The Tribune

THE Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union (BMEU) has denied failing to police the entrance of foreign entertainers, DJs and their personnel into the country.

The union’s press statement yesterday came after the United Artists Bahamas Union raised alarms about the influx of foreign entertainers entering the country and urged the Department of Labour not to certify the BMEU’s recent election.

The BMEU said: “Be it known that there is a policy and agreement to which the BMEU has the rights to engage in an approval process in conjunction with the Department of Immigration and the Department of Labour. This collaborative process ensures that all foreign entertainers, DJs and their personnel entering the country must comply with these local policies and agreements. Consequentially, a levy is collected by the BMEU.”

“It is obvious that the rights the BMEU has to collect the levy is playing on the minds of UABU. The alleged influx of unchecked foreign entertainers and DJs, entering and performing in the country is ludicrous. If Leonardo Lincs Scavella, secretary general, UABU has knowledge of such blatant violation of our sovereign policies and agreements, than we invite him to report the same to any of the collaborative stakeholders: Department of Immigration; Department of Labour or BMEU. We take exception to Mr Scavella’s aspersions and allegations against public officers in the Department of Immigration and by extension, the Bahamas government.”

Labour director Howard Thompson said he could support a 30-day moratorium on the entry of foreign acts to resolve matters between the two unions.

However, the BMEU cautioned him not to do so based on “spurious accusations”. The union added that two meetings with the departments of Labour and Immigration were unproductive and inconclusive.

“We are therefore saddened to know that the director of labour is prepared to unilaterally vary the terms and conditions of the current policy by proposing a moratorium on foreign artists and DJs from entering the country. This is in contravention of the agreement between The Bahamas government and the BMEU,” the union said.