The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR and Immigration Minister Keith Bell said officials anticipate a “very significant” influx of migrants from Haiti and Cuba to The Bahamas in the days ahead amid growing economic turmoil in the two countries.

He said law enforcement officials will remain on high alert for migration activity and also committed his ministry to ensuring “that anyone who comes here through illegal means” will be repatriated as quickly as possible.

Much like The Bahamas, the US, particularly the Florida Keys, has seen a marked increase in migration activity over the last several months, which has resulted in hundreds of interceptions.

Most of the migrants are said to be from Cuba and Haiti who are escaping food shortages and rising inflation, among other issues.

Mr Bell told reporters there were more migrants repatriated last year than has been seen in a long time.

“That was quite significant, but again, to us, it does not necessarily mean that we are not only having success, but it talks about the level of activity in the area which is increasing,” he said before attending yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

 “And we know that the Ukrainian war is having a significant impact in Cuba and Haiti has pretty much imploded and so the CARICOM governments, along with the United Nations and the United States, we’re looking to see how we can best address the issues in Haiti holistically.”

 When asked yesterday if officials were expecting to see a surge of Haitian and Cuban migrants, the minister said they were.

 “Yes, we anticipate a very significant increase in migration from those two countries,” he continued. “What I think we ought to indicate to the Bahamian people is that we have, well, all of our law enforcement agents, the police force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, and certainly the immigration department, they are out there with their watchful eyes.

 “In addition to that, we have the joint operation between The Bahamas, the United States and Turks and Caicos, which is also monitoring the situation.”

 He also issued a plea to local fishermen, advising them that “if you see these vessels, then please call the law enforcement agents” so that workers can do their job.

 “I’m satisfied and I want to commend all of our law enforcement partners for the work that they’re doing, including the US Coast Guard, who are out there intercepting these people,” he also said. “And I ask the Bahamian people to continue to pray for the people in Cuba and Haiti, as those countries go through very, very serious crises.”

 According to Mr Bell, there are currently some 345 migrants being housed at the department’s detention centre. The majority of them are women.

 “In addition to that, we would have had 198 Cubans which make up those numbers in the detention centre and so it is obviously a concern for us,” Mr Bell also said.

 The Bahamas saw a rise of irregular incidents of migration to the country last year, particularly in March.

 In July, 17 Haitian migrants perished in a boat off the coast of Blackbeard’s Cay while enroute to Miami, police reported at the time.

 Officers said they were travelling to the US as part of a smuggling operation.