The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard demanded that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis answer questions about Immigration Minister Keith Bell’s decision to grant citizenship to three people at a funeral.

Mr Pintard spoke to reporters yesterday as more than 25 FNM supporters stood on the steps of the Immigration Department.

Amid pouring rain, protesters chanted, “Bell got to go.”

Mr Bell granted citizenship to the wife and children of Frank Racine, a Haitian-born man who died.

Mr Pintard questioned whether the children were entitled to citizenship, noting they were not 18 years old.

He said Mr Bell should be removed from his position.

“This is a country of laws,” he said. “And while we grieve with that family, this government ought to follow the law, and it reeks of political benefits that they are trying to approve from a certain demographic in this country.

“Him resigning is not sufficient. We asked for a select committee on immigration. This government voted against the select committee that would allow all of us, all Bahamians, and all non-Bahamians, to participate in the process so that we can examine everything from person to arrive by air and by sea.”

Mr Pintard said: “For the FNM, our position is that we have no difficulty with others wanting to join us in The Bahamas, whether at the blue-collar level or the white-collar level, but it must not displace Bahamians, and it must be done the correct way. This government seemed not to be committed to the same process.”

Former Immigration Minister Shane Gibson said he administered oaths as a minister, adding the ceremony granting people the status has sometimes been performed in people’s homes.

Mr Pintard responded yesterday: “The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) does business differently. So when we hear a former minister say something like that, we’re not entirely surprised. But our focus is not on the former minister. It is the present minister who must recognise that this is a public that’s very sceptical about the work that has been done by policy makers to address this very serious issue of illegal migration and therefore he should be extra careful. He should exercise good judgment when addressing something as sacred as issuing citizenship.”