The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRESS Secretary Anthony Newbold was ambiguous yesterday and could not say definitively whether Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and his administration support the Department of Immigration’s restrictive dress code policy.

Women have been turned away from the department for wearing shorts or sleeveless dresses or shirts.

The controversy recalls a situation that happened months before the 2017 general election when the Parliamentary Registration Department denied registration to women because of their attire, attracting a stern rebuke from the minister then responsible for elections, Dr Bernard Nottage, who is now deceased.

Asked yesterday for Dr Minnis’ view, Mr Newbold suggested the Immigration Department should facilitate all users.

“The Department of Immigration and the people responsible for registering people to vote have an obligation to make sure that happens, people register to vote, anybody with an immigration matter, has to have that matter dealt with,” he said. “And so however that has to happen, the Department of Immigration will have to do that.”

Asked if this indicates the policy will be reversed, he was indirect.

“People will have to be facilitated however that is done but the Department of Immigration, as the other departments, has an obligation to take care of their customers,” he said. “Customers also have an obligation to follow reasonable rules and the Department of Immigration understanding their mandate will determine the best way for them to be able to do that.”

Asked for the administration’s official position on wearing sleeveless shirts in government buildings, Mr Newbold said individual government departments are expected to make their own policies.

“The position is when you’re going to do business in a government department, as any other business, that particular business determines how it wants people to come into its business,” he said. “That happens anywhere. Exactly what that is, that’s on a specific department. If you walk into IMAX they may let you dress a certain way. If you going into church, they may require you dress a certain way. That will be determined by whichever department anyone has to deal with.”

However, asked whether Immigration Minister Brent Symonette is responsible for the policy at the Department of Immigration, Mr Newbold suggested such matters are subject to the principle of Cabinet’s collective responsibility.

“He’s the minister responsible, but this is Cabinet government,” he said. “He’s ultimately responsible for his ministry but he’s also responsible to his Cabinet colleagues as well. Whatever isn’t resolved at that level, and there’s no reason to believe Minister Symonette can’t handle the situation, whatever can’t be handled at that level, I’m sure he will take that up with his colleagues and come with a position that everybody can live with.”

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