hiphopanonymous
06-23-08, - 11:39 AM
Mass Migration Warning:
http://www.jonesbahamas.com/?c=45&a=17534
..."By Tameka Lundy
Worsening conditions spawned by escalating oil and food costs and a deteriorating economic climate in Haiti are likely to cause a further exodus of illegal immigrants through The Bahamas, State Minister for Immigration Elma Campbell has warned.
Last year, the government repatriated 6,993 people of various nationalities of whom 6,003 were Haitians. It cost $1.4 million. Ms. Campbell said so far for the year 4,000 people have been repatriated, an exercise that cost the government $1.2 million.
One estimate reported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is that there are between 40,000 and 60,000 undocumented migrants from Haiti in The Bahamas.
"We are concerned, now more than ever before, that the unrest created by declining economic activity, exponential increase in gas prices and more significantly the drastic decrease in food stocks in Haiti will likely exacerbate an endemic outflow of migrants which could lead to severe erosion of our resources, both in manpower and finance," Minister Campbell said Friday as she debated the 2008/2009 budget in the Senate.
"In addition, the overall downturn in the world economic and financial situation has brought about an immense outflow of economic migrants from south to north."
The state minister said immigration officials have had to deal with "unprecedented incidences" of transnational human smuggling.
She also blamed Bahamians – in part – for exacerbating the illegal immigration problem, which has saddled The Bahamas for decades, accusing some citizens of being complicit.
"It is our problem…because we have created the circumstances and the environment for illegal immigrants to come and to stay. Until we change – we Bahamians – change our attitude and behaviour about this, until we stop calling them ours we are likely to continue to have a serious problem," the minister said.
Minister Campbell also disclosed that out of the 1,936 people who registered last year under the immigration audit exercise that the government held, 1,139 of them were from New Providence. Of the latter figure, 467 applications for citizenship are still pending, she said. Another 25 immigrants [four Haitians and 21 other nationals] were approved for citizenship.
The applications of nine foreign nationals and 45 Haitians have been submitted to the immigration board for consideration, while cabinet briefs have been completed for 108 people in New Providence; the figure includes 87 Haitians and 21 other nationals.
Of the 1,139 who registered in the capital, five Haitians and five other nationals did not qualify for status.
"We are still awaiting further documentation for some 173 of those persons of which 146 are Haitians and of that 1,139, 88 of those persons had simply applied for work permits or residency permits and those were pending," she said.
Applying for residency spouse permits or homeowner residency cards were 161 people of whom 37 were nationals other than Haitians.
Reporting on the immigration audit exercise in Grand Bahama, Ms. Campbell reported that 38 people were approved for citizenship, 17 were refused, 10 applications were deferred and 34 were submitted to immigration board. Additionally, 35 applications are now subject of cabinet briefs, 23 people did not qualify for legal status and officials are still awaiting documentation on 119 applicants.
There are almost 400 files that are still incomplete.
In Abaco, 23 people were approved for citizenship, five were refused, three were deferred and 28 applications were submitted to the immigration board. Also, 26 were the subject of cabinet briefs and 21 did not qualify for legal status.
The audit was part of a comprehensive effort to improve record keeping, records retrieval and processing systems in the Immigration Department. A statement from the Cabinet Office further explained that the exercise is not an offer for amnesty for illegal immigrants.
The audit was conducted in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco.".....
http://www.jonesbahamas.com/?c=45&a=17534
..."By Tameka Lundy
Worsening conditions spawned by escalating oil and food costs and a deteriorating economic climate in Haiti are likely to cause a further exodus of illegal immigrants through The Bahamas, State Minister for Immigration Elma Campbell has warned.
Last year, the government repatriated 6,993 people of various nationalities of whom 6,003 were Haitians. It cost $1.4 million. Ms. Campbell said so far for the year 4,000 people have been repatriated, an exercise that cost the government $1.2 million.
One estimate reported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is that there are between 40,000 and 60,000 undocumented migrants from Haiti in The Bahamas.
"We are concerned, now more than ever before, that the unrest created by declining economic activity, exponential increase in gas prices and more significantly the drastic decrease in food stocks in Haiti will likely exacerbate an endemic outflow of migrants which could lead to severe erosion of our resources, both in manpower and finance," Minister Campbell said Friday as she debated the 2008/2009 budget in the Senate.
"In addition, the overall downturn in the world economic and financial situation has brought about an immense outflow of economic migrants from south to north."
The state minister said immigration officials have had to deal with "unprecedented incidences" of transnational human smuggling.
She also blamed Bahamians – in part – for exacerbating the illegal immigration problem, which has saddled The Bahamas for decades, accusing some citizens of being complicit.
"It is our problem…because we have created the circumstances and the environment for illegal immigrants to come and to stay. Until we change – we Bahamians – change our attitude and behaviour about this, until we stop calling them ours we are likely to continue to have a serious problem," the minister said.
Minister Campbell also disclosed that out of the 1,936 people who registered last year under the immigration audit exercise that the government held, 1,139 of them were from New Providence. Of the latter figure, 467 applications for citizenship are still pending, she said. Another 25 immigrants [four Haitians and 21 other nationals] were approved for citizenship.
The applications of nine foreign nationals and 45 Haitians have been submitted to the immigration board for consideration, while cabinet briefs have been completed for 108 people in New Providence; the figure includes 87 Haitians and 21 other nationals.
Of the 1,139 who registered in the capital, five Haitians and five other nationals did not qualify for status.
"We are still awaiting further documentation for some 173 of those persons of which 146 are Haitians and of that 1,139, 88 of those persons had simply applied for work permits or residency permits and those were pending," she said.
Applying for residency spouse permits or homeowner residency cards were 161 people of whom 37 were nationals other than Haitians.
Reporting on the immigration audit exercise in Grand Bahama, Ms. Campbell reported that 38 people were approved for citizenship, 17 were refused, 10 applications were deferred and 34 were submitted to immigration board. Additionally, 35 applications are now subject of cabinet briefs, 23 people did not qualify for legal status and officials are still awaiting documentation on 119 applicants.
There are almost 400 files that are still incomplete.
In Abaco, 23 people were approved for citizenship, five were refused, three were deferred and 28 applications were submitted to the immigration board. Also, 26 were the subject of cabinet briefs and 21 did not qualify for legal status.
The audit was part of a comprehensive effort to improve record keeping, records retrieval and processing systems in the Immigration Department. A statement from the Cabinet Office further explained that the exercise is not an offer for amnesty for illegal immigrants.
The audit was conducted in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco.".....