Mitchell cautions Ambassador after ‘Christian spirit’ remarks

As of Wednesday, November 5, 2014

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday said he had a “very frank” conversation with Antonio Rodrigue about the Haitian Ambassador to the Bahamas’ controversial comments on the rounding up of illegal immigrants on Monday.

Mr Mitchell, who spoke to The Tribune from Trinidad where he is attending a CARICOM meeting on the Ebola threat, declined to comment on the details of the teleconference but said Mr Rodrigue’s statement to the media warranted a discussion.

A press statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcing that the two had spoken said: “At the invitation of the minister of foreign affairs, the ambassador for Haiti to the Bahamas attended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning for a discussion in a teleconference of the ambassador’s intervention in the press yesterday.

“There was an exchange of views with the ambassador on the matter and it is hoped in light of that exchange that the necessity for such interventions by the ambassador will in the future be at a minimum.”

This comes after Mr Rodrigue told reporters on Monday that the government should use the “Christian spirit” as it handles the round up of illegal immigrants. He further told reporters that photographs and video of children being led away by Department of Immigration officials on Saturday created a “very bad image” for the country.

At the time he said: “When you see that situation, where the children are born here, raised here and have been here all of their lives, and they are treated like that, you ask, ‘Where is that Christian spirit they talk about here?’”

Mr Rodrigue went on to say that the Bahamas government must make some consideration regarding sending children to Haiti who were born in the Bahamas to illegal immigrants.

“When you took those children, (you’re) sending them back to Haiti - I know because their parents are Haitian they can have Haitian nationality - without anything,” he told reporters on Monday.

Scores of people suspected of having no legal status in the Bahamas were apprehended during a round up on Saturday. The exercises targeted central and southwestern New Providence.

On Sunday, Mr Mitchell said only 77 of those rounded up on Saturday were held at the Detention Centre.

Department of Immigration officers canvassed several businesses, went to homes and checked vehicles during the operation.

The operation coincided with the Christie administration’s new immigration policies, which took effect on November 1. The changes require all non-Bahamians to have a passport of their nationality and evidence that they have permission to live and work in the Bahamas.

The government also said that as of November 1, it would not approve first time work permits for non-residents who have no legal status in the Bahamas.

The government has also said it will stop issuing certificates of identity to non-nationals who are born here.

Observer 10 years ago

The children are the wards of their parents. Wherever the parents go, except on custodial sentence, etc., so go THEIR children with them. The parents are responsible, initially, for the well being of the children. What is the difficulty with this logic? Please, BAHAMIANS, make it clear and plain that the event of birth in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is not an entitlement to Bahamian citizenship. Tell the intruders, Don't confuse what other nations do with our constitution. We are a sovereign nation; we create laws and policies that govern the orderly conduct of Bahamian society. Tell them!

SP 10 years ago

Dude....You just did one hell of a Yeoman job telling them already....AMEN!

GQ 10 years ago

Thank you observer, no further comment necessary

TalRussell 10 years ago

The Honourable Minister must summon Comrade Ambassador to his office for a reminder of his proper place as Haiti's Ambassador posting to Bahamaland. Minister Freddy whilst you got's him seated, ask him about all the floating dead Haitians bloated bodies?
Before the Comrade Ambassador can criticize the Crown Minister's statements, first we need to trace to examine why this Ambassador, or no other Haitian Ambassador in History are on record as having spoken out in christian way so strongly to express their concerns and sympathy over the many drowned Haitian children's dead bodies which have washed up on Bahamaland's beaches and shores and whose bloated bodies are too often found floating in our waters? Doesn't Christianity have be expressed for your own floating Haitian children first? If the Haitian Ambassador has no proper answer, have minister's driver take this out-of-order diplomat, straight to the airport. Maybe Preacherman's Myles would be willing do the christian thing to save government some money, by offering drop Ambassador off in Haiti while in-flight to his meet with with Christians abroad? Comrades we have Haitian Fag Day raised once year in Bahamaland and very vocally, but have you ever heard any Haitian voices being lifted, for the many hundreds their own people, little children included, who have downed in Bahamaland's waters. Do they even talk about such drownings on that Guardian Creole talk radio show? I don't know maybe they do but I don't knows how listen in the required listening Haitian Creole language?

Regardless 10 years ago

This horse's ass if obviously an ignoramus. Probably a former DJ that used to play a lot of their president's CDs and this is his pay back, He needs to be sent back to Haiti or some place like West Africa so he has something to rightly compare The Bahamas and stop complaining about us. Someone also needs to give him a history book so he understands that Haiti has had nothing but violence since their independence. Don't put violence on the Bahamas culture and ignore Haitian DNA!! He also needs to be taken to the registry to see the scores of Haitians who have changed their last names to Bahamian ones so he can stop with the "peaceful Haitian" rhetoric.By the way. has he noticed the level of drug trade in his beloved Haiti? Lastly, stop having children you can't afford to keep and stop hiding behind the Pope for it!

PKMShack 10 years ago

Those children are Bahamians if they are born here, are the Bahamian's born in the U.S. Bahamian's or Americans? How many Bahamian's go right to Miami and have their children turn around and come back, (btw don't pay the bill) return to our Bahamas and raise their children. Later in life they then want all the rights of American's who was born and raised in the U.S. How many Bahamians in the U.S. ILLEGALLY and still hiding and running from U.S. immigration having children btw and in the same position. They might not go there by boat but over stay and end up in the same illegal status. We have a problem here but sending kids to a country they never went to is the wrong answer. Now that the U.S is changing their policy aka anchor babies just know our time is coming to be treated the same way, what will we say then.

Regardless 10 years ago

You may be correct about the few and far between when it comes to Bahamians. We are talking about tens of thousands invading our shores!!!!

Emac 10 years ago

Two wrongs don't make a right. Bahamians are wrong to travel to the US and overstay their time. But what is the ratio of Bahamians traveling abroad and overstaying their time to that of Haitians entering a country illegally, erecting shacks wherever they please, popping out babies every 8 months, sending all ten of their children to school causing overcrowding, stealing power, eating cats, working voodoo, falsifying documents, shitting on people land, trespassing through people property and the list goes on and on...Wake up and look at the bigger picture. No one is sending children to a country they never know. The children are the responsibility of their parents. They belong wherever their parents reside. Besides,According to the Constitution of Haiti, a Haitian citizen is: Anyone, regardless of where they are born, is considered Haitian if either their mother or father is a native-born citizen of Haiti.

Oh and trust me. I am not making this stuff up. I have had all of this stuff done by Haitians who lived near my property. So I believe I am qualified to elaborate on this subject.

sansoucireader 10 years ago

The policy of the USA is that if you are born there you are an American. That is NOT the policy of the Bahamas. We do not have 'anchor babies' like in the US because birth does not necessarily make you a Bahamian (guess someone gave Haitians the wrong info)

duppyVAT 10 years ago

Bahamians do not know their own Constitution ..... much less Highshuns

jackbnimble 10 years ago

The Haitians, in particular, having been feeding themselves a lie that they are Bahamians "at birth" This is so twisted. I don't know how "right to apply for citizenship" is interpreted as "automatic citizenship at birth" but whatever the interpretation they have been using it to "rape" our country for years by saturating our hospitals with their newborns. I just wish the Government would take this to the next level and amend the Constitution. Trust me. If they fix this, they would not need a bus or plane to get the illegals out.

TalRussell 10 years ago

Commit me fires hell for my thoughts, if you wish but these are types conversations we must start having on this hereto Tribune blog pages. If only, yes if only the thousands of hours spent by my fellow Comrade Bahamalander's and Haitians amongst us, both in and out of government who have been thinking up all kinds ways make Haiti an economically sustaining country that can favor their own people to have jobs and not have reason to risk their lives aboard unstable sailing sloops - could be re channeled inward toward solving our own lack of decent paychecks problems , Personally, I don't give as much a good damn, if Haiti has new industries as I do for what happens paychecks in Bahamaland. Why should our government be wasting time and taxpayers money to build farming opportunities in Haiti, all the while closing their check books on local farmers funding? Why not begin by posting immigration officers at PMH 24/7 and 365 days year. Run ads in Haiti telling the Haitians who might be thinking sailing our waters, that not only are you going be shortchanged by your paid smuggles but you could very well drown during your rough waters voyage, That even if you make it Bahamaland, not only will you not be offered work without a work permit in hand, but you, and any accompanied family members, regardless sex or ages, will be detained and promptly deported back Haiti. That for entering country as an illegal, you as long as you live, or your spouse or children, can ever qualify for a work permit, much less Bahamaland's citizenship. Even if you born here and never set foot on Haitian soil, it does not make you a Bahamalander. If you break our immigration laws we will send you on your first Voyage to walk on Haitian soil.

BahamaPundit 10 years ago

The whole Haitian deportation thing was just a diversion tactic for the bailing out of Bank of The Bahamas. It seemed to work, as it got the story of the bailout off the front cover. Bahamians just paid 100 million for nothing. How do you like them apples! This Haitian deportation is a scam, a smoke screen. Is it just a coincidence that it happened just after PM announced the BOB bail out? I think not. Think about it. Don't let the thieves get away with your money again by using innate prejudice and straw men. We aren't that stupid, are we?

TalRussell 10 years ago

Comrade BahamaPundit how kind think this Christie cabinet would even know how create smokescreen? Here's one thing missing. If this is really a big BOB smoke screen, it's also noticeable not even the PM or one Minister Freddy's cabinet colleges are standing with him on Haitian roundup? Not one PLP MP have said a single to media word help Comrade Freddy out. Why would they? Knowing this bunch just maybe the quiet message they are sending is, Comrade Minister on this one, ya's on your own's? I have no idea what they are doing but they sure ain't coming forward as round-up da illegal Haitians players? You get my point? More like Freddy gone waving a red flag in face sleeping Haitian voting block bulls? His chicken with no balls cabinet colleagues will wait see, if PM reverses his Minister of Immigration's November 1st policy? Why not, Pindling and Papa Hubert sure did.

duppyVAT 10 years ago

From one good Catholic to another ............ your voodoo een as strong as my obeah

Emac 10 years ago

lol

androsianboy 10 years ago

we have to be fair and honest in all our dealings , anywhere you go in life you will find the good and he bad. here is a reality check: if we as a Bahamian go to either Jamaica or Haiti and bad mouth the people or the government what will happen to us??? when your in Rome you do as the romans do. we as Bahamians are to gullible and lazy so the foreigners do all our work for us, when things do go our way we want them out. The government of the Bahamas have drag their feet for too long on this issue but I guess like they say better late than never.

SP 10 years ago

.....................................JEHOVAH the most high GOD, is a GOD of Drama! .............................

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell would do well to meet with his counterpart in Trinidad whom is also presently dealing with their illegal migration problem.

Antonio Rodrigue, Haitian Ambassador to the Bahamas and his President Michel Martelly are "WAY" out of order meddling in the affairs of the government & peoples of the Bahamas.

The Haitian government and the FNM NEVER COMMENTED ON ILLEGAL HAITIAN MIGRATION & obviously condone illegal migration to the Bahamas for the benefit of Haiti.

NO, NO, NO, NO!...NO, NO, NO, NO! .....NO, NO, NO, NO!...NO, NO, NO, NO!. Damn NO!

The Bahamas must be preserved for Bahamians and future generations of "indigenous" Bahamians........PERIOD!

Illegal Haitians and "others" must be routed, apprehended and deported!...Children included!

40 years of complacency and leniency has yielded a Haitian presence that truly believe the Bahamas is theirs for the taking.

WRONG!.....They have mistaken our kindness for weakness.

Enough is enough!....... Way past time to get the HAITIAN PARASITES OUT OF OUR COUNTRY!!

Good Job Mr. Mitchell.....No more BULL-SHYTING AROUND with the Haitian invaders.

The Foreign National Movement have already lost any chance of re-election by their silent consent of Haitian dominance of the Bahamas!

John 10 years ago

RASH DECISION? As Haitians try to leave the Bahamas or go into hiding: Economic Impact Some inner city stores have saw their sales drop by as much as 50%. Banks ans other institutions are almost empty. Even Top up phone sales are down. SOCIAL IMPACT: Some schools see some classes reduced by more than half as students are taken in to hiding or prepare to leave the country. Same goes for some churches, medical clinics. EMPLOYMENT: Some businesses, including a major food store, some wholesale agents and fast food restaurants find themselves having to scramble to replace staff who have left or who will not meet the "passport in hand" policy and will have to be replaced eventually. Not to mention some construction companies. And while the effort is underway to rid the country of 'illegals and their offspring' , one major hotel out west is firing Bahamians left, right and center and replacing them with foreign nationals who are not black or Haitian.

A CLEAR OBSEVRATION: The policy to regularize and/or deport persons without proper status in this country is a good one. However the timing and hastiness to carry out this policy was off. One can hardly find an apartment locally in a month much less pack up and move an entire family to another country in the same time frame. Not only will the persons who leave be affected by this but it will leave the country in economic and cultural shock. Businesses that are preparing for their busiest season may actually experience a dramatic slump in sales, and the Government will see a corresponding shortfall in VAT taxes come January. And many social organizations find themselves with key persons leaving without enough time to replace them. Maybe the government must stick to its guns to make it clear that they are serious about their immigration policy. But those who are willing and trying to leave and need more time should be considered.

Emac 10 years ago

When all has been said and done. All extreme measures are necessary to protect the interest of Bahamians first. You seem confused about the pros and cons of illegals leaving this country with haste. SCHOOLS AND CLASSES REDUCED: Excellent!!! I am a teacher by profession and I can tell you that large student numbers in a classroom is not a good environment for learning. CLINICS WILL BE EMPTY. THANK GOD! I have witnessed many situations where Bahamians had to take a back seat in order to get immediate medical attention, mainly because illegal Haitians jam the place. In many cases these people are sick because they fail to take heed to the advice given by the authorities on ways to practice proper hygiene. The Ministry of Health and public nurses make their rounds in these communities frequently to educate them, but they never listen.. SOME BUSINESSES WILL SCRAMPLE TO FIND EMPLOYMEES: You should be ashamed to even mention this, because these businesses are breaking the law by hiring illegals. Hopefully this will force businesses to consider Bahamians. And don't talk about the work ethics of Bahamians because that is irrelevant here. The law is the law!

Arrow 10 years ago

Mr. Minister job well done! Now once you clean up immigration may I suggest you move over to national security and clean that up. You have made a proper stance without emotion and you have taken an aggressive position. Now I encourage you to help your colleague to deal with crime in an unapologetic stern manner. P.s " keep on keeping on.."

Observer 10 years ago

That PKM person is as ignorant as a dried piece of sheep skin. Obviously PKM, or whatever, not a Bahamian who went to school. Please listen, to learn. Its a shame that a citizen is unaware of provisions of Bahamas constitution that pertains to citizenship of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Read, PKM, read it, for your own edification.

DEDDIE 10 years ago

It drives me nuts when ignorant persons use the same arguments that a Mississippi Senator use to justify slavery in the 1800's. He said, the negro is inherently violent and incapable of governing himself and then he drew reference to Haiti. Say what you wish about Haitians and Haiti but don't use that ignorant argument that was use over 200 years ago to keep the negro enslaved. By the way Judge Edith Jones(5th US Court of Appeal) last year said, Blacks and Hispanics are predisposed to crime and violent acts. When you point towards the Haitian you are pointing to all blacks. Remember Bahamians also have cases in the U.S. You think this judge would care that you a Bahamian black Regardless

duppyVAT 10 years ago

There is nothing IGNORANT about recognizing that illegal immigrants are a subversive force in any society. Once legal migrants are assimilated properly, a country can grow. But any society that has enclaves of illegal immigrants is bound for social challenges. That is why the LAW must be enforced for both citizens, legal migrants and illegals.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wir…

Sign in to comment

OpenID

The Tribune