FREEPORT, G.B. – Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister, the Hon. Frederick A. Mitchell said Friday (Aug 23) that in the coming weeks there will be leadership changes in Immigration throughout the country.
Minister Mitchell feels that the changes will deal with the problems of illegal aliens, those working without permits as well as documented aliens doing jobs that Bahamians could do, and in fact jobs that should be reserved for Bahamians.
The Foreign Affairs Minister was attending a Job Opportunities and Training Awareness Day Seminar sponsored by the Total Education Centre in conjunction with the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Mitchell also took the opportunity to re-introduce to the Grand Bahama community, James T. Rolle, who was retired from Immigration by the former administration, and who has returned to his former post as Assistant Director of Immigration, with responsibilities for the Grand Bahama District.
The Minister told the gathering, assembled in the convention centre of the Our Lucaya Resort, that the forum was planned by himself and Total Education Centre president, Fred Delancy, to try and change the conversation in Freeport and Grand Bahama as a whole about the immigration policies being implemented on the island.
“That was months ago and I believe, that thankfully, we have turned the corner in public opinion so that there is broad acceptance of the policy of Bahamians first,” he stated.
Minister Mitchell said since that original statement back in March and his coming to Grand Bahama almost every Friday since that time, he has had the opportunity to canvas the industrial and commercial sector to try and bring this message home that it will not be business as usual in Immigration.
“I hope that ordinary men and women, Bahamians in this city and island are finding that people are getting the message. If not please let us know,” he told the gathering.
Continuing Mr. Mitchell explained that “our concern at the time was the feeling that people wanted to plan Bahamians out of the city and island.”
He said that the Minister for Grand Bahama, Dr. Michael Darville and his colleagues, together with leaders at the Department of Immigration and the Department of Labour working with the sector have been most instrumental in turning things around.
“I want to use this opportunity to say that we will continue working in the coming days and months with the commercial sector to ensure that our policies are open, transparent and streamlined so that we can respond sensitively to the needs of that sector.
“However, it is vitally important that all companies commit to the development of Bahamians where the skills are not available in The Bahamas and in this island. The answer is training and training also comes not just in the classroom but by opportunities on the job,” he stated.
The Minister made mention of a recent visit to the Grand Bahama Shipyard and how pleased he was to see so many young Bahamians participating fully in a training programme there.
Mr. Mitchell said he had made the point early on that Bahamians cannot be looking in through the glass while others reap the benefits of the society they built.
While introducing Mr. Rolle as the new Immigration chief on Grand Bahama, Mr. Mitchell said they are happy to have his services, and that the Assistant Director will have the special responsibility of following the training regimes to make sure that industry and the commercial sector generally are adhering to the Government’s mandates of training.
Minister Mitchell noted that he has had extensive talks with Mr. Delancy, with the people who are marine pilots, with the trade unions about jobs and skills that are available in Grand Bahama.
“We will make sure that this information becomes institutionalised so that when the call is made for work permits, we will know whether or not those skills are available in Grand Bahama,” he said.
The Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister further informed that he has spoken to the management side of the equation at the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the Grand Bahama Shipyard, Grand Bahama Power Company, Stat Oil and other companies.
“It is not going to be easy but the Government is determined that young Bahamians get an opportunity to contribute to the economy and to gain the benefits from it,” Mr. Mitchell said.
He also informed of his recent visit to Abaco where he spoke to the hotel sector, stressing that they cannot plan Bahamians out of The Bahamas.
“In that island, there are some unique matters affecting them, not the least of which is the growing illegal migrant population that appears to be completely out of hand, with no respect for the laws of our land,” he said.
Minister Mitchell added that he was shocked to find non-Bahamian vendors selling food to Bahamian workers as they embarked on their morning work journey, and that he has asked for that to be checked immediately.
Also, he drew attention to the fact that within the last few weeks, boats have been finding their way from the Republic of Haiti to New Providence and then people get away and disappear into the villages of New Providence.
“The anecdotal evidence is that this is happening in Abaco as well. In Abaco and in New Providence, there will be greater vigilance and checks within the coming weeks.
“Employers should be forewarned that anyone who is a non-national should have in their possession the evidence that they have a right to live and work in The Bahamas.
“In the coming weeks there will be a change in leadership in Immigration throughout the country to bring new faces to deal with these issues. I have also foreshadowed the creation of an Immigration Reserve Corps, to assist the regular immigration officers in their work,” Mr. Mitchell said, adding that he expects that legislation will be ready for the fall resumption of Parliament.
Further, he said as a result of the recent unlawful incursions they have been finding that unscrupulous employers have been seeking to regularise some of those people with applications for work permits.
“Please be advised that the policy is, as of now, that these permit applications will be refused.
“Unless someone can make a special case for someone who is completely new to the country, for example taking care of seniors or special children, that person will not get a work permit in categories of labourers, handymen and gardeners and live in maids.
“We mean to discourage these new people from getting any opportunity to get a work permit. They are to be apprehended and deported back to their home countries,” he stated.
Also, he noted that any country’s citizens that require a visa to come to The Bahamas can expect an Immigration Officer to ask before the application for work is processed to show that if the applicant is in The Bahamas, that applicant has the right to be in The Bahamas.
“If that applicant does not, he must leave or be deported. We mean to have a properly documented country. People have to come here to share their skills and knowledge but it must be documented,” he said.
The Minister also touched on a problem in Bimini where non-national fishermen are abusing their permission to bring their sports fishing vessels into the country.
“I have been working with the Minister of Tourism on this but this applies not only in Bimini.
“Notwithstanding any permit that is issued from the National Port Authority of The Bahamas, if a sports fisherman who is taking someone out in this country to fish from a hotel does not have permission to be gainfully employed, he is in violation of the Immigration Act. Kindly begin to govern yourself accordingly,” he warned.
The Minister also informed that in Exuma, people are reporting that tourists are being told that they do not need Bahamian guides and fishermen, that they can go out and do it themselves.
“I say it again! We must cause Bahamians to benefit from what is in our country,” The Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister stated.
