Bruno Rufa
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ATTORNEY Fred Smith is preparing for more rounds of court battles over the rights of Bruno Rufa after the Canadian was reportedly told yesterday by immigration officers that he must leave the country within seven days.
This is the latest in the controversy which, for Mr Rufa, has involved multiple arrests, threats of deportation and a judicial review.
“Four officers visited Mr Rufa at his home (yesterday) and asked him if he would come to the Immigration Department,” Mr Smith said.
“He was accompanied by a lawyer in our office to the department. The acting director of immigration in Freeport then asked him for his passport and landing card and told him that he has been directed by the director of immigration to cancel his permission to be in The Bahamas and that he must wind up his affairs within seven days and leave The Bahamas in seven days.”
Mr Smith, QC, said the order was an abrupt change in immigration policy concerning Mr Rufa since the Supreme Court, during a recent judicial review, gave him 150 days extension –beginning on November 23 – to remain in the country.
“This was without notice,” Mr Smith said. “It has come hot on the heels of (Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred) Mitchell lambasting a Supreme Court judge and the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association in saying nobody could control the Immigration Department. This is absolutely shocking for Mr Rufa that his permission to be here has been so arbitrarily been taken from him and that after being here for 17 years and owning a home here, he is being ordered to wind up his business and asked to leave.”
Mr Smith expects to file a motion in the Supreme Court today, seeking a stay on the Department of Immigration’s order that he leave the country in seven days until a fresh judicial review into the matter is completed.
It is unclear why immigration officials are so eager to deport Mr Rufa.
When contacted for comment yesterday, Immigration Director William Pratt said: “I have nothing to say on that, absolutely nothing.”
Mr Mitchell also told The Tribune that he does not comment on operational matters.
Earlier this year, Mr Rufa was arrested and charged with working in the country illegally - he was allegedly found working at the pool bar at the Coral Beach apartment complex in Grand Bahama without a work permit. Mr Rufa owns a condo in the community. He is also the president of the Board of Directors for Coral Beach Management Company Ltd.
While that matter has not been completed, earlier this year immigration officers took Mr Rufa into custody, saying the director of immigration had decided he was an undesirable and must be deported as soon as possible.
However, after the order was challenged by Mr Smith, the Supreme Court subsequently ordered that Mr Rufa be freed until judicial proceedings were complete.
The matter was completed last week, with Justice Petra Hanna-Weekes ruling that he had been unlawfully arrested and deported from the country, prompting Mr Mitchell to say the ruling challenged the authority of the Department of Immigration.
Mr Smith believes efforts Mr Rufa has made to improve the Coral Beach community have landed him in the crosshairs of some residents on the island who have complained to immigration officials about him.
“A number of Bahamians who weren’t paying their maintenance (fees) but who have people they know on the immigration force have been making complaints against him,” Mr Smith claimed.
“He is a home owner and the International Land Holdings Act means he has a right to an annual residency card,” he added. “What kind of message is Minister Mitchell sending to the investors when a man of this stature can be so unceremoniously expelled from the country? It means no one who owns a house here is safe. What kind of banana republic is the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell running?”
Comments
GrassRoot 8 years, 10 months ago
The Empire Strikes Back. May the Force be with you RUFA. Fred Vader is on the march again.
sealice 8 years, 10 months ago
HAHA fweddy Mitch tinks he's bigger then the LAW.. hopefully Freddy Smit can tell him bout he hip....
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Here's my advice to Freddy.
Take it from a none "King's Counsel. isn't it that time you really needs counsel thyself, that none other but you seems knows of any other country in the entire wide-world, where a mans or woman's can stay put inside the borders of a country, even an island nation, of which they hold no nationality - unless they have from the peoples government, their permission so reside.
I could understand more your legal brief - had your client taken refuge in a duly registered "fully-pledged" as the Embassy of the country of his nationality?
If you think no needs pack them luggage's, just you wait see if Minister Freddy going fool around after the 7-days does expire?
Sweet Jesus, if President Obama can done have arrested and deported over a million - why can't Minister Freddy deport just one more?
Economist 8 years, 10 months ago
Tal, you should read some of the cases in the UK on this. Fred Smith has a much better idea of what people are entitled to than you think.
For many years we, in The Bahamas, have ignored international norms. Now Fred Smith is forcing us, as much as we might not like it, to face reality.
realityisnotPC 8 years, 10 months ago
Mitchell is quite simply the worst thing that has ever happened to this country. He has no respect for the rule of law, he thinks he IS the law and he further smears excrement on the reputation of The Bahamas with virtually every word he speaks, or every xenophobic order that he gives to his Immigration henchmen, not to mention the MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars he wastes every year travelling all over the world, first class, staying in 5 star hotels and throwing parties in expensive restaurants. You cannot try to encourage foreign investment with one hand and treat them like crap with the other...it is so simple a 5 year old could understand it...why can't Mitchell?
Chucky 8 years, 10 months ago
Leave it to one of the Nations biggest closet gay men to focus his anger at life on the sector of society that supports the bahamian economy. We need these foreign residents, and they need our islands.
Perhaps this stupid fool, should realize that his gay tendencies are part of who he is, and realize that he did not choose to be gay, but he can choose to embrace who he is, rather than hiding his shame in the veil of heterosexual relationship of cover. Just come out all ready and put your anger to bed.
Never can a gay man in denial view and act in an objective manner so long as he is so full of hate for himself.
He is oblivious to the fact that he casts more shame on himself through his behaviour than he ever could due to being a gay man. He can't help that he's gay, though he may be able to help his behaviour if he could just come out of the closet and loose this anger.
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Comrade are you also calling for a "Gay Standards Test" be administrated to ALL elected members of government, civil servants, senators, government board members, diplomatic corps, opposition parties members, clergy, teachers, policeman's bankers, doctors, all spouses and so on and so on? if not, why not?
Couldn't those found be gay, by your standards, be expected have their judgments be ALL gayness impeded?
Have you actually performed scientific tests on gayness and what it does a person's judgement?
Did I mention, ALL the Talkie show Hosts and members media?
Comrade I hope you does know there can be consequences to those thumbing they own noses -why they should not be looked-upon as leading the pack to be awarded the Chief Blogging Jackass For The Year 2015?
banker 8 years, 10 months ago
I don't think we need to go that far. I think that a PLP membership card is reason enough to fail a scientific "Standards Test". Man-Driving101 is a sacrament that has been practised in the upper echelons of the PLP elite cabal since Black Moses was the first inceptor of it.
TruePeople 8 years, 10 months ago
I think he was talking more to self resentment and shame for being a Closet gay...he ein saying that gayness itself is this or that
My2cents 8 years, 10 months ago
Where is your anger and irrationality coming from?
newcitizen 8 years, 10 months ago
Being gay or not has nothing to do with Fred Mitchell being an a**hole.
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 10 months ago
Chucky is insane. Or stupid. Hard to tell....
bluesky 8 years, 10 months ago
Bruno Rufa may not be the best poster boy to champion the human rights cause. There is an oppression of the minority lawsuit filed against the Condominium Association led by Bruno Rufa as President. There was an alleged death threat complaint filed against Bruno Rufa at the Lucaya Police Station in Freeport Bahamas back in 2006. There was another complaint filed at the Police station in 2008 against Bruno Rufa for allegedly attempting - breaking and entering.There was another incident where a bound over the peace case was filed against Bruno Rufa,in the Freeport Magistrate court,where he got away with just a warning from the Judge. He was arrested by Immigration back in 2007 for allegedly working illegally and escorted out of the country for breaching the Immigration Act. He was arrested again by Immigration officers and charged in the Magistrate Court in Freeport,on February 3rd 2015, with engaging in gainful occupation contrary to Section 29 (1) an (2) of the Immigration Act.
newcitizen 8 years, 10 months ago
A judge just found that he wasn't working illegally on the February 3rd Charge and he was also never found guilty nor did he even stand trial for any of the previous allegations.
bluesky 8 years, 10 months ago
Al Capone didn't stand trial for many of his alleged crimes either until he faced tax evasion. Bruno Rufa is due back in court on January 20th 2016 to answer to the February 3rd charge of working illegally
TruePeople 8 years, 10 months ago
wow... al capone? look at dem in the HOA!!!
sunnyday 8 years, 10 months ago
Fred Mitchel is cleaning the Country !!! Bravo Mr Mitchel !!
GrassRoot 8 years, 10 months ago
yep. I would love to see him clean the country, all the debris along JFK, about time that someone starts the process.
bluesky 8 years, 10 months ago
Example of " Bad conduct of Election" at Coral Beah Hotel Condominium by the BOD . Mr Rufa, Mr Galliano and Ms Salvisburg had a meeting/propaganda with Owners/Shareholders. Only very selected members by invitation were allowed to attend. The security guard patrolling outside the door to make sure that the Owners/Shareholders whom BRUNO RUFA declared as "undesirable Owners" did not get into the meeting. BRUNO RUFA, Nancy Salvisburg and Phil Galliano, foreign Nationals declaring Bahamian Citizens as undesirable Owners in the Coral Beach Community. The BOD can have their Campaign/propaganda meetings but the other Candidates can't even have their names on the proxies. Yet some owners are claiming, and posting that the election process at Coral Beach is Democratic and fair. Really ? Nothing is Democratic with this President . To be fair all candidates names should be allowed on the proxies and the ballots counted in front of everyone this is a part of the process of the AGM meeting . And Mr Fred Smith is blaming the Bahamian Owners ... really ??
newcitizen 8 years, 10 months ago
This is one of the best accounts of fiction I've read on the Tribune.
sunnyday 8 years, 10 months ago
Oh NO !! This is not Fiction ! Unfortunately for the Owners at Coral Beach Hotel . His BOD is in Court for Oppression of the Minority . Example of Oppression :Quote :- " My wife and children as well as sister rented a condo at coral beach. My mother and father who is a dentist rented another one. We were never ask to provide a police report or letter of recommendation from a clergy Dr or leader of community. My elderly parents where ask to shortly before leaving. Since my father is a Oral surgeon they did not obtain this. After they arrived electricity was turned off in the condo they rented. I frantically had to find another place for them at island seas. Mr Bruno Rufa had the electric shut off. It seems there are different policy's for different owners.i believe Mr Bruno Rufa is a detriment to the tourism of such a wonderful country as Bahamas and should be evicted as he is a stain to your great nation. "
GrassRoot 8 years, 10 months ago
who cares. this has nothing to do with immigration. If you want to link personal or professional behavior to immigration, I have a list of about 2000 people that should be stripped of their Bahamian citizenship.
bluesky 8 years, 10 months ago
Mr. Fred Smith, yes, there are a few Bahamians who are delinquent in their maintenance fees, but there are Canadians, Americans & Italians also delinquent. so why are you singling out the Bahamians? This is prejudice especially coming from the president of the GBHRA.
newcitizen 8 years, 10 months ago
Typical Bahamian answer, just deflect away to anyone else who might be in the wrong. Forget what other people are doing wrong, it does not excuse you from doing so.
bluesky 8 years, 10 months ago
Kudos to you for standing up against wrong doing, at least we are on the same page here.
GrassRoot 8 years, 10 months ago
bluesky aka birdie?
bluesky 8 years, 10 months ago
How is it okay for Bruno Rufa and his BOD to deem an owner as "UNDESIRALBE" and force them to leave the Coral Beach community and the Bahamas, but not okay for the Government to Deem Rufa as "UNDESIRABLE" and ask him to leave the Bahamas? I know two wrongs don't make a right, but this is a classic case of "chickens coming home to roost".
GrassRoot 8 years, 10 months ago
well if you have personal beef with him, drag him to court, but spare us from personal vendettas
sunnyday 8 years, 10 months ago
Drag him to court ? No , drag him out of the country !!! You will go to bed with the devil to support F S
mortenvermund 8 years, 10 months ago
He has no respect for the rule of law, he thinks he IS the law and he further smears excrement on the reputation of The Bahamas with virtually every word he speaks, or every xenophobic order that he gives to his Immigration henchmen, not to mention the MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars he wastes every year travelling all over the world, first class, staying in 5 star hotels and throwing parties in expensive restaurants.
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