Bahamas News
02-17-05, - 01:01 PM
Haitian Ambassador Appeals For Understanding On Illegal Immigration Issue
By C. E. Huggins
The Bahama Journal
Haitian Ambassador Mr. Louis Joseph says the majority of the Haitians, like those above who are picked up in Bahamian waters come from an isolated part of the country on the north west coast.
With the illegal immigration issue raging in The Bahamas, Haiti’s Ambassador to the country Louis H. Joseph believes that there is a general lack of understanding as it relates to the Haitian plight.
“We need better understanding and knowledge,” he told The Bahama Journal.
Mr. Joseph’s comments came as government officials continued to react to a growing public cry for something to be done swiftly about the dilemma.
The matter was also raised again in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, with two other members – MP for Elizabeth Malcolm Adderley and South Abaco MP Robert Sweeting – pointing to the serious impact illegal immigrants are having on Bahamian communities.
While immigration officials said on Tuesday that they have continued raids in recent days and have picked up over 400 people in the last two weeks, Mr. Adderley believes this is a knee-jerk approach and suggested instead that the government come up with a national strategy to tackle the problem.
“It is my view that this problem will not be solved by a programme of snatching and arresting illegal immigrants anytime public opinion dictates,” he said. “What we need is a consistent, well planned, well developed, realistic national immigration policy and plan that continues straight through, every week, every month, every year.”
In the interim, Mr. Joseph is promoting education on the historic problems that have led to The Bahamas feeling the ongoing impact of that nation’s struggles.
“Haiti has never been a democracy,” he explained. “Nineteen eighty-six marked a departure from a history of dictatorships and the country is going through a transition. And since 1986 we have had an election in 1990, but we have also had some interruptions, a coup d’etat by the military.”
In fact, going from an absolute and brutal dictatorship built on fear and violence to full blown democracy in the space of two decades is practically unheard of. The Duvalier dictatorship ended in 1986 with the overthrow of the Duvaliers.
Mr. Joseph said that political instability is the major contributor to the struggles being faced in Haiti.
Experts have many times in the past stated the importance of political stability.
In fact, in its recent affirmation of The Bahamas’ ‘A-’ credit rating, Standard and Poor’s credited The Bahamas’ economic strength, in large measure, to its political stability.
Despite Haiti’s instability, however, Mr. Joseph said civil society is thriving and the organizations and practices taken for granted in The Bahamas and other stable democracies are taking root in Haiti.
“Before 1986 it was impossible for the society to have organizations openly challenging the government,” he said. “Today we have organizations that are concerned about human rights and a press that is openly critical of things happening in the society. The press is free.”
He pointed out that one would find people in any military and on any police force that abuses their authority.
“In practically every society you will have some members of the military and the police who will behave badly and abuse human rights,” he said. “But you cannot judge the entire organization by these kinds of examples.”
In acknowledging that Haiti has not had any appreciable economic growth in the past 10 to 15 years, which he said is due to political instability and governance, Mr. Joseph said it was not difficult to see why Haitians or anyone else for that matter, under those conditions would not want to leave to make a better life for themselves and their families wherever they could.
“The majority of the Haitians who are picked up in Bahamian waters come from an isolated part of the country on the north west coast,” he explained. “In June that area went through a drought and that was followed by the flood caused by the hurricane. That area was already suffering before the floods came. Crops were destroyed and people cannot recover in a few months.”
Commenting specifically on the way in which information on illegal immigration has been presented, Mr. Joseph said there is some sensationalizing of the issues.
“The press and people like sensation,” he said. “For instance, the media says there is an influx of Haitians but they do not tell you why or compared to what.”
“I have already mentioned the difficult conditions in northwest Haiti, but you also have the cooperation of The Bahamian and US authorities in Inagua which makes it easier to interdict boats. But are the numbers any higher than they were five years ago? We do not know from the media.”
During the eighties when there was mass migration leading up to and following the end of dictatorship in Haiti, there was mass migration of Haitians into the US. US authorities estimated as many as 100,000 Haitians entered their country with tens of thousands coming into The Bahamas.
The 2000 Census conducted by the Department of Statistics showed there were 21,426 persons who identified themselves to the enumerators as Haitians.
A Department of Statistics executive stated that the department does not inquire about legal status of the persons being enumerated, but agreed that persons who identified themselves as being Haitian were more likely than not to have legal status.
By C. E. Huggins
The Bahama Journal
Haitian Ambassador Mr. Louis Joseph says the majority of the Haitians, like those above who are picked up in Bahamian waters come from an isolated part of the country on the north west coast.
With the illegal immigration issue raging in The Bahamas, Haiti’s Ambassador to the country Louis H. Joseph believes that there is a general lack of understanding as it relates to the Haitian plight.
“We need better understanding and knowledge,” he told The Bahama Journal.
Mr. Joseph’s comments came as government officials continued to react to a growing public cry for something to be done swiftly about the dilemma.
The matter was also raised again in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, with two other members – MP for Elizabeth Malcolm Adderley and South Abaco MP Robert Sweeting – pointing to the serious impact illegal immigrants are having on Bahamian communities.
While immigration officials said on Tuesday that they have continued raids in recent days and have picked up over 400 people in the last two weeks, Mr. Adderley believes this is a knee-jerk approach and suggested instead that the government come up with a national strategy to tackle the problem.
“It is my view that this problem will not be solved by a programme of snatching and arresting illegal immigrants anytime public opinion dictates,” he said. “What we need is a consistent, well planned, well developed, realistic national immigration policy and plan that continues straight through, every week, every month, every year.”
In the interim, Mr. Joseph is promoting education on the historic problems that have led to The Bahamas feeling the ongoing impact of that nation’s struggles.
“Haiti has never been a democracy,” he explained. “Nineteen eighty-six marked a departure from a history of dictatorships and the country is going through a transition. And since 1986 we have had an election in 1990, but we have also had some interruptions, a coup d’etat by the military.”
In fact, going from an absolute and brutal dictatorship built on fear and violence to full blown democracy in the space of two decades is practically unheard of. The Duvalier dictatorship ended in 1986 with the overthrow of the Duvaliers.
Mr. Joseph said that political instability is the major contributor to the struggles being faced in Haiti.
Experts have many times in the past stated the importance of political stability.
In fact, in its recent affirmation of The Bahamas’ ‘A-’ credit rating, Standard and Poor’s credited The Bahamas’ economic strength, in large measure, to its political stability.
Despite Haiti’s instability, however, Mr. Joseph said civil society is thriving and the organizations and practices taken for granted in The Bahamas and other stable democracies are taking root in Haiti.
“Before 1986 it was impossible for the society to have organizations openly challenging the government,” he said. “Today we have organizations that are concerned about human rights and a press that is openly critical of things happening in the society. The press is free.”
He pointed out that one would find people in any military and on any police force that abuses their authority.
“In practically every society you will have some members of the military and the police who will behave badly and abuse human rights,” he said. “But you cannot judge the entire organization by these kinds of examples.”
In acknowledging that Haiti has not had any appreciable economic growth in the past 10 to 15 years, which he said is due to political instability and governance, Mr. Joseph said it was not difficult to see why Haitians or anyone else for that matter, under those conditions would not want to leave to make a better life for themselves and their families wherever they could.
“The majority of the Haitians who are picked up in Bahamian waters come from an isolated part of the country on the north west coast,” he explained. “In June that area went through a drought and that was followed by the flood caused by the hurricane. That area was already suffering before the floods came. Crops were destroyed and people cannot recover in a few months.”
Commenting specifically on the way in which information on illegal immigration has been presented, Mr. Joseph said there is some sensationalizing of the issues.
“The press and people like sensation,” he said. “For instance, the media says there is an influx of Haitians but they do not tell you why or compared to what.”
“I have already mentioned the difficult conditions in northwest Haiti, but you also have the cooperation of The Bahamian and US authorities in Inagua which makes it easier to interdict boats. But are the numbers any higher than they were five years ago? We do not know from the media.”
During the eighties when there was mass migration leading up to and following the end of dictatorship in Haiti, there was mass migration of Haitians into the US. US authorities estimated as many as 100,000 Haitians entered their country with tens of thousands coming into The Bahamas.
The 2000 Census conducted by the Department of Statistics showed there were 21,426 persons who identified themselves to the enumerators as Haitians.
A Department of Statistics executive stated that the department does not inquire about legal status of the persons being enumerated, but agreed that persons who identified themselves as being Haitian were more likely than not to have legal status.