GrassRoot 9 years, 11 months ago on 'Human rights are being denied'
'Human rights are being denied'
This story has nothing to do with democracy. It shows that the way immigration laws, if any are in place, are enforced in an unconstitutional way. If a Bahamian national gets treated the way this man was treated by Immigration, it should be alarming particularly to persons that want all foreigners out. What the officers do, is racial profiling, if you look anything but Bahamian they book you and if you are lucky you can explain yourself later. If you are Bahamian, you shouldn't have to be afraid of immigration, police or any government official, particularly not if you are a law abiding citizen, irrespective of whether you live in Shantytown or Lyford Cay. Btw., I still believe that if the resources of this country were used properly by the wealthy and the government, no one - NO ONE - would have to live in a Shantytown, everybody would be properly educated and could work in a decent job.
Observer 9 years, 11 months ago on 'Human rights are being denied'
'Human rights are being denied'
This born in the Bahamas thing is so over used by too many ignorant people. They simply cannot accept that nationality in The Commonwealth Of The Bahamas does not pass to all and sundry under every physical condition. Who spread the lie that they have latched on to?
CatIslandBoy 9 years, 11 months ago on Bahamian-born woman accuses immigration staff of assault
Bahamian-born woman accuses immigration staff of assault
Come on fellow Bahamians, don't let our temporary raw emotions underscore our pitiful ignorance. The story here is about the mistreatment of fellow human beings by our immigration officers. This is not a debate about legal or illegal immigrants. All persons, regardless of their status, are to be treated humanely, definitely not to be subjected to physical abuse.
As a former police officer I have observed many of our uniformed servants speaking in a derogatory manner to their fellow Bahamians, and much worse to foreigners, temporarily in their charge, who may not understand their version of English too quickly. In fact many immigration and police officers believe that if they yell louder, somehow they are understood more clearly. And if they don't have a logical response to a reasonable question, then they simply resort to force, and shut up the complainant.
The Immigration issue in the Bahamas is a complex one that begs for some measure of humanity while the laws of the country are being enforced. Of course we must secure our borders, and we must protect the rights of our citizens to a decent education, good health care, and jobs. However, this does not give us rights to abuse and dehumanize those who seek a better way of life, especially after the many years of backbreaking service they have given to this country for meagre earnings. I am always amazed at the thousands of Bahamian households in the islands of New Providence, Grand Bahama, and Abaco that employ Haitian, Jamaican, Dominican, and even Mexican maids, nannies, and other domestic labourers. Obviously if Bahamians were not providing streams of income to these people they would turn elsewhere to better themselves.
When we continue to speak (or write) derogatorily about our brothers, as if they are less than human, we are only showing our true colors to the International communities. I am currently half way around the world, but each day I pull up the Tribune to see what's happening in my beloved country. Potential tourists and visitors are doing the same.
Voltaire 9 years, 11 months ago on Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
expatkz - thank you for being a beacon of sense and humanity amid this sea of bigotry and foolishness. I honestly hang my head in shame over this. How did my people become this? How in 40 years, not even a generation, did we go from the oppressed and downtrodden poor, to the haters of the oppressed and downtrodden poor? When did we, who used to be our brother's keeper, who used to ask "What would Jesus do?," become the kind of people who generalize, who judge an entire group of people instead of recognizing them as individuals. Who blame the victims and condemn them for trying to live. When did we become the kind people that sit smug and self-satisfied, looking down upon people desperate to give their children a better life? When did we become the kind of people that adopt the self-righteousness of ignorant, suggesting these poor people should do impossible things like "Go back and fix their own country"? As if we know how to fix any of our problems here. As if any one of us, given the choice between making our children safe and endangering their very lives in a vain attempt to rescue a failed country, wouldn't do the same thing as Haitians do. What exactly is a poorly educated young Haitian-Bahamian mother supposed to do, exactly, to "fix Haiti"? How is she going to clean the cholera out of the water supply, when the United Nations can't manage to do it. How is she going to make food where there is none, where everyone else is eating mud? How is she to stop her children from dying from the countless illnesses and deprivations that run rampant through Haiti today? What would any of the people on this thread do if they found themselves in her shoes? All the chest puffing indignation on display here is nothing but petty, egocentric tribalism. How did this happen to us? How did we forget who we are and where we came from? We should be ashamed to look in the mirror.
Voltaire 9 years, 11 months ago on Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
I would say three things: 1. I would break the law to protect my family and keep my children alive. I hope you would too. 2. The new immigration policy is in itself illegal and unconstitutional. Two wrongs don't make a right, that is kind of Ethics 101. 3. It is logically inconsistent to put the law on a pedestal and say 'anyone who breaks it is evil', no matter what the circumstances, then turn around and defend an enforcement policy that is illegal just because, you know, too many of them here and they need to go. Either the law is sacred and inviolable, or it is not. You can't have it both ways. In fact, the very fact that you want to have your cake and eat it too in this regard, suggests its not really the law you are concerned about at all, that this is just an excuse to promote an underlying prejudice.
Voltaire 9 years, 11 months ago on Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Oh and 4: You asked if someone coming in illegally should be excused along with "his/her offspring". Responsibility for crimes do not pass on from generation to generation; the individual who committed the crime is the only one culpable. The children of illegals are therefore innocent of committing any crime, unless you construe their mere existence as human beings to be unlawful - an idea which is.... utterly disgusting, particularly among the descendants of a race that was treated as second class humans for hundreds of years.
Voltaire 9 years, 11 months ago on Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Yes. I agree. Now lets do it legally, logically, humanely, constitutionally and according to due process. And when we assign blame, let us blame those who have really failed us, not the poor people whose behavior we would mimic if we found ourselves in their shoes. Many Bahamians in official careers have gotten fat and rich off the misery of these people. And we, instead of denouncing them for it, become all tribal and defend "our set", right and wrong be damned.
Voltaire 9 years, 11 months ago on Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
@Observer - true or not, all that is irrelevant. Our constitution demands that we afford rights to each and every individual, regardless of their nationality or status. It does not allow us to bundle people into groups of "them" and treat them accordingly. Right now, the government is the biggest lawbreaker in all this.
Voltaire 9 years, 11 months ago on Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Children 'left hungry and slept on floor' at Detention Centre
Observer, I will try to respond to all that confusion. 1. The comparative dates of the Constitution and the Immigration Act are irrelevant. Any law that does not conform to the constitution is subject to constitutional challenge and subsequent amendment. It is the supreme law of the land full stop. 2. No one said the Immigration Act is at issue here. The new policy goes well beyond the act. In any case, it is policy, not law. 3. The constitution does not give comfort to a law breaker, but it does set the procedure for determining that someone is a law breaker in the first place. You can't just assume.Everyone in the Bahamas is innocent until proven guilty. So sayeth the supreme law of the land. And, this is precisely the area where the new policy is a problem - it acts as judge, jury and executioner and as such, is a violation of Chapter 3 of the constitution. I do indeed understand the preamble of the constitution,which the country is founded on respect for christian values and the RULE OF LAW. The new policy tramples on the rule of law. Simple as. Hope YOU comprehend.
sing 9 years, 11 months ago on Mitchell: Immigration policy is in accordance with constitution
Mitchell: Immigration policy is in accordance with constitution
Here he goes again,lying to the OAS
crabman 9 years, 11 months ago on Mitchell: Immigration policy is in accordance with constitution
Mitchell: Immigration policy is in accordance with constitution
Hey hey now, where is the good christian love that everyone of you talk about in church on Sunday's while your Haitian gardener and housekeeper get the house and Sunday dinner ready for you when you return from the house of God? The Bahamas was once a foreign country to us also, it belonged to Caribs and other tribes before we were brought here from other countries.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 10 months ago on Cinema tickets up by more than rate of VAT
Cinema tickets up by more than rate of VAT
Agreed. A friend who's much more knowledgeable about financial matters than I has been telling me for some time that we are in SERIOUS trouble and some tax reform was needed. My fear is that the government is giving no signs that they have any idea how to handle all of this new money. The deficit was reported to have grown tremendously in the first quarter of last year. 9 million on Carnival with no accounting as yet for how the money is being spent. 50 million on BAMSI only to have to rent an airplane hanger to hold classes for FIFTY students, 1 million per student. No indication of the rental costs or how much additional money is needed to complete the project. 5 million in back taxes from the webshops, how much of that money is left or has it all been already paid out and for what? That would give us a serious indication of how VAT money will be used..
alibaba 9 years, 10 months ago on KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
He who knows not his history is bound to repeat it. What a disgrace ...what deep grave wrong ...KKK IS NOT OK ...a symbol of oppression for black people the world over is now used by bahamians to degrade others. As a black man I am deeply offended....as a human being I am gravely hurt ....after all these decades of fighting for basic human rights and dignity...the oppressed has become the oppressor. These are clear signs of a society on the path of self destruction....I hope I am wrong.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 10 months ago on KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
This is clearly wrong. I agree with Mr Smith, how could the organizers or the police have allowed this spectacle on BAY ST..!!?? Similarly how is it that the police allowed group after group to parade with coolers full of alcoholic beverages in front of visitors with the PM looking on fondly? As if that wasn't bad enough, the announcer goes to look in one of the coolers to give commentary as if it's part of the entertainment. How embarrassing and degrading. The Bahamas a bunch of drunken carousers
Girly 9 years, 10 months ago on KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
I agree, this is totally unacceptable. I am not a fan of Mr. Smith but this time we have to know when to recognize wrong. The KKK masks, SERIOUSLY?
Tarzan 9 years, 10 months ago on KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
Can you be serious???? You compare public criticism of an elected public official in a democracy to organizing a group of street thugs, to physically threaten Bahamian citizens exercising their democratic rights to redress grievance in a permitted, peaceful public march??? Are you crazy???? This country is fast descending into lawless disorder and it starts at the top! If the government does not protect fundamental civil rights, how can we expect civil behavior from the criminal class.
banker 9 years, 10 months ago on KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
I am ashamed to say that I am a Bahamian. The lamp of enlightenment has flickered out, or perhaps was never lit. We have descended into a tribal banana republic of thugs, and the xenophobic idiots on this forum fan the flames of hatred.
The Bahamas is the laughingstock of the world and the folks like Birdie and SP don't even know how ignorant they come across to intelligent people. That is the truly sad part.
With such a thick, ignorant, hateful, hate-filled populace, where the milk of human kindness has soured and curdled, there is no hope for the Bahamas. The socio-economic fabric is being torn apart with the new taxation. Tourism and Financial Services are in decline, corruption in the public sector is at an all-time high as is crime and unemployment.
In the meantime, there is continual erosion of the quality of life, and there is no hope on the horizon for the ordinary citizens of the Bahamas. The sad fact is that Bahamians do not know how to govern themselves, their behaviours, their lives, and their country.
The_Oracle 9 years, 10 months ago on KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
KKK style protest at Junkanoo parade a 'national disgrace' says Smith
Conspiracies abound, Where the truth cannot be found. That a Black man, no matter his nationality would wear the garb of the most sinister anti black organization in the U.S. Is beyond any sense aside lunacy or insanity. It is indicative of how far we have sunk in regards to self respect and societal decency. That our political class has led us to this point is the most glaring point to be regarded. And somehow, we are satisfied to make this all about Fred? We are in for a very harsh reality check, sooner than later it appears if this is the norm.
GrassRoot 10 years ago on PM: Immigration backlash alarm
PM: Immigration backlash alarm
Sorry Regardless, Immigration Policy can be determined and implemented without racist undercurrents. Unfortunately not what happened in the Bahamas. Of course the Haitian migrants' influx is an issue and probably the main issue for now, and of course the immigration policy is targeting specifically that issue. However, there are issues that the Government must be dealing with and has not so far: 1. kids born in the Bahamas to illegals need a form of document proving who their parents are and that they are born in the Bahamas, bcz without that they wont even get a passport in Haiti once they are in Haiti. 2. due process - every person that gets picked up needs to be processed accordingly. God forbid my dad was a naturalized Bahamian from Haiti and I look like him but did not bring my papers to work. I would probably be on the next plane. Am sure there is more. Putting all people on a plane, burning down their houses and sending tem out of the country does not resolve the issue, keep in mind we created the issue ourselves by (I) letting these people into the country in the first place, and (ii) not expeditiously send them back, whatever the reasons were (economically, incapable government, etc. ).So we allowed structures and networks of illegal migrants to grow, kids to be born here, man and women to pick up jobs. So this is a process. it needs to be done consistently, with a firm hand but in a humane way. If we treat stray dogs better than illegal immigrants our value system is upside down.