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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Fred Mitchell and Minister for Grand Bahama Affairs Hon. Michael Darville (both seated left) met with pastors at the Freeport Gospel Church on Friday to discuss immigration matters and specifically the facts surrounding the new policy vis-à-vis the misinformation seen on social media.
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Freeport, Grand Bahama
- Continuing with his public education campaign on the new Immigration
policies that came into effect on Saturday Nov 1, Immigration Minister
Mitchell traveled to Grand Bahama today (Friday) to meet with local
pastors at the Freeport Bible Church to discuss immigration and the
misinformation surrounding the enforcement of this law. Pastors from the
Haitian community and local social activist Joe Darville were among
those in attendance. The host pastor was the Rev. Wilbur Outten.
The following are Minister Mitchell's remarks:
I promised last week to re-convene this forum. This is a return to the church of Pastor Wilbur Outten and the Pastor’s Forum. I understand that Pastors from the Haitian community have been invited here and I asked Joe Darville to come.
The discussions are private but I wanted to make this brief statement about the purpose of the forum this morning.
There are many questions about the immigration policies. I have circulated the Public Service Announcement which was released on 31st October.
The rules apply nationwide.
Immigration will continue with the checks which it does daily. I saw again in this morning’s press the checks being described as round ups. I say again, round ups are for cattle, not people. In the future we will be supplying to the press the numbers of persons interdicted on suspected immigration violations.
I am again appealing to all to be sure that their documents are in order.
I ask for the patience of the public in dealing with these checks which may arise from time to time on the streets.
The protocol in place is that if you do not have the documentation and the immigration officer continues to suspect that you are not documented to be in The Bahamas, releases are to take place in the case of Nassau at the Detention Centre. In the other islands at the Immigration Offices, not on the streets. This is to avoid any allegations of corruption or improper conduct being made against officers and for the general well being of the public.
If there are any specific abuses or any property which is missing please make that known as soon as possible to the officer in charge or failing that to the Director of Immigration.
This morning I issued the following statement:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration has taken note of complaints to the Ministry from Bahamian citizens about the comments made in the press by a purported citizen of The Bahamas who now lives in the United States and the adverse comments about The Bahamas from a state legislator in Florida. The Ministry is investigating the complaints to determine what are the appropriate administrative measures if any that are necessary to protect the sovereign integrity of The Bahamas.
The Ministry reminds the public that the constitution requires all citizens to act in manner which does not prejudice the sovereignty of the state or jeopardizes their citizenship. Any visitor to our country must comport themselves in accordance with the law.
The Constitution speaks in Article 11 of the circumstances that can lead to the Governor General depriving a Bahamian of citizenship.
11. (1) If the Governor-General is satisfied that any citizen of The Bahamas has at any time after 9th July 1973 acquired by registration, naturalization or other voluntary and formal act (other than marriage) the citizenship of any other country any rights available to him under the law of that country, being rights accorded exclusively to its citizens, the Governor-General may by order deprive that person of his citizenship.
(2) If the Governor-General is satisfied that any citizen of The Bahamas has at any time after 9th July 1973 voluntarily claimed and exercised in any other country any rights available to him under the law of that country, being rights accorded exclusively to its citizens, the Governor-General may by order deprive that person of his citizenship.
The Bahamas Nationality Act says in Section 11 ( 2) (a) (iii) that the Minister for Nationality may by order deprive someone who is a naturalized citizen of his or her citizenship if that person has shown himself by act or speech to be disloyal or disaffected towards The Bahamas.
The point here is that citizenship of The Bahamas is precious and important and worthy. It is not to be enterprised or treated lightly.
I urge all citizens therefore to be mindful that we have in all things to be sure of our conduct. The world marks the manner of our bearing.
The policies are not complicated. They are not targeted at any particular national group.
I am hoping that we have a good discussion this morning.
Thank you.
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