Abandoned by the country of his birth

JEAN Rony Jean-Charles

As of Monday, January 22, 2018

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

JEAN Rony Jean-Charles, the Bahamas-born man who, according to relatives, went “missing” after three months at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, has been found in a North Haitian slum.

The 35-year-old C V Bethel Senior High School alumnus was tracked down to a small village on the outskirts of Port-de-Paix, Haiti, by The Tribune and his attorney after a social media campaign was launched by relatives who feared he would be forever lost in the poverty-stricken nation.

He told The Tribune he was sent to “hell” by the Bahamas government, and each day since has been a struggle for survival, both physically and mentally.

Mr Jean-Charles was arrested in early September 2017 by immigration officers, and an application of contesting the lawfulness of his detention was filed on November 29.

In an affidavit, his sister Clotilde Jean-Charles’ claimed she took documents proving his birth to the Department of Immigration at the request of officials, only to be repeatedly told that the matter was under investigation.

His application is one of scores of writs filed last year against detainees at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

In December, former Director of Immigration William Pratt told The Tribune that Mr Jean-Charles, whose relatives said he was born and raised in The Bahamas to Haitian parents, was flown to Haiti.

Mr Pratt said Mr Jean-Charles was sent to Port au Prince, Haiti, on November 24 after not being able to prove he was in the country legally.

At the time, Mr Jean-Charles’ relatives said they were unsure whether he was “alive or dead” or was “illegally deported” after not being allowed to speak to him or visit him in nearly three weeks.

On December 19, the Supreme Court gave the government an additional 21 days to produce Mr Jean-Charles and to provide evidence justifying his deportation or be held in contempt of court.

The court imposed deadline would have passed on Friday, January 19 - four days ago.

Mr Jean-Charles’ attorney Fred Smith said: “Now that I have located him in Haiti and he has confirmed that the government illegally expelled him, we will be urging the Supreme Court to order the government under Article 28 of the Constitution to bring him back. And this will be the clarion call of our campaign to redeem the citizenship and rights of the potentially thousands of citizens in waiting who have been unconstitutionally expelled by the Bahamas government.”

Mr Smith continued: “While visiting with him (in Haiti), I was approached by at least five other persons, including a young 12-year-old, all of whom were born in the Bahamas but who had been unlawfully expelled. Jean-Rony’s case will highlight the systemic denial of constitutional and human rights to thousands of Bahamian born citizens-in-waiting.”

Mr Jean-Charles’ discovery follows revelations made by the government before the United Nations last Wednesday concerning draft regulations for the welfare of detainees at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre (CRDC).

During his national report in Geneva, Switzerland, Attorney General Carl Bethel foreshadowed amendments to the Immigration Act, revealing proposed changes that will limit detention times for persons pending deportation and station a courtroom at the CRDC. Mr Bethel said the government is also considering extending the age limit to apply for a Belonger’s permit in a bid to reduce the risk of statelessness for persons born in the Bahamas to migrant parents.

Read tomorrow’s Tribune for a full account of Mr Jean-Charles’ time at the detention centre and his current experience in Haiti.

Cas0072 6 years, 3 months ago

When are the illegal Haitian parents and their offspring going to take any accountability for their actions? For decades now it has always been PMH or the registrar's office "lost" their birth certificates. I am sure that happens sometimes, but like this story of the "lost" and "found" undocumented migrant, I believe it is a convenient twisting of tales. Like being too broke to apply for their documents, but sending up to 100 million out of the country annually.

If he did not apply before his 19th birthday, he had no right to be in The Bahamas as a 35 year old man, regardless of the scraps of information that they attempted to submit when deportation came up. His parents abandoned him when they brought or gave birth to him in The Bahamas and believed that's all they needed to do. But of course, they knew they can count on the illegal immigrant enablers like Fred Smith, sell out politicians, and the elite to convince them that they are victims when they all have ulterior motives for keeping the slave like industry and population intact.

jackbnimble 6 years, 3 months ago

I couldn't agree more. How is a 35-year old born to two ILLEGAL parents living in the Bahamas with no legal status? A right to apply is NOT a right to citizenship. When are these Haitians going to get that in their thick skulls?

Did he EVERY apply? And if he applies and is then denied. what will they do next? It's asinine!

And I also agree that many births are forged. Don't you find it interesting that the sloops always have young children on them. The suckers can't wait to throw them in the system and then claim "dey born here" couple years later no doubt with a bunch of fake affidavits.

This is foolishness on another level!

jackbnimble 6 years, 3 months ago

So he's living in "hell" in the slums of Haiti.

I guarantee that come flag day his people will be front row and centre waving the flag and claiming how Haiti is all that a bag of chips. Here were have it from the horse's mouth.

They only feign allegiance. None of the suckers want to go back. Now ya know why!

TalRussell 6 years, 3 months ago

Ma Comrade Braddas, aren't we not all to blame for allowing to go unaddressed by consecutive governing administrations the most inherent “hypocrisy” in they ways we handling what in hell are we to do with those born in the Bahamaland - as to either you’re going be accepted as a full part of we islands country, or you’re not? We needs makes we minds up and settle this nagging issue done been us too damn long and it ain't going away on she own..... PM Minnis set a firm deadline for December 31, 2017 but you knows way we's PM goes once the deadline arrives and passes with his wacky statements issued by 'Acee' on his behalf.

joeblow 6 years, 3 months ago

The Bahamian Constitution does not have a provision that states that illegals get citizenship JUST BECAUSE they were born here. It assumes those born here are of parents that are here LEGALLY. The government must make a constitutional amendment to reflect this. The Haitian constitution gives automatic citizenship to those born to Haitian parents outside of Haiti. These people are not stateless, they failed to complete the process with their government.

TalRussell 6 years, 3 months ago

Ma Comrade Bradda JoeBlow, not every Joeblow may be so entitled to the principle of 'jus soli' but this can be quickly settled within 72 hours by the Peoples House of Assembly, passing a 'jus soli' Immigration Act 2018 to clarify the true intended spirit of the Constitution, going forward.

joeblow 6 years, 3 months ago

Laws are never made with the intent to reward lawbreakers, so the intent of the law should be clear in this regard. Jus soli benefits the offspring of illegal Haitians, it does not benefit the Bahamas!

Cas0072 6 years, 3 months ago

The position of the majority of Bahamians on the topic of illegal immigration has always been clear. Unfortunately, we have nothing but untrustworthy governments who pretend to be on the same page as Bahamians only to turn around and aid and abet illegal immigration. You need look no further than this current administration to see this play out. Perhaps Fred Smith's antics will lead to a referendum so that we can get rid of the illegal enticements once and for all.

Secondly, these people do not want to be "part of we islands country" or they would have done a much better job of assimilating. How do you hole yourself up in illegal villages, and come out only to take advantage of free services, to work illegally, and dispatch funds to Haiti and think that will somehow endear you to the rest of the population?

ohdrap4 6 years, 3 months ago

Mr Smith continued: “While visiting with him (in Haiti), I was approached

by at least five other persons, including a young 12-year-old, all of whom were born in the Bahamas but who had been unlawfully expelled.

Our very own Oskar Schindler. no?

tell_it_like_it_is 6 years, 3 months ago

I think it's important to have a balanced view to immigration. While I don't agree with illegal immigration, I do believe that the government can do better with detaining those who were born in The Bahamas and applied for citizenship (even though this individual seems to have not applied). There's got to be a better way to handle this.

My2centz 6 years, 3 months ago

Illegal parents need to do much better regarding the status of their children. They leave it to chance that the law will be bent to accommodate their neglect and inability to produce documents required of all applicants (not just Haitian). If an illegal woman and a friend can be legally permitted to sign an affidavit that essentially establishes her child as a citizen, these parents simply did not have the will or concern to do so on behalf of Jean Rony. He didn't have it for himself (he's almost 40). Or they all knew he was not born in the Bahamas and tried it anyway.

joeblow 6 years, 3 months ago

Agreed, their intention was to overwhelm the system forcing the hand of immigration to bend to their will. It is a type of coup!

licks2 6 years, 3 months ago

Mr. Smith represents which human rights organization now? He must not read them UN accords aye? Rights of the child says that when them parents get sent home their children them "must" be sent along with them. . .no family will be parted. He knows that that same 12 year old can return at 18 years and lay claim. . .if he/she has proper documentations to do so!! Yall noticed how he will not say that the man was illegally expelled. . .the constitution gives only one year for applications. . .they want to play hard ball by saying that the article did not say if ya legal or illegal to be eligible to apply. . .that question is still open to go to court. . .but for the application time frame. . .there is no question. . .one year. . .and no statue law can go against that!

BigSlick 6 years, 3 months ago

yes....i'm sure you know more than the esteemed QC! and yes, he did actually state that he was illegally expelled. it clearly states that in the article.

joeblow 6 years, 3 months ago

If Mr Smith had any regards for the law, he would not seek to bend its interpretation for the benefit of lawbreakers. There are only two ways to enter this country, LEGALLY or ILLEGALLY!

Are immigrants and number men the only two groups who could break the law and benefit from it?

TalRussell 6 years, 3 months ago

Ma Comrade Bradda, if you asks me - who but 'King's Counsel' Freddy, puts a voice to the bad treatment of the disenfranchised poor likes a Bahamalander-born man's JEAN Rony Jean-Charles? Is it so wrong asks for our parliamentary democracy to step-in look after the poor and near poor - born on the same soil as rest we?

joeblow 6 years, 3 months ago

A governments FIRST duty is to its citizens. We should look after our OWN first, then others!

Haitians have abused our systems by overwhelming them by sheer numbers. If Haitian parents had applied to their respective embassy after their child's birth, we would not have a nationality issue. That child could have applied at 18 and the government make a decision as to whether or not they want to grant Bahamian citizenship! This is not complicated!

Who is speaking up for Bahamians who have been adversely affected by overcrowded schools and public clinics because of illegals children? What about depletion of medication in government pharmacies because of burdens on the system? Who is complaining about the tax pressure the government applies to the middle class as they try to finance this social burden? Who cares about BAHAMIANS!

TalRussell 6 years, 3 months ago

Ma Bradda Comrade, good points raised but both major political parties governing administrations by holding Haitians hostage - motivated for their own political party's needs and wants are at the very root all points you've so raised. Still, doesn't address PM Minnis's December 31, 2017's came and gone deadline?

My2centz 6 years, 3 months ago

Aegeaon 6 years, 3 months ago

I do, and I rather the Bahamians to stop blaming problems on them. Once you stop the victim card, you may get better at running society or the government. That's all I'm saying.

My2centz 6 years, 3 months ago

How do you know he was born on the same soil as you when he nor his parents could provide legal proof of that? Should we simply accept his word without proof? The immigration department did their job in this instance. He and his parents failed him.

TalRussell 6 years, 3 months ago

Ma Comrade Bradda My2Centz, how unfair punish now a grown man's for the parent supposedly setting up their son for failure - and we have no evidence of bad parenting, now, do we? Broke people saddled with language and immigration barriers whilst parenting in a new land is difficult enough at the best times.

My2centz 6 years, 3 months ago

His sister has status and I'm sure many family members as well. So they (and he) were not ignorant of the citizenship laws or the required documents to secure status. If he were truly born in the Bahamas and they made no effort on his behalf, this is bad parenting..no question about it. Stop making excuses. Based on the documents his family made public as proof of his claim, what's more likely is that he was not born in the Bahamas. Immigration did their job.

birdiestrachan 6 years, 3 months ago

His relatives and the outspoken QC knew where he was all the time. it was all about the drama and the opportunity to disrespect Immigration officers. He call Haiti a Hell hole. He and President Trump seems to be on the same page.

If he did not apply for his Citizen ship when he was eighteen what happens now. as for the 12 year old. will the QC be adopting . Never mind the drama king with his high pitch voice.

sealice 6 years, 3 months ago

that's all we bloody need - start flying em back here free??? Please please don't open this door to stupidity.

TalRussell 6 years, 3 months ago

Ma Comrade Bradda Sealice, pay to fly to return the Comrade back to his Homeland and the man's should collect a quarter million dollars in damages for resettlement costs to gets him back on his two foots..... and on top that the learned QC, also needs his lawyer fees paid to... maybe send all the bills to the government official who signed his deportation papers?

bogart 6 years, 3 months ago

All blame should not be thrown on Mr. Smith who is and has been using the LAW to do his job. If he was doing something illegal the authorities would have charged him like others for breaking the law.

The problem lies with the authorities who in to varying degrees carrying out their jobs over the decades and in some cases it not seem to be doing their jobs. First with the largest unprecented number of seats 35 yhe govt has a mandate to now overhaul, do forensic audits, surgery into Immigration. Simple look at the job description policies and constitution. Its common sense that with all the holes in the system that we cannot survive as a SOVEREIGN NATION with these contrasting policies and 12 million Haitians located some 30 miles from our Southern border.

joeblow 6 years, 3 months ago

Mr Smith is TWISTING the interpretation of the law to suit his purposes! He knows full well that the common law NEVER seeks to side with law breakers! Our constitution ASSUMES legal (let into the country through the right channels). The Immigration Act states what should happen to those who do not use those channels. It is not age specific!

stillwaters 6 years, 3 months ago

The Tribune needs to be more responsible with their headlines, instead of just reaching for sensationalism.

DDK 6 years, 3 months ago

100% AGREED!

John 6 years, 3 months ago

There may be similar cases of Bahamians, being deported from the US in a short while. Many of these Bahamians will have spent most, if not all, of their adult lives in the US and will now be deported. They are being urged not to leave voluntarily and to fight deportation. But will that really help their cause.as the US has stated that it will not allow any more immigrant workers from Haiti.

killemwitdakno 6 years, 3 months ago

is there not a system to check who's legal? Does immigration not know without needing the person to prove it again?

And why was there no log of his deportation?

DDK 6 years, 3 months ago

Bureaucratic inefficiency in action! It just goes on and on........

TheMadHatter 6 years, 3 months ago

Perhaps Mr. Smith could cite the chapter or section of the Constitution where we can find the phrase "citizens-in-waiting"? He should understand that no matter how many times he uses those words, they will not appear in our Law.

Secondly, the article says "He told The Tribune he was sent to “hell” by the Bahamas government, and..." Is he sure it is Hell, or could it perhaps just be a "shithole" like The Donald says?

Ask him if he sees any pregnant women there? Is he advocating for children's rights not to be born in "shitholes" or in Hell? Probably not. Nobody cares about those MILLIONS of children in Haiti, so what makes him so special?

TalRussell 6 years, 3 months ago

Ma Comrade Braddas who thinks it was humane the way this deportation and many others of the locally born have taken place... you need to ask your Imperial red votes MP's what instructions has the minister immigration given to his immigration officers over how not to reject visiting "Community Nationals.... any number "Community Nationals" can enter the Bahamaland for 6 months for any reason and renew their permission to stay for another 6 months, then another and then more anothers? PM Minnis and Brent are done passed this ass marks deep into CARICOM. Can we not show some equal feelings compassion and caring for others born among us?

birdiestrachan 6 years, 3 months ago

The Haitian Embassy also said they had no record of this man been deported. So the plot thickens.

sheeprunner12 6 years, 3 months ago

What am I missing????? ........... Did Haiti abandon this man??????? ...... He was born illegally in The Bahamas to two Haitian parents ......... He is legally Haitian by birth AND citizenship.

BahamaPundit 6 years, 3 months ago

If nationality has nothing to do with it, why is Haiti described as "Hell." Surely, the creation of Hell on Earth is not a normal state of affairs. If Haiti is Hell, what can be done about it? Surely, the only option cannot be to spread "Hell" to other countries, so that every country joins Haiti in becoming Hell.

TheMadHatter 6 years, 3 months ago

BahamaPundit - you see the situation clearly that others every day are deliberately shutting their eyes to.

Why do Haitians here or in the USA have so many children? Shouldn't they instead save that baby-food money and send it to Haiti to help improve Hell?

DEDDIE 6 years, 3 months ago

Jean Charles is without any excuse, he simply should have applied upon attaining the age of eighteen no matter how difficult or lengthy the process is. The other side of the coin is the roadblocks place by immigration to discourage those like Jean Charles from applying. I know of a case of a lady born before 1973 who is a Bahamian citizen and not until her brothers and sisters threaten legal action that she was accepted as been Bahamian and provided with a passport. Lets be real, the average Bahamian don't want to see these individuals getting Bahamian passports and it shows up with files been lost or misplaced.

Cas0072 6 years, 3 months ago

Always this victim mentality. What’s real is that the average Bahamian wants to see immigration laws carried out and the proper punishments applied. If your peers would stop with the fake documents that would be helpful as well. Meanwhile, the average deportee story is they lose my documents and immigration officers stole my money. How convenient.

BahamaPundit 6 years, 3 months ago

I would argue that Haiti is not Hell nor a shithole. The same with Africa. What is a Hell and shithole, however, is the decision by the general population of these countries to reproduce beyond their ability to sustain the people created. The solution is very simple: for crying out loud Haitians, stop having children you cannot afford to take care of! If Haiti had a low population, it would soon stabilize and become quite a decent place to live. The problem is, for whatever reasons, the Haitians keep on producing children like crazy and shipping them off to other countries. It's almost as if Haiti is trying to not only screw themselves but, also, the entire Western hemisphere.

Aegeaon 6 years, 3 months ago

Can people stop insulting Haitians? This is tiresome.

jamaicaproud 6 years, 3 months ago

Indeed it is. Negroes and semi negroes posturing, because they were fortunate to be born in a less miserable place.

DEDDIE 6 years, 3 months ago

Bahama Pundit every country even the Bahamas went through a stage where their citizenry appeared to be having more children than they were capable of adequately caring for. This behavior seems to go hand in hand with poverty and a lack of education. The seem behavior continue to exist in quite a few of our over the hill communities. Irresponsible sexual behavior seem to be the plight of the poor. I guess some will call it the joy of the poor.

sheeprunner12 6 years, 3 months ago

Yep, we were just like the Haitians back in 1890-1910 ........... That is why 100,000 Bahamians are in Florida today ..... Our cheap labour built Miami.

joeblow 6 years, 3 months ago

We were invited!

John 6 years, 3 months ago

TWO Things that stand out in this report: .

JEAN Rony Jean-Charles, the Bahamas-born man who, according to relatives, went “missing” after three months at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, has been found in a North Haitian slum.

After three months he did not try to contact his family in Nassau? Not even a wats app to his sister? Did he just give up and accept his fate or are things that bad in that part of haiti he couldn't afford to wats app or was the service not available? . . . "

I was approached by at least five other persons, including a young 12-year-old, all of whom were born in the Bahamas but who had been unlawfully expelled" . . Are minors being deported without a parent or legal guardian or is Mr. Smith not saying that the 12 y/o was deported with his parent(s)?

sheeprunner12 6 years, 3 months ago

Ever heard of Trumpian "fake news"???? ......... Red Fred is a real "drama king" when it comes to Haitian affairs.

TalRussell 6 years, 3 months ago

Ma Comrade Braddas. are we to turn Jean Rony into the poster man's to blame Haiti and her nationals for the complete Shi#hole of which Bay Street's downtown's commercial and local gathering point have fallen into poverty... or admit tis the locals who have fuc#ed up most Nassau Town? Are not the Landlords and Landowners of the some 16 Shantytowns, not locals and not Haitian nationals? Of important note. The first two MP's to be elected to the House were of Haitian heritage.... and unlike many who would later follow them into the House - both men's having served with 'honour' and exited the House with their 'dignity' in tack.

My2centz 6 years, 3 months ago

The descendants of those MPs are now generational Bahamians with limited Haitian lineage. Their ancestors assimilated into the population and culture. This is quite different from the present day scenario and the newly landed. How many illegal Haitians should the Bahamas absorb because two persons of Haitian descent gave to, and likely benefited more, from this country?

John 6 years, 3 months ago

What did Tal say?

TheMadHatter 6 years, 3 months ago

Tal, Sheeprunner, Deddie, and Aegeon if you guys think so highly of Haiti you ought to move there. I would personally buy you a one-way ticket.

Note carefully though that nobody is PICKING ON Haiti. Everyone wants Haiti to become a wonderful country and for its people to have great rewarding prosperous lives. I do too.

However, you cannot fix a problem unless you admit you have one and define carefully what the problem is. If you guys' attitude is that Haiti has no problems - then there is no hope for improvement.

TheMadHatter 6 years, 3 months ago

OR people can just remain as silly and ignorant as Conan O'Brian and ignore the suffering of people in these places and just use them as political pawns. For a sample of true insanity, check out this related link:

http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywoo...">Celebrity Fool In Haiti

Tarzan 6 years, 3 months ago

I read all these comments with wonder over how these pages are filled regularly with vitriol addressed to the sitting U.S. President, calling him a racist, for trying to hold the line against chain migration of illegal immigrants to the U.S. If you cannot control your borders, you do not have a country. It is as simple as that. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

sheeprunner12 6 years, 3 months ago

Immigrant labour has been exploited by every country in history ...... Presently, The Bahamas and the USA just have very volatile issues with illegal immigration & DACA .... and our Bahamian society and economy cannot support large numbers of immigrants ..... but the foreign investors and local elites know how to exploit the labour system.

Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 3 months ago

JUST GET AND KEEP THEM ALL OUT OF THE BAHAMAS BEFORE WE HAVE NO COUNTRY OF OUR OWN. NO MORE TALK, NO MORE DEBATE - JUST DO IT AS A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY!

Damifiknow 6 years, 3 months ago

Haitian slum,I guess the squatting shanty town in Bahamas is the suburbs.

BahamaPundit 6 years, 3 months ago

The answer is easy. Poor countries need to drastically decrease the babies they produce. No matter what race, any group of people that produces babies like rabbits without a hope of supporting them and sustaining them will be abhored by the global community. Period. Not making it about race and make it about personal responsibility. Baby making machines without financing those babies are nothing but a type of social terrorism. We need to stop giving excuses to this type of intentional biological invasion and violence against societies big and small.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID