The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I write regarding the ongoing discussions of the recent enforcement of Immigration policies in the country. I note with interest that for the most part, both local dailies have taken the pro-immigrant position at every opportunity.

My question is - Who will speak for the Bahamian in The Bahamas?

Like thousands of Bahamians, I have lived abroad - in Europe and in North America - and when in those countries, I had to follow their laws or leave voluntarily or otherwise.

I am amazed and quite frankly appalled by what is being allowed to play out in this little place. Like many Bahamians, I have cousins who are being affected by the policies because I have male cousins who have children born in this country to non-Bahamian mothers.

When the policies were announced, we simply made provisions to ensure that the children had the documentation necessary to comply with the policies.

Therefore, it infuriates me to no end that my cousins have no problem following the rules and paying the fees while others throw a “hissy fit” because they are being asked to do what the rest of us do – follow the rules. My cousins’ children certainly have more of a claim to be here than the offspring of illegal immigrants because at least one parent is a Bahamian and their mothers are not and have never been illegal residents!

If we are going to have a discussion about immigration in The Bahamas, at least let it be an honest one. And if we are honest, we have to admit that this country needs to immediately stop issuing work permits, residencies and citizenships to immigrant groups that are already disproportionately represented in the population. This is consistent with the quotas most sensible nations establish to preserve their own national and cultural identity.

Successive politicians must account for how they have abused the honour of citizenship in this country. Is it any wonder most of these immigrants want the benefits of this country without any loyalty to it? These immigrants brag about how easily citizenship is given out close to elections but will turn around and spit at the flag and all that is Bahamian. How sad. We are still seen as a nation for sale.

Any attempt to preserve this nation from collapse under waves of illegals is taken as a personal assault against “their people”. Mr Anson Ally certainly let the cat out of the bag and has forced us to address the elephant in the room. The truth is they are among us but not of us. They resist anything short of a full surrender of our sovereignty.

They seek to try to bully, threaten and intimidate a sovereign nation. They act more like domestic terrorists than people wanting to be a part of this country.

Quite frankly, those who support them either have the luxury of a second passport or a HSBC Swiss account because they seem to be supporting the ceding of our nation to another people!

My children and I have nowhere to go. I will not apologise for wanting to retain our national identity. will not be intimidated by being called xenophobic.

The fear here is not unreasonable. Unlike too many who sit on their perch and comment from lofty seats or out of their academic books, I see and hear and experience the onslaught almost daily. It is unsustainable.

The Haitian population and advocates in particular are quick to attack any policy that seeks to regulate the onslaught of illegal immigrants into this country and now they are constantly telling the rest of us – ”The world is watching.” Well, what the world is watching is from Canada to the Dominican Republic to Dominica to Brazil – these countries large and small have one thing in common – they are all being forced to confront a common burden of Haitian migration.

The truth is that our very survival demands that we do just that – and we are resolute in doing so.

On a recent trip to the USA, with my family, the Customs and Border Patrol agent was especially chatty. So much so that he commented to us that he was surprised at the numbers of Haitians and Africans we allow in the country. He said that we don’t know how many sleeper cells may be here.

He held up our passports and said, “They only want one of these to get to the States and that they will do anything to get it”. He ended our encounter with an ominous warning that has stayed with me. He said that as these immigrants get Bahamian passports, it’s going to change how they (the USA) treats all of us who hold the passport.

UNAPOLOGETICALLY BAHAMIAN

Nassau,

February 16, 2015.