By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
AN immigration official has warned that the hiring of persons residing illegally in the country is an offence and is calling on citizens to inform the Department of Immigration of suspected illegal immigration activity on Grand Bahama.
This caution comes after 12 illegal Haitians were taken into custody in Freeport last weekend. Half of them were reportedly working without work permits.
Immigration officer Napthali Cooper reported that the immigrants - all males - were discovered by immigration officers last Friday and Saturday. He said six of the men were allegedly working illegally, while the others were arrested at an apartment complex in the Freeport area.
During the Department of Immigration’s investigations, Mr Cooper said it was found that nine of the men claimed to have entered TBahamas illegally by boat from Haiti earlier this year.
He said the other three had possessed legal status at one time which has since expired, and they had not submitted requests for renewal.
The men were processed at the Department of Immigration in Grand Bahama and flown to New Providence, where they are being detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre to await repatriation to Haiti.
Mr Cooper said: “The Immigration Department would like to remind Bahamians that it is an offence to hire persons to work for them who are without legal status in the country. Also, it is an offence to hire a person who may have a work permit for somebody else other than the individual who hires them to work for them.
“Citizens are invited to continue calling the department with any tips they may have regarding illegal immigration activity that they may suspect,” he said.
Mr Cooper stated that the Department of Immigration is committed to ensuring that the immigration laws are enforced and that persons who are in the country illegally are arrested and dealt with according to the law, as well as Bahamians who seek to engage illegal immigrants in their employ and those who seek to harbour undocumented persons.
Comments
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrades! Immigration officer Napthali Cooper, stop with the talking and let's return to Freeport's long standing immigration reality.
89.45% of all business in Freeport are foreigner owned, operated or controlled. It's not in any red shirts regime's DNA to charge red shirts business owners or supporters with the hiring illegals. Just ask the illegals to take immigration officials to their work bosses locations and charge them for hiring illegals.
licks2 7 years, 3 months ago
Tal. . .stop talking junk when people them talking sense. . .if you can't read and comprehend too good. . .or can't understand just ask somebody to read the statements and explain them to you before you open ya PLP mouth. . .you een funny no more chile!
SP 7 years, 3 months ago
Blah, blah blah. Exactly what has Mr. Cooper and Immigration ever done to those caught hiring illegals?
The six of the men that were allegedly working illegally and other three which had possessed legal status at one time which has since expired should have been made to identify everyone they worked for, and those people should be brought before the courts and charged accordingly.
While the owners of the apartment complex in the Freeport area should also be brought to the courts and charged with harboring the other illegals.
Enough talk and sabre-rattleing. Either do something about it, or SHUT THE HELL UP!
Bahamas Immigration has to be the biggest joke in Haiti as it is to Bahamians that hire them.
licks2 7 years, 3 months ago
Carry through with this policy will result in an automatic rise in employment for Bahamians. . .it don't take a rocket scientist to see that. . .heck even Tal could tell ya that! Take a zero tollorance to our immigration policy and the problem will correct itself by 90% or so. . .then we can weed out the stubborn ones and send they backsides to court!
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