By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday criticised an article published in The New York Times last week about this country’s immigration policy and called on the leading international newspaper to “have the facts right before they opine on any conduct of our government”.
Mr Davis bashed the paper and other critics for continuing to “misrepresent what our laws are and to misrepresent how we apply our law.”
Speaking to reporters outside of the Cabinet building yesterday morning, Mr Davis admitted that the immigration restrictions were attracting “international attention,” but said there seemed to be a “concerted effort” by critics “not to try and understand” the country’s position on tackling immigration.
He also called for local journalists to “take up the mantle” in discrediting international media attempts to publish “factually incorrect” information about The Bahamas.
“While they continue to misrepresent what our laws are and to misrepresent how we apply our law, it’s a matter and a question for them I think whether it is inappropriate I think for well known, reputed newspapers to not at least have the facts right before they opine on any conduct of our government,” Mr Davis said. “Any adverse commentary on a country could have its consequences. However, I think right thinking persons, once they understand the facts, any such adverse view would dissipate, once they come to understand what the true facts are. That’s what we need to do: ensure that they have the true facts.”
As to whether he felt the new restrictions violate the international rights of children, Mr Davis said: “It does not. All that is being required, as all other jurisdictions require, is that if you are not of the nationality of that jurisdiction, there has to be some documentation of your presence in that jurisdiction.”
Mr Davis’ comments came days after Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell announced the government’s intention to require students of foreigners living in the Bahamas to have a school permit to attend classes or a passport with a residency stamp.
This includes children who were born here to non-Bahamian parents.
The move is a part of a wider immigration policy to crack down on illegal migrants, which came into effect on November 1, 2014.
Human rights activists Fred Smith and Joseph Darville, as well as former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette have criticised the new restrictions, arguing that it would make it harder for thousands of children in the country to get an education.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration has defended the immigration restrictions for children, stressing that they were in accordance with the Immigration Act and a part of the Christie administration’s wider policies.
On January 30, the New York Times published an article titled “Immigration Rules in Bahamas Sweep up Haitians,” which highlighted the situation of people affected by the new immigration policy.
It featured a quote from Annette M Martinez Orabona, director of the Caribbean Institute for Human Rights, who said the policy is “guided by discriminatory practices toward persons of Haitian origin.” The article also referred to the student permit requirement as a “tough” policy.
In defense of the new restrictions, a subsequent statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released Saturday said the article featured “misinformation” and harboured “inaccuracies and tendentious material based in part on the exaggerated and unfounded accusations of civic activists.”
However, to better combat situations like this one, Mr Davis called on local journalists to “take up the mantle” in discrediting international media attempting to publish “factually incorrect” information about the Bahamas.
“If (local journalists) see they are printing things that are factually incorrect, whereas you may want to agree and chime into their particular views, that’s another matter,” he said. “But at least you have a responsibility, I think, as internal journalists to set the record straight, at least set the mantle straight.”
Last week Mr Mitchell also said the government has increased entry visa fees and is considering increasing permanent resident applications fees. He added that in a few months the government hopes to have an additional condition to work permit applications that would ensure that the worker has health insurance and adequate housing.
The school permit rule would help the government keep track of who works and lives in the Bahamas and who attends schools here, Mr Mitchell said.
The annual school permit costs $25 with a $100 processing fee.
Comments
Economist 9 years, 9 months ago
Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe we have taken the wrong approach? Sometimes there is a right way and a wrong way to do something. Maybe we are doing it the wrong way.
Our politicians, and many Bahamians, all think that they are right but we seem to be having trouble getting the rest of the world to agree.
We are a sovereign nation, which means that we play on the football field with the rest of the sovereign countries. To play we must follow the rules. Maybe we are not following this one correctly.
licks2 9 years, 9 months ago
Please tell me what nation do not have in place the very same rules and regulations for non-citizen students or what article within the CRC that guarantees any child to remain unmolested in another UN member nation and have no obligation to that nation's immigration laws/rules/policies etc!
The slackness is just over here now boo. . .
Cas0072 9 years, 9 months ago
Have you ever thought that the so called watchdog groups may have it wrong? To stay relevant they need to constantly look for a cause even when they do not have all the facts. Even in ignorance of the facts. However, it is their jobs to be bleeding hearts, and it is the job of the government to address issues of national concern. I am hard pressed to believe that government is wrong in accounting for who is in the country by whatever means available. It is the responsibility of the media to at least lay out both sides. If you read the New York Times article, and articles in The Guardian today and yesterday, the media is clearly being biased. That is not showing journalistic integrity, that is trying to set the agenda and lead thoughts.
licks2 9 years, 9 months ago
UNHRC is watching but not interfering in the process of Bahamian immigration policing!! Government has already done its research into all 19 signatory and 5 ratified UN Conventions to guide our current policy making!!! Those fringe groups. . .who are the same people every time. . .check their names. . .CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO STOP OUR FORWARD MOMENTUM. . .IF WE STAY THE COURSE AND LET THE UN CONVENTIONS GUIDE US!! IN THE MEAN TIME. . .LET THEM BLOW-HARDS TALK!!! IMMIGRATION SLACKNESS IN THE BAHAMAS IS OVA!!!
GrassRoot 9 years, 9 months ago
maybe, but that's not the point. its is called PR (public relations) and in this field all, Fred Extraordinaire and DPM and PGC blew it on the immigration topic. Whatever you are deciding, make sure you sell it well. Don't talk out of your a** unless you know what you are saying and the effects of it, make written press releases. Now the spotlights are on. You better professionalize your approach here, else things will get worse and we can not afford to loose tourists and FDI.
Cas0072 9 years, 9 months ago
Yes, what is printed in the media is a part of the PR process. Journalists however, are not PR professionals. How a press release is worded or the word choice of the speaker is secondary to the additional research and follow-up that should go into producing a well balanced article. A journalist's own opinion should not shine through in an article and I see that a lot.
Economist 9 years, 9 months ago
So what you are saying is that "all the press" and "all the watchdog groups" are not showing integrity? emmmm
So far no watchdog group or press has come to our defense. Surely this is cause for consideration.
licks2 9 years, 9 months ago
No. . .but the ones that have shown up so far have prove themselves as ultra-sensitive empty barrels. Don't worry, when we make an extra-convention step AI head office, UNHRC and other "big guns" will have our tails in the world court so fast we heads will spin!!! Remember the DR case. . .UNHRC and others where also silent until the Dr got bigitty and revoked citizenship FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN BEING Haitian from those who were born there and already had their citizenship conferred. UNHRC was on their tails in a flash. . .but only about the revocations of conferred citizenships base on who they were!!!
The NYT story raised the point that this kind of immigration crack down is regional. . .even Canada now resumed deporting Haitian back to their home country!!! Make no mistake. . .the hounds of war are at our gates. . .just waiting for us to make a mistake. . .then POW!!! This present policy follows the rules to the T!! Don't mind noise in the market. . .IF WE WERE WRONG THEY WOULD HAVE ALREADY POINT THE BREECH OF UN LAW WE HAVE BROKEN. . .NOT THIS RATTELING AND HALF TRUTHS CAMPAINGN THEY CARRY ON WITH!!
Economist 9 years, 9 months ago
Man generalcrazy, I don't know what you are smoking, but you sure crack me up.
Cas0072 9 years, 9 months ago
I cannot speak to "all the press and all the watchdog groups" as even though I have read many articles on this issue, I have not read "all" articles and not all watchdog groups have weighed in. Watchdog groups have not come to the defense of the Bahamas, nor have they followed up on these causes after the minister addressed them. If they simply abandon issues of concern once it falls out of the media spotlight, that shows no conviction or that they later come to the realization that they are responding to false alarms. Hence, it is important for the media to be balanced as these organizations tend to holler first, investigate later.
GrassRoot 9 years, 9 months ago
Seems to me that our Fred Extraordinaire blew it. Talk when you should (i.e. to the journalist BEFORE he prints) and don't talk, when you shouldn't. BTW what happened to Spygate? Did Washington ever got back to you on the NSA questions? Maybe PM asked his best new buddy Joe Biden?
ispeakthetruth 9 years, 9 months ago
Actually, it's the journalist's obligation to reach out to all parties if unbiased reporting is their goal, as it should be. The writer reached out after the fact, and on top of that reported hearsay and one-sided accounts. If the department declined comment, that should have been printed. The government should file some form of complaint against Ms. Frances Robles, she was very irresponsible and amateurish in her reporting.
licks2 9 years, 9 months ago
The world is now knocking the NYT for that story. . .not doing their investigation before spinning that negative story!! The NYT apologies to no one for any story. . .THEY ARE KNOWN FOR HOLDING TO STORY . . .especially to some Podunk nation off their East Coast. The NYT made a major "booboo" in reporting on such a sensitive national issue!!
birdiestrachan 9 years, 9 months ago
The Bahamas has had for many years very slack immigration laws. That is why the illegals have continued to come. What they have been allowed to do here they would not have tried in any other Country. Now that they have taken a stand. Fred Smith and those who follow him would like to cost as much trouble as they can.
As far as the Bahamas print media goes. they are BIAS . remember the Cuban situation. they were always in Florida and front page with the Cuban spoke person. The USA media paid it very little attention. Note the Bahamas Media never printed The Campbell woman crocked ways. and as far as they are concerned any opportunity they may find to place the Bahamas government in a bad light brings them much joy. The parents should pay they small fee requested of them with much joy. See it as a contribution to a country that has done much for you.
IslandTransPlant 9 years, 9 months ago
This is a human rights issue and the bahamas government is not playing by the rules set forth stop treating people like they don't matter if the tables were reverse and bahamians were being treated like this by the US there would be an out cry from the government truth is if they were not right you would not have to deFend your actions feeling guilty now that international community is watching right, why should americans spend there hard earn money in a country that's treating people this.
licks2 9 years, 9 months ago
Are you going to stick to law or run on like you refused to think with common sense? THINK NOW. . .WE BROKEN THEM HR RULES AND FRED SMITH CANT FIND IT. . .UNHRC CANT FIND THEM? Bahamians are treated like this all the time they go to those countries to attend schools!! How can they tell us to not put those same rule in place that they have to control their country?? Haiti being one of those same countries that Bahamians must student documents to enter their schools!!
ispeakthetruth 9 years, 9 months ago
What rules are we not playing by? How are they being treated?
The US would repatriate a Bahamian or Haitian as soon as they arrive. They would not have allowed an illegal Bahamian or Haitian epidemic to persist especially to the point where the numbers start to rival the native population.So please stop with the America the great fantasies. Their humanity toward illegals only extend to the Hispanic, their next voting majority of the US.
Economist 9 years, 9 months ago
The rules set out in the various charters of the UN which The Bahamas agreed to abide by.
Emac 9 years, 9 months ago
Don't worry about the New York Times. The majority of Americans agree with what we are doing, http://news.yahoo.com/bahamas-fends-off…
Economist 9 years, 9 months ago
There is nothing in the article that says "the majority of Americans agree". Indeed, there is no comment as to how Americans feel.
There are comments about how we are handling illegals and about how we treat them, none of which is complementary to The Bahamas.
KM 9 years, 9 months ago
I applaud the government for continuing this process of trying to get this illegal immigration situation under control. Dont let the noise in the market deter you from doing what needs to be done. Not everyone will agree with certain things, and once no laws are being broken I say keep on doing it! Lets take back our country.
Sign in to comment
OpenID