Bahamas News
02-10-05, - 11:54 PM
Marsh Harbour Raided
Macushla N. Pinder
The Bahama Journal
In a direct response to ongoing calls from the public for the government to move aggressively to address the illegal immigration problem, authorities yesterday conducted a raid in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, picking up a group of illegal Haitian immigrants.
The surprise apprehension exercise came fewer than 24 hours after nearly 200 undocumented Haitians were taken into custody in New Providence.
Assistant Director of Immigration with responsibility for the Northern Bahamas, J.T. Rolle, told the Bahama Journal that the more than five-hour exercise was conducted early in the morning by a team of police and immigration officials, who swooped down on various locations throughout Marsh Harbour, an area where Haitians are said to be outnumbering Bahamians in some pockets of that community.
“I’m advised that 40 individuals – the majority of which were illegal Haitian nationals – were taken into custody. Some of the Haitians were however released after showing their documents,” Mr. Rolle said.
“Our concern now is those persons who were unable to produce the relevant documents. But this is hopefully just the beginning of the approach we will be taking until we are satisfied that there is no need to continue this type of focus.”
Further commenting on the issue, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Peet assured on Wednesday that while the country’s illegal immigration dilemma is certainly not a new one, it is receiving the government’s increased attention.
But he emphasized that immigration officials have been addressing the problem all along.
According to the Minister, over the past several years, there have been a number of exercises leading to the apprehension of illegal foreign nationals like the one early Wednesday and in the St. Cecilia community several weeks ago.
He said that approximately 1,000 of the 2,500 illegal Haitian nationals repatriated last year were actually picked up during raids.
It is an approach the Minister vows will continue in the coming days.
But he said, “That is one aspect of the overall approach, certainly not the full answer to the problem, but instead a part of a comprehensive approach that has to be taken because the Bahamian people are rightfully concerned that the numbers are too high.
“We know our open borders are a problem and we also know that it has to be a sustained effort to both repatriate those who are here illegally and to integrate those who are here legally. And so, there has to be what I call a balanced approach. We have to be firm. We have to be fair.”
While keeping a tight lid on the government’s overall game plan in addressing the issue, Minister Peet did reveal that another strategy would be to bring all of the affected partners – the church, trade unions, business sector, Haitian community and government agencies – to formulate a comprehensive approach to dealing with the problem.
“We must formulate a strategy going forward to deal with repatriation, the quick turnaround rate, once illegal immigrants land on our shores and the need for there to be an understanding of what is a very complex issue, because this is not a simple matter,” he said.
“And so we have to have a number of public awareness seminars, so that all the affected parties are brought to the table.”
Minister Peet said the other side of the immigration story must not be overlooked.
He also acknowledged that there are many Haitian-Bahamians, who are making a very valuable contribution to the country as part of almost every government agency and security force.
“I’ve always said that we have to make them feel a part of us so that they have a vested interest in ensuring that we move forward as one people and they are a part of the solution and help us to solve the problem of finding and repatriating immigrants among us,” Minister Peet said.
“And so as we move forward, I always call for a calm approach to reduce the temperature and emotion – although it is a very emotional issue. But we have to have steady and calm leadership as we deal with a problem that has been with us for decades. It means that we have to accelerate the pace in which we deal with those individuals who should be regularized…I have placed emphasis on the young Haitian Bahamians who were born here, those who are in college and who should not be paying double tuition.”
Minister Peet, meanwhile, said authorities will not tolerate actions like those taken by the operator of a Haitian vessel that attempted to ram a Defence Force vessel early Wednesday as officers were trying to apprehend a group of Haitians off New Providence.
“I think in the charged atmosphere that we now have, that incident was most unfortunate and clearly is not helpful,” the Minister said.
“The matter is now being investigated by the police and I would want them to do their investigation and not prejudge them. But clearly what appears to have happened will not be tolerated or would certainly not be accepted as the way to deal with any situation.”
In the House of Assembly on Wednesday, he appealed for Bahamians to avoid hysteria over the issue.
His appeal came a couple hours after Minister of Trade and Industry Leslie Miller took a more direct approach asking illegal immigrants to “go back home” and saying The Bahamas faces a ticking time bomb that is on the verge of exploding.
Macushla N. Pinder
The Bahama Journal
In a direct response to ongoing calls from the public for the government to move aggressively to address the illegal immigration problem, authorities yesterday conducted a raid in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, picking up a group of illegal Haitian immigrants.
The surprise apprehension exercise came fewer than 24 hours after nearly 200 undocumented Haitians were taken into custody in New Providence.
Assistant Director of Immigration with responsibility for the Northern Bahamas, J.T. Rolle, told the Bahama Journal that the more than five-hour exercise was conducted early in the morning by a team of police and immigration officials, who swooped down on various locations throughout Marsh Harbour, an area where Haitians are said to be outnumbering Bahamians in some pockets of that community.
“I’m advised that 40 individuals – the majority of which were illegal Haitian nationals – were taken into custody. Some of the Haitians were however released after showing their documents,” Mr. Rolle said.
“Our concern now is those persons who were unable to produce the relevant documents. But this is hopefully just the beginning of the approach we will be taking until we are satisfied that there is no need to continue this type of focus.”
Further commenting on the issue, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Peet assured on Wednesday that while the country’s illegal immigration dilemma is certainly not a new one, it is receiving the government’s increased attention.
But he emphasized that immigration officials have been addressing the problem all along.
According to the Minister, over the past several years, there have been a number of exercises leading to the apprehension of illegal foreign nationals like the one early Wednesday and in the St. Cecilia community several weeks ago.
He said that approximately 1,000 of the 2,500 illegal Haitian nationals repatriated last year were actually picked up during raids.
It is an approach the Minister vows will continue in the coming days.
But he said, “That is one aspect of the overall approach, certainly not the full answer to the problem, but instead a part of a comprehensive approach that has to be taken because the Bahamian people are rightfully concerned that the numbers are too high.
“We know our open borders are a problem and we also know that it has to be a sustained effort to both repatriate those who are here illegally and to integrate those who are here legally. And so, there has to be what I call a balanced approach. We have to be firm. We have to be fair.”
While keeping a tight lid on the government’s overall game plan in addressing the issue, Minister Peet did reveal that another strategy would be to bring all of the affected partners – the church, trade unions, business sector, Haitian community and government agencies – to formulate a comprehensive approach to dealing with the problem.
“We must formulate a strategy going forward to deal with repatriation, the quick turnaround rate, once illegal immigrants land on our shores and the need for there to be an understanding of what is a very complex issue, because this is not a simple matter,” he said.
“And so we have to have a number of public awareness seminars, so that all the affected parties are brought to the table.”
Minister Peet said the other side of the immigration story must not be overlooked.
He also acknowledged that there are many Haitian-Bahamians, who are making a very valuable contribution to the country as part of almost every government agency and security force.
“I’ve always said that we have to make them feel a part of us so that they have a vested interest in ensuring that we move forward as one people and they are a part of the solution and help us to solve the problem of finding and repatriating immigrants among us,” Minister Peet said.
“And so as we move forward, I always call for a calm approach to reduce the temperature and emotion – although it is a very emotional issue. But we have to have steady and calm leadership as we deal with a problem that has been with us for decades. It means that we have to accelerate the pace in which we deal with those individuals who should be regularized…I have placed emphasis on the young Haitian Bahamians who were born here, those who are in college and who should not be paying double tuition.”
Minister Peet, meanwhile, said authorities will not tolerate actions like those taken by the operator of a Haitian vessel that attempted to ram a Defence Force vessel early Wednesday as officers were trying to apprehend a group of Haitians off New Providence.
“I think in the charged atmosphere that we now have, that incident was most unfortunate and clearly is not helpful,” the Minister said.
“The matter is now being investigated by the police and I would want them to do their investigation and not prejudge them. But clearly what appears to have happened will not be tolerated or would certainly not be accepted as the way to deal with any situation.”
In the House of Assembly on Wednesday, he appealed for Bahamians to avoid hysteria over the issue.
His appeal came a couple hours after Minister of Trade and Industry Leslie Miller took a more direct approach asking illegal immigrants to “go back home” and saying The Bahamas faces a ticking time bomb that is on the verge of exploding.