The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister “Brave” Davis reiterated that The Bahamas would continue deporting Haitians, not least because the international community is not doing enough to help the migrants or improve Haiti’s situation.

Mr Davis responded to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which once again urged countries to temporarily halt deportations to Haiti as the country experiences civil unrest, gang violence and kidnappings.

The UN committee expressed concerns of abuse against Haitian migrants in the Bahamas, as well as other places.

“I have heard the United Nations’ plea to us, but unfortunately, it’s a plea that I cannot accede to,” Mr Davis said on the sidelines of the 2023 annual reception at the United Kingdom’s House of Lords. “The Bahamas cannot afford the burden of continuing of housing and keeping the amount of migrants fleeing from Haiti to our shores.

“We are already overburdened by the fact of interception, detention and sending them back. Our resources are limited. We have to address the climate change issues that continue to impact us and affect us. We are still recovering from (hurricane) Dorian and most of our issues are externally driven.”

Mr Davis continued his call for other regional countries to assist with the crisis in Haiti, as The Bahamas cannot support too many migrants.

“Those countries who are out there, who can help Haiti, I call on them, please come and help Haiti. That is my cry, as presently advised and (in) our present situation, we cannot. We will do our part to protect our borders. We will continue to be as humane and compassionate for the Haitian people.

“We understand the challenges in Haiti, but at this time, we are unable to respond in a manner in which we are being called upon by the international community, when the international community themselves are not doing enough to help the situation in Haiti,” he said.

On Tuesday, Immigration Minister Keith Bell revealed that over 2,000 people had been repatriated from The Bahamas between January and the end of March this year.

“It is the long-held position of the government of The Bahamas that the international community must assemble the resources needed to provide Haiti with an economic package of debt forgiveness and aid to assist in improving its economic outlook,” he said.