The Tribune

CONCERNS have been raised over the continuing presence in The Bahamas of an American businessman who has been granted a work permit despite having been caught smuggling jewellery into the country and had previous requests for permits turned down.

In September, 2013, Jitender ‘Jeff’ Keswani offered to pay the Ministry of Finance almost $400,000 in customs duties and fines after his merchandise was seized. In 2016, applications to the Immigration Department for a two-year renewal for work permits for him and Rajesh Ramchand Chandiramani, a fellow co-owner and manager of Park Lane Jewelers on Bay Street in downtown Nassau, were refused and the pair given three weeks to wind up their affairs and leave The Bahamas. Failure to comply would result in their arrest, prosecution and deportation, the Immigration Department said.

This week, however, William Pratt, the Director of Immigration, confirmed to The Tribune that both men had been granted work permits and returned after they had left the country. Their cases raise concerns over the the levels of background checks performed.

The Tribune has seen a without prejudice letter from September 2, 2013, from Graham Thompson attorneys to Simon Wilson, Deputy Financial Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, offering to broker a repayment deal for Mr Keswani after the seizure of his goods by Customs five days earlier.

“Our client is desirous of settling the outstanding as per the attached Order and hereby proposes the following terms for your consideration,” the letter states.

“1. Immediate payment of $150,000 followed by 6 monthly payments of $78,168.72 beginning October 1st 2013 until the outstanding sums are completely liquidated.”

The letter goes on to ask to whom the cheque should be made payable should the proposal be accepted and to make arrangements to collect the seized goods.

The Customs investigation into the matter was not made public. Customs matters fall under the remit of the Ministry of Finance, the senior ministers responsible being Michael Halkitis and Prime Minister Perry Christie.

The Tribune asked Mr Pratt why permit applications were rejected in 2016 but then granted given the knowledge of the serious Customs offence but did not receive a response.

Applications for new two-year permits for Mr Keswani and Mr Chandiramani were approved by the Department of Immigration on September 1, 2016, but rescinded a day later. The applications were made by Raymond Forbes, of B J C Bahamas Jewellery Co Ltd, for both men to be employed as jewellers. The September 2 letters from Mr Pratt to Mr Forbes said the application had been reconsidered and the previous decision to approve had been “rescinded and refused”. In a letter dated November 16, 2016, in response to a request for a reconsideration of the decision, Mr Forbes was told it was not approved. The men were given 14 days to wind up their affairs and leave the Bahamas. Mr Forbes was advised that “you are to submit to this Department airline, date and flight number of their departure”.