FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell and National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage met yesterday with Panama officials to discuss the much-disputed offer of asylum for 19 Cubans who had been detained in Nassau.
While it was claimed by the Cuban-American community that Panama had offered visas to the immigrants – who claimed refugee status – to prevent their repatriation to Cuba, Mr Mitchell said this position was not communicated to the Bahamas government.
However, David McGrath, the Honorary Consul of Panama, said they tried to speak to local officials but got no response for days.
During the interval, many of the Cubans in question were sent back to Cuba.
Following yesterday’s meeting with Mr McGrath and special envoy Ambassador Guillermo Cochez, the following statement was released: “The government of the Bahamas received an explanation from the Panamanian government as to why a public announcement was made before it was formally communicated to the Bahamas and has accepted the explanation.
“The discussion centred on the proposal by Panama to receive a number of illegal Cuban migrants currently in legal detention in the Bahamas and adjudged by international criteria to be political refugees.
“At the end of the short meeting, it was agreed that the discussions should continue in the near future.”
Mr Mitchell also announced that eight Cuban Nationals were successfully repatriated to Havana, Cuba yesterday morning at 10am.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 11 years, 2 months ago
Excellent! Now make damn sure those lying republicans get the message.
Good job sending the rest back to. Keep it up. Make sure Cubans understand we will no longer be their door mat. You end up here and you're going back.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 2 months ago
there were "lyin" democrats also ..ie Bill Nelson
cubanwhitecitizen 11 years, 2 months ago
you are really so stupid or you are just pretending to be? Don´t you know that nobody want to life in your f...ing islands? Those cubans are in their trip to FLORIDA!!!!! learn something!!!!! not to your f...ing country. they don´t need you to pay for send them back, they just need you to left in freedom to continue their trip.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 2 months ago
whats the difference ,paying there way back to cuba or panama ,,,these ones had to go to cuba ,,they had tales to tell ,bro take off your xenophopic goggles ,,and could you all please stop w/ lying republicans when two democrats signed the letter ..wait until you see the retired judge and clergymen that our doing the investigation ,,my feeling is they will be two political hacks
cubanwhitecitizen 11 years, 2 months ago
They don´t ask you for feed them or house them, they are just ask for left them in freedom for continues their trip to Florida. Come on!!! do you really think that somebody in their right mind want to live in those islands???
concernedcitizen 11 years, 2 months ago
everybody a liar but Freddy even the honorary panamian consulor , that has no dog in the fight ,,come on guys take off the xenophopic goggles ,,,,,,,,,something is rotten in denmark
cubanwhitecitizen 11 years, 2 months ago
What all of you fucking xenophobic niggas are uncapable to understand is that those cubans are fleeing from their own country because they got a military communist dictatorship, and are trying to reach USA territory, not your fucking islands replenish with Afro-Descendants. They don´t want you to feed them nor your house them. They just want your fucking pseudo-communist government left them free to continue their trip to Florida coast. And that goes with Stupid-Rory more than everything.
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