's laws, a child born there of parents, who are non-nationals, does not automatically become a citizen and is, in fact, considered an illegal alien. The boy's mother reportedly now resides in the United Kingdom while his estranged father, is a resident of St Maarten.

Attempts made to reach prosecutors on St Maarten yesterday were unsuccessful. They were said to be in a meeting which by all indications lasted all day. Meanwhile, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Marlene Malahoo Forte, disclosed that she was not apprised of the situation but said that there is a process that has to be followed for any person not born in Jamaica seeking a Jamaican passport. "There is a process you have to go through to invoke that nationality," she said.

Meanwhile, the boy's uncle, during a radio interview yesterday, said he feels the suicide attempt may have been an effort to get attention. He said Tuesday was the teen's birthday and he wanted to speak to his mother. She has since called and spoken with him so his situation seems to be on the mend.

St Maarten recently imposed visa restrictions on Jamaican and Guyanese nationals seeking to visit that country. The restrictions came in response to the large number of nationals from both countries believed to be living illegally on the 22-square-mile island.

Authorities there believe these vast numbers of illegal aliens contribute significantly to some of the country's more serious problems including a rising crime rate.