By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
IMMIGRATION Director William Pratt yesterday refuted fears that the upcoming gender equality referendum would create an easy path to citizenship for foreign nationals.
Mr Pratt said xenophobia was not a valid reason to oppose the referendum, pointing out that Bahamians have never been limited by nationality when selecting a spouse.
He stressed that there was no easy road to citizenship, which he called the highest honour that can be bestowed by any country.
“It’s not at all not a valid reason,” he said when contacted yesterday. “Bahamians were marrying expats from time eternity.
“If you look at some of the surnames, this goes way back. You’ve had police, doctors, nurses, particularly with law enforcement who came from different Caribbean islands and married Bahamian women, had children, and became citizens.
“It never has been easy and never will be,” he said. “It is the highest honour, it’s a thorough process and we don’t just give out citizenship.”
He added: “That’s not something you give out that’s something you award. You don’t just give citizenship out because people apply, you have to be certain that these persons are worthy of it.”
The gender equality referendum will be held on June 7 and three of its questions deal with the transfer of citizenship.
The first Constitutional Amendment Bill seeks to give Bahamian women who are married to foreign men the right to pass on their Bahamian citizenship to any child of that union no matter where that child is born.
The Constitution currently says that only Bahamian male citizens by birth have that right.
Bill two as written would allow a Bahamian woman married to a foreign man the right to secure for her husband the same access to Bahamian citizenship as a Bahamian male has in relation to his foreign wife. However this would not be automatic and applicants would have to satisfy certain conditions.
Bill three would grant any unmarried Bahamian man the right to pass on his Bahamian citizenship to any child he fathers with a foreign woman with proof of paternity.
Mr Pratt explained that a person must be married for five years before they can apply for permanent residency. If granted, they must maintain that status for another five years before they can apply for citizenship.
He noted that some persons do not apply for citizenship, even though they are eligible, because they do not wish to give up their former nationality.
Mr Pratt said: “Once they are worthy of it and meet the requirements, and we do our thorough checks and balances, and we’re satisfied it is a genuine application. That this is a person that will help to further build the Bahamas then of course we will recommend approval to the Immigration Board, and the board would grant the order.”
He added: “It’s not something you give out, you have to make sure the person is worthy of it because it’s the highest honour.”
Bill four seeks to end discrimination based on sex.
Comments
GrassRoot 8 years, 6 months ago
I will vote NO bcz I heard there are hordes of gay and transgender people that wait to get married in the Bahamas to obtain citizenship and to have babies to outvote the general population within one generation. We would have to change our flag to include the rainbow colors.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 6 months ago
Sadly, Director Pratt is just another senior official of the corrupt Christie-led PLP government who is being forced to tow the line of his paymaster or else.
jackbnimble 8 years, 6 months ago
I've said it before and I'll say it again. When they stop giving out citizenship for votes I'll believe this. With election right around the corner, I will be voting No.
SP 8 years, 6 months ago
............ IMMIGRATION Director William Pratt "sings" for his supper----Again! .................
Pray tell what in the hell would give Perry Christie the slightest impression that anybody would trust one of his cronies anymore than we trust him?
Some people might be ignorant, but nobody's that damn stupid!
hallmark 8 years, 6 months ago
jackbenimble, seems like you have a very valid concern. I have just recently been made aware that the CABINET is also the Citizenship Board and that all decisions rest with them when it comes to deciding on citizenship applications. Hmmm.
Economist 8 years, 6 months ago
It is never an easy path at immigration. They will sit on the application for 10 years or so and take a look at it and then put it away for another 10 years or so.
And we wonder why our economy is so bad.
Immigration is at the center of this countries poor work ethic and "I don't have to work because immigration will make sure that I don't have any competition attitude."
B_I_D___ 8 years, 6 months ago
So effectively, what he is saying is that even if the bill passes...they are still going to do what they damn well please at Immigration and be selective and discriminatory...
John 8 years, 6 months ago
When Eve committed sin and ate of the forbidden fruit, God came to Adam and ask what had he done. God had made Eve for Adam's companion and helpmate and so it was Adam who was answerable to God. Despite this he blamed the woman. " This woman that Thou givest me, she did bid me eat and I did eat of of the forbidden fruit. And as their punishment, both Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Each were given additional punishment attributable to man and fitting for woman. Even when you look at a gay or lesbian couple you see that one partner plays the dominant role and the other is submissive. And the bible bids a wife to leave her home and her family and follow her husband (the story of Ruth). Children are supposed to follow their mother who is supposed to follow her husband. When you try to make male and female equal to each other, in all aspects, rather than comparable to each other, then you create massive confusion. What should have been a clear path for woman and for children is now left to decision, debate and yes, confusion. Before you vote look around and see if you know 5 people these bills benefit, then after that vote your conscience!
Economist 8 years, 6 months ago
While the Mother is to follow the Husband, the husband is to treat his wife as himself.
ETJ 8 years, 6 months ago
Sorry. This is just ignorant, misogynistic, and homophobic. Somebody please explain to me where all these foreign men are going to flock from to make babies with Bahamian women in order to get citizenship in this country with over 16% unemployment. Seriously? What is so great about becoming a citizen here anyway?! Voting yes simply means you are endorsing that Bahamian women have the same rights as men in this country. And if you say no to that, you are saying you want the Bahamas to be on the same level as backwards countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan....what a distinction.
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