The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

We have had an illegal Haitian problem for decades. During the 1940’s to the early 1960’s the emerging Bahama Islands, now the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, required massive foreign labourers (usually of Haitian background) for the agriculture industries principally in the Abacos, Eleuthera and parts of Grand Bahama. Theses islands, historically, have been inundated ever since with illegal and legal Haitian migrants and immigrants.

Now, having collectively allowed this almost unchecked situation to grow from a tiny infant into a huge monster, successive administrations have sought to solve the issue by a series of carrot and stick approaches. In the days of the late Sir Lynden O Pindling, we had the dreaded “Daddy Roker” a/k/a the Hon Loftus Archibald Roker who held sway at Immigration. He took a hard line approach but, on balance, very little was accomplished.

In Ingraham’s heyday he appointed several individuals to “look into” the Haitian problem. Mrs Elma Campbell-Chase, Attorney-at-Law, was drafted by his administration to “audit” the illegal and undocumented Haitians, et al, with a view to rationalising the problem. No one seems to have ever heard the results of the audit or the recommendations that would have been made, if any. Later Ingraham appointed the Hon Branville McCartney, the then FNM MP for Bamboo Town as Minister of State in the Ministry of Immigration and Foreign Affairs.

McCartney is a good man, I am sure but his public ego is a spectacle to behold. Having self confidence and suave, as we both have, is admirable, but one does not have to wear them on one’s shoulders. His personal ambitions seemed boundless, as they should be, but, McCartney sometimes, in my considered view, over rates himself. He resigned and left the FNM in a huff. Later he formed the Democratic National Alliance (DNA).

That entity had great promise and did well in the 2012 general elections receiving a little over eight percent (8%) of the votes. This feat led to the demise of the Ingraham led FNM and the return of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). Ingraham went into voluntary political retirement and, as the Most Hon Prime, Dr Minnis (FNM-Killarney) blurted out “The Ingraham era is over”. Now it is being speculated that Dr Minnis has reached into the political graveyard and maybe resurrecting McCartney a/k/a “Pretty Boy Floyd”.

I welcome his return, if it happens but I would caution the PM and the FNM to keep McCartney on a tight leash. He has demonstrated his ability to break party ranks, while lambasting the same and its leadership cadre. In my view, he has an ungrateful streak and may suffer from a mega ego. In addition, while he will bring colour to a lackluster cabinet, he will, I submit, leave the FNM before the end of this term in office. That is just the nature of most political environments. The big question, however, is: ‘What did he accomplished’ as Minister of State for Immigration’?

Apart from making stentorian pronouncements (which made little, if any sense) and flying around in helicopters, what was achieved except the introduction of a “catch and release” semi-public policy? There will never be a viable solution to the so“called Haitian problem unless and until we address the following:

1) The elimination or reduction of shanty towns to the irreducible minimum;

2) A progressive and realistic approach to the vexing questions of work permits; residency and citizenship. If we have to amend the constitution, let’s do so and stop kicking the can even further down the road. The catch and release policy is wrong in law and a gross breach of the essential human rights of fellow human beings. We should not be talking about rounding up people, willy-nilly, except there is a gross breach of the criminal laws and/or national security issues. In addition, even when suspected illegals, inclusive of Haitians, are apprehended they are entitled to due process and an appearance in the courts.

3) An amnesty period into January, 2020.

And so, the knuckled headed policy announced by the Hon Elsworth Johnson (FNM-Yamacraw) and the administration relative to continuing round ups and deportations in the aftermath of Dorian is dead wrong in law and is an affront to decent Bahamians and the international community.

Everybody almost rushed to our assistance following killer Dorian. Strangers have been exceedingly kind and generous towards us now we are displaying the darker nature of some Bahamians? Catch and release is inhumane and an affront to Christian principles. Step back Dr Minnis, at least for the foreseeable future. To God then, in all things be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau

October 22, 2019