BY DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporer
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
More than 5,000 illegal immigrants in The Bahamas were repatriated back to their homeland in 2015, Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell said Thursday, adding that the Department of Immigration is bracing for an even tougher year in 2016.
He also noted that efforts are underway to have the 70 Cuban detainees at the Carmichael Road Detention Center expelled due to security issues they are posing there.
Mr Mitchell commended officers and staff at the Department of Immigration for the work they are doing to protect the nation’s borders, despite their limited resources.
Several top ranking officials, including Director of Immigration William Pratt, Assistant Director Hubert Ferguson and Kirk Neilly, officer in charge of the Enforcement Unit, were also singled out for their work.
“I want them to know that the government is proud of their efforts," Mr Mitchell said.
“This is a force of around 300 people and their responsibility is to guard the borders of The Bahamas and it is a very difficult job, and it is under resourced and people don’t appreciate the extent to which work has to done by the department.
“I wish also to congratulate all its officers for the stalwart and yeoman’s work done on behalf of this country and guarding its borders. This has been a challenging and difficult year and I do not think that it is going to get any easier. I think that 2016 will be even tougher.”
Mr Mitchell reported that to date some 5,398 immigrants were repatriated and 237 detainees still remain at the Detention Center.
He stressed that the 70 Cubans detainees at the centre are posing a security issue there.
He also raised concerns about the increased landings of Cuban nationals on Cay Sal and other small islands near Cuba’s coast.
“We have too many in the Detention Centre and it is posing a security issue for us,” Mr Mitchell said. “Yesterday, there were several incidents which led to the police being called at the centre.
“We are seeking to have these people expelled immediately from the country as quickly as possible. We are trying to work with the Cuban government because the longer people stay it becomes a problem, and there is problem between Haitians and Cuban detainees which was source of the problem yesterday,” he explained.
Comments
USAhelp 8 years, 10 months ago
Another move to become a communist society. Thanks China for helpingwith this move.
clawdad 8 years, 10 months ago
why yinna don't take all of dem then
Economist 8 years, 10 months ago
What are you doing with the Defence Force? Why are they not patrolling the waters just outside the Haitian 12 mile limit? The U.S. turned the Haitian illegals back to Haiti.
The US did it with two 210 ft. patrol boats, we have two 198 ft. patrol boats, and the four or five new 148 footers.
There is no reason why any illegal Haitians should reach our shores if the Bahamas Defence Force was doing its job.
Why do you, the government, allow these boats to be tied up in Nassau Harbour and at Coral Harbour instead of patrolling our waters and protecting us?
You just spent $230 Million dollars, yes $230 Million Dollars of our money on the four or five new boats. You, the government, have wasted $230 million of our money.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 10 months ago
What a liar Fweddy Boy is! Even if Fweddy Boy had indeed seen to it that 5,398 illegal aliens were repatriated to their home countries, most of those repatriated are back in the Bahamas along with many many thousands more.....all it takes these days is a thousand dollars cold cash put in the hands of the right immigration official....and just about any illegal alien will tell you that!
SP 8 years, 10 months ago
........................ Targeting the few, turning a blind eye to the majority .............................
Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell's' perspective is rhetorical and unnecessary. He has legitimately decided such individuals should unquestionably be promptly expelled from The Bahamas.
Bahamians are majorly frustrated and concerned about the 10's of 1000's of individuals mainly of Haitian extract overwhelming education, health, social services, depriving Bahamians of jobs and business opportunities, damaging the economy by draining foreign reserves and are generally quickly dragging our country down to Haiti's failed state status.
The people of the country are especially disillusioned and absolutely fed up with substandard handling of illegals particularly after Dominican Republic and United Kingdom quickly created and implemented sensible regulations with "teeth" dealing with illegals. Some of which Bahamians have been pleading for decades!
Again government proves they are totally out of sync with aspirations of the electorate.
pablojay 8 years, 10 months ago
There goes Fred in typical PLP fashion again, bragging about bad grades! They probably got about 25% of what is should be. It is all a joke! Especially to the Haitians. I would bet that about 50% of them have been deported before and will be deported again! One of my nephews was a former officer who was stationed at the Detention Centre and he told us of a Haitian who tried to bribe him to arrange for him to be put in a group that was about to be
deported as one of his relatives was arranging a smuggling trip to come to the Bahamas in less than three weeks later.
karina 8 years, 4 months ago
Such laws are required to keep the nation protected from any kind of hassle. However, for immigration related problems it is best to consult with an http://www.challalaw.com/contact/">immigration lawyer in Richmond VA who have enough experience in this field.
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