The Tribune

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance leader Branville McCartney said the government must invest in new technology in the fight against illegal immigration.

In a statement issued yesterday, he called it “most amazing” that the PLP – which was in power from 1967 to 1992 and then again from 2002 to 2007 – continues to take the same approach when it comes to stemming the flow of illegal immigrants.

Mr McCartney said: “Recently, we have had an influx of illegal immigrant to our shores. These illegals were able to out manoeuvre in a wooden sloop the Defence Force vessels or indeed their watch by coming straight from Haiti, passing throughout the Bahama chain of islands, and ending up on the southern shores of New Providence.

“When they arrived, some were able to escape in the bushes and more likely than not housed in one of the many shantytowns on New Providence.”

Mr McCartney said the odds are that the majority of these illegals will go undetected and remain in the Bahamas, putting a strain on our Social Services, using healthcare facilities, going to public schools, erecting houses without permits, contaminating the water table, using electricity free of charge and in some instances committing crimes against law abiding Bahamians.

“We will never know if these persons came to our shores with diseases or indeed were involved in criminal activities in their homeland,” he said.

“This scenario has been going on for 40 years and the present government seems to be intent on using the same methods they used 40 years ago to ‘detect’ illegals.

“Well, today, the fact of the matter is that we have an illegal problem in the Bahamas. Recently, the PLP government indicated that they would invest millions in more vessels to man our waters from illegal immigrants and poachers. Can’t they see that this method has not worked, yet they continue to implement the same thing!”

Although vessels are necessary to an extent, Mr McCartney said, there are better ways to use technology to combat this problem.

“Technology is available so that by a push of a button these sloops can be detected the minute they leave the shores of other countries.

“The technology is so advanced that they can detect wooden sloops on the water and anything under the water.

“The fact of the matter is that if you have 100 vessels for Defence Force use, that would still not be enough to man our vast waters. The use of technology can.”

Mr McCartney said the DNA would encourage the PLP government to go to its website, mydnaparty.org and see the party’s town meeting on immigration.

“They would see the technology discussed and if they wish, we are more than willing to provide them with the names of companies that we have spoken to prior to the election who would be willing to assist.

“We just cannot continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. We all know that Einstein classifies this as insanity,” he said.