A helicopter flies over the village of High Rock after delivering emergency supplies in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian In High Rock, Grand Bahama, Tuesday, September 10. (AP Photo / Ramon Espinosa)
By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
AS the government defends its decision to mandate work permits for relief volunteers entering The Bahamas, a Haitian-Bahamian advocate has called the policy “sickening”, urging officials to immediately reverse it.
Jetta Baptiste, former president of the Haitian Bahamian Society of The Bahamas, stressed that Bahamians desperately need relief assistance after Hurricane Dorian hit the country, killing many and causing significant devastation in Grand Bahama and Abaco.
The Immigration Department is charging relief volunteers $300 for work permits to enter the country.
Ms Baptiste has complained that it makes no sense and would only deter volunteers.
She noted these volunteers have left families, jobs and businesses elsewhere to help the country in its recovery.
“It makes no sense charging those volunteers coming to help Bahamians in desperate need - to have to pay, that is sickening,” Ms Baptiste said.
She believes Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis should do something about the policy.
“You have your immigration officers charging volunteers to come in and help rebuild the Bahamas, which makes no sense. Why should volunteers pay to come and help you build your country when a lot of Bahamian people talking crap about chase Haitian people and kick down doors so you could get rid of the Haitian people who are the same ones you need to help build your community.”
Ms Baptiste, who was an outspoken advocate in Grand Bahama on matters relating to the treatment of Haitians before relocating overseas, said that homes and schools need to be rebuilt in Grand Bahama and Abaco.
“Here you have people coming, taking time off from their jobs and businesses, wanting to volunteer, and you asking them to pay to volunteer in the Bahamas.
“I know you need the money Mr Prime Minister but, find another way to do it – this is not going to work, reverse that policy immediately,” she said.
On Tuesday, Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson defended the government’s decision to mandate work permits for Hurricane Dorian volunteers entering the Bahamas.
At the time, Mr Johnson said the government still has an obligation to ensure only fit and proper people, who have the country’s best interests at heart, are allowed to enter and leave the country.
He said: “We have not just national obligations to ensure that the right persons are here but an international obligation. Because we are dealing with the OECD and the Financial (Action) Task Force and we are saying to the world that we can account for persons coming and going.
“This is what the government has done post Hurricane Dorian. We issued the exigency order to allow products and services for the purposes of dealing with the devastation from Hurricane Dorian to come. You saw international groups came in and they fed persons, they were allowed in and their staff was allowed in.”
Mr Johnson added: “(This) is still ongoing because the exigency order is for six months. Persons can’t just turn up; you must understand that around the world after devastation you had persons who came, and they did not have proper intentions. Women and children were hurt.”
Comments
Engineer 5 years ago
This is hard to believe that we are charging volunteers to help us. Please say it ain't so. Yes, we need to vet and control who is coming here but to charge money for their donated time is just wrong. If this is actually happening, what will be the effect on donations of time, volunteers, and relief supplies?
ohdrap4 5 years ago
You folks remember the National Volunteer program Hubert Ingraham to start?
The volunteers who signed up wanted to get paid. Lol.
TheMadHatter 5 years ago
Yes, they should be free. But like everything else in the Bahamas, what "should be" simple "isn't". One has to wonder why Bahamians keep giving childbirth here, condemning more innocent souls to live on these barren rocks?
The_Oracle 5 years ago
I have seen an example of a relief worker being charged, and know of one relief worker being "shaken down" for lunch money.(ok, more than that, pocket money) These people can easily be screened at any time, as can the spouses of documented work permitted people volunteering that also in normal times need a work permit to volunteer at schools, hospitals, libraries, Humane society etc etc which unto itself is ludicrous. Sure, let them register, let immigration be aware of them volunteering, but to charge them work permits is the height of being ungrateful, of Power abused, of citizens denied these proples efforts. Immigration aught to beg forgiveness, in person, at all NGO places of operation. Politely take a roll call and carry your officious asses back to your Relief worker cooked hot Lunch in your Air conditioned offices where you sit and do nothing. No Shame = no real pride being possible.
SP 5 years ago
I refuse to believe the government is charging volunteers for work permits! Somebody responsible for the government needs to step up and clear this up immediately.
We cannot possibly be so stupid!
The_Oracle 5 years ago
Immigration has raided or targeted a school before, nothing to do with Hurricanes, and arrested the spouses of documented Foreigners for "Volunteering" Yep, you need a work permit to Volunteer at any NGO in normal times. Years ago I saw the disconnect between the civil service and the elected. When the Elected make no decisions, the P.S's will, and the heads of departments follow blindly. We have so removed ourselves from General Orders and the intent of the rule of law. An excellent case example moving through the House and Senate now is the Amendment to the NEMA act. In total contravention of the Constitution and it's provisions for a Disaster.
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