The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

ILLEGAL immigrants preparing to leave the country on January 1 or shortly thereafter may need additional time to “wind up their affairs”, according to activist Louby Georges.

Mr Georges, in an interview with The Tribune yesterday, stressed some undocumented immigrants already preparing to leave the country in the coming weeks are now in the processes of packing their belongings, arranging transit and shipping their items out of The Bahamas.

“Take into consideration the logistics of shipping,” he said when asked about ongoing preparation in Haitian communities ahead of the government’s December 31 immigration deadline.

“Remember many built a life already. Acquiring capital and other means. Give them time to wind up their affairs. Give them time to ship stuff back; pack things.

“Be fair, they want to comply. Many (are) ready to leave but they have affairs that need to be gathered up.”

On Monday, Dr Minnis again urged undocumented migrants to leave the country by his December 31 deadline or apply for legal status.

Dr Minnis implored those here illegally to do the “honourable, respectable thing and leave - or apply through the legal channel” to allow for the proper process to play out.

Faced with those comments yesterday, Mr Georges told The Tribune he believed Dr Minnis could expressed his latest statement  “a different way”, but underneath he had no issues with the government’s hardline stance, asserting the efforts displayed by the Minnis administration since coming to office have all been fair and above-board.

Mr Georges said as a result of this approach, many illegal immigrants are “preparing honestly” for the deadline and the process that comes with it by either “applying and trying to regularise themselves” or making preparations to leave.

He stated: “Some have indeed left but, for the most part they are trying to comply.” 

Mr Georges said while he could give no clear statistics on the number of people who have left or are preparing to leave, but come January 1 he didn’t believe the public would witness mass round-ups and deportations.

He told The Tribune he firmly expects “the norm” to continue.

On Monday, Dr Minnis also revealed Cabinet approved an independent board that will oversee the granting of citizenship applications. 

This was something foreshadowed by Dr Minnis earlier this year.

Responding to that move, Mr Georges stated: “We tip our hats to the government for having an independent immigration board now and hopefully they can focus on protecting the borders as oppose to unleashing the immigration officers on those here as if that will solve the case.”