Mitchell: Bahamians air concern at US treatment

PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell.

As of Monday, March 17, 2025

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said Bahamians complain weekly to his ministry about the immigration policies of the United States of America and the “tone and manner” in which local US Embassy personnel treat them.

“They complain about the decisions, which seem whimsical, arbitrary and unilateral,” he added in a voice note.

He also touched on the US decision to potentially impose restrictions on the travels of Caribbean ministers that allow their countries to participate in Cuba’s labour export programme.

He said: “These are extraordinary times in the common era when countries and the whole question of rules, the question of the United Nations Charter, the Declaration of Human Rights, the commitment to territorial integrity, the recognition of self determination, the inviolability of borders, the right to move from one place to the next throughout the world, all seem under threat for small countries like ours and the entire Caribbean.”

He urged the Bahamian government to uphold the country’s moral values and defend its sovereignty, linking these developments to historical independence movements across the Caribbean.

“If we are unable in these circumstances, to exercise the one thing we have, which is our voice and we also have our moral values, then 1804 for Haiti. 1962 for Jamaica and Trinidad Tobago. 1966 for Barbados, 1979 for St Lucia and St Vincent. 1973 for the Bahamas. 1974 for Grenada, 1978 for Dominica will mean absolutely nothing.”

quavaduff 1 day, 8 hours ago

You can always talk to the new ambassador ... hershel "football player" walker about these issues. Not that he understands anything other than football ... he is definitely not the sharpest. LOL

Sickened 1 day, 4 hours ago

Has mr football moved here yet? I haven't heard his name recently. Maybe he wasn't approved???

rosiepi 1 day, 6 hours ago

Mitchell “urged the government to uphold the country’s moral’s values” And here we thought Old Freddie had no sense of humour!!

moncurcool 1 day, 5 hours ago

Can the Tribune please have reporters challenge these ministers with the statements they make, and not just quote what they say?

“They complain about the decisions, which seem whimsical, arbitrary and unilateral,” he added in a voice note.

What does this mean. What exact things are they complaining about. Make him give concrete examples to back what he is saying.

TalRussell 1 day, 3 hours ago

@MoncurCool, do you know that, yes, even access can be hidden as to shareholder(s) who do own the Majority of the Newspaper's Stock, but whilst they may Hold Enough to become a Controlling Shareholder at the at the long-time family run Shirley Street Print Bladdery. -- May not even require govt' approval under the Colony's Direct Foreign Investment Scheme. -- Yes?

ThisIsOurs 22 hours, 30 minutes ago

It means there appear to be no objective logical reason for the denials,... in the mind of the person denied a visa of course. So maybe you believe they denied you because they didnt like your shirt.

ExposedU2C 1 day, 3 hours ago

Tootie Fruity Fwreddy Boy is clearly having great difficulty digesting what he knows is coming his way like an unstoppable freight train. He and many other current and former corrupt politicians, together with their corrupt wealthy cronies and financial-backers, are going to learn the hard way that even a small nation's sovereignty, within the context of international law and order, cannot be used to shield them from facing the consequences of their many illegal activities spanning decades. The sad part is we, the Bahamian people, having put the governance of our nation in the hands of some of the most corrupt, incompetent and greedy politicians in the western hemisphere, are also going to pay a very dear price. Elections have consequences, both at home and abroad.

bogart 1 day, 2 hours ago

the beginnings of government officials representing the nation starts with the individual having a good knowledge of the Constitution with is preamble being guided by Christian principles. Persons furthermore takes their oaths and places their hand on the Bible.

It should be fully aware that the the Communists guns, killing people who oppose them, jailing opponents, victimizations and repressions of the rights of the people have been documented. Opposite to the beliefs of Bahamians, Communists officials do not have Bibles in their hands nor allow religion.

Soon Bahamians will be reflecting on the Remembrance Day of our highly patriotic dutiful Bahamian sailors when our Bahamian Defence Force was doing their duties on their Bahamian naval vessel the Flamingo in protecting our beloved Bahamaland from invading Cuban criminals on Cuban vessels with 3,000 lbs stolen Bahamian resources.

They Cubans called their government ant their military Mig jet planes with big bullets starting gunning down our boat with its 19 crew and Bahamian flag clearly on top mast on our vessel. Even though the boat started sinking, the Cuban planes kept on shooting. Even our fellow Bahamian sailors was swimming to put distance from the sinking vessel the Cuban jet planes kept on shooting big bullets at our sailors in their backs. Our sailors, our brothers, our family Sturrup, Smith, Tucker and Williams bodies was never recovered.

Not only after murdering our Bahamian sailors in such atrocious manner, the Cuban planes then went on in our Bahamian territory clearly known as Bahamian islands and terriorized our families and citizens on Ragged Island without regard to notifying our Bahamian authorities of what is happening.

All Bahamians must have a look at the paintings depicting the horrible killings of our brothers by the Cuban government, as our Bahamian brothers and Flamingo patrol boat crew were on duty in their employed government duties and protection of our beloved Bahamaland.

Porcupine 10 hours, 29 minutes ago

Yes, very much like, but to a lesser extent of what Israel did to the USS Liberty.

birdiestrachan 1 day, 1 hour ago

Breaths there a man with soul so dead who never to himself.has said this is my home my native.land quote. It is to bad that the nincompoos see corrupt Bahamians. But the USA have angles and saints and so

TalRussell 1 day ago

WHEN it's hard air-out in a situation as to which side; -- Colony's Govt'/US State Department, is more or less the scheme's oppressor of Cuba's workers'. -- Guess depends on $$ amounts of cheques is actually retained by Cuban workers' vs what gets deposited into the bank accounts of Cuba's front peoples'? -- Sometin of which a substantive minister of the crown, can access. -- Yes?

birdiestrachan 22 hours, 53 minutes ago

History shows that when Bahamians went on the contract. Some of their money was sent back to the Bahamas. I DO NOT KNOW if the Cubans had this agreement Speaking of human rights have any one seen the people going to sanslavado hitler use to shave the Jews hair truth be told there is nothing new under the sun so says the good book

birdiestrachan 22 hours, 41 minutes ago

Be careful what one listens to about human rights. Well it's maybe some are human and some are not that is how they justify human rights Look at those young men sent by the usa to Sanslavador they can not even lift their heads

ThisIsOurs 22 hours, 38 minutes ago

"If we are unable in these circumstances, to exercise the one thing we have, which is our voice.."

True. #FOIA... we been exercising our one thing for a while now...

TalRussell 22 hours, 25 minutes ago

When It was Better In Haiti Than In The Bahamas! -- There's more than 78.7+% of any of Bahamas Out Island of Inagua heritage; -- that they DNA makeup IS PART Haitian. -- And we go back generations. -- And, long before there was a University of The Bahamas; --- Bahamian Merchants, enrolled their sons and daughters at the University of Haiti. -- Yes?

bahamianson 21 hours, 48 minutes ago

Cuban nurses and doctors take home 10%-15%, and the Cuban government gets 75-95 % of their salary, takes their passports, and limits family visits, yet our leaders distance themselves from these realities. The Cuban government earns around 7 billion from these Doctors and nurses. They do not do this for charity, they do it for profit. Urinate on me and tell me it is raining.

birdiestrachan 20 hours, 41 minutes ago

I would assume they have to pay rent buy food and clothes power bill 10 percent or 15 percent covers all of those expenses. Are they in prison could they not.apply to human rights groups .they do have freedom. They whom some worship do not give a dam about human rights. Pay attention to them and watch how they treat people of a different hues

bogart 20 hours, 34 minutes ago

Many years ago many Cubans travelling abroad would try to defect and lots of ballet dancers and baseball players would do so.

The Cuban government obviously got smart for the survival of their communist regime and imposed a law to punish the defectors from returning for about 8 years to prevent any contact with their Cuban and friends. In addition to the punishment, the remaining families and friends of the defectors have to cope with the sigma of living in the Cuban communist controlled state.

It is naive for countries to not realize the the utter desperate measures to see Cubans intercepted by non Cuban vessels or photographed by planes in the waters trying to flee highly police controlled communist Cuba with many in makeshift inner rubber inflated rubber tube rafts. Extremely dangerous trying to travel through shark infested waters, limited drinking water, hot sun, through Bahamian waters Cay Sal area and to be lucky the currents float them to the US.

After years of Cubans trying to escape the confines of the evil communist state and the returning of Cubans leaving the country, it would seen obvious there must be extremely well enforced state measures in place to ensure its citizens return and with any amount of US hard currency for the continuance of the evil repressive communist regime over its population.

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