Derek Carroll
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The Tribune:
FREEPORT, Bahamas - The Immigration Department in the northern region
presented boxes of charitable items to the Freeport Seventh-Day
Adventist outreach ministry.
Jack Thompson, Director of Immigration, Fausteen Major-Smith, Assistant
Director of Immigration for the northern region, and the staff made the
presentation at its offices in the Churchill Building, downtown.
In celebration of the Department of Immigration's 70th anniversary, Mrs
Major said the staff decided to reach out and give something back to
the community during these tough economic times on Grand Bahama.
Ms Major said the staff from Grand Bahama and Abaco brought in items of
clothing, cases of bottled water, and other grocery items during the
month of October.
"In Grand Bahama, a lot of families are in need because of the economic
recession and we went into our closets and grocery cabinets to make
this donation to the Freeport Seventh-Day Adventist Church. This is a
reaching out to the community. People in the community usually see us
carrying out apprehensions or stationed at the port of entries, and we
wanted to give something back to the community," she said.
Mr Thompson commended the staff in the northern region for making such a generous donation to the needy on Grand Bahama.
"Most people think that immigration is only about apprehensions, but we are also about giving back to the community.
"This is the least we can do for the community and this is also an
opportune time...when we have a downturn in the economy. This could not
have come at a better time. I think it is a wonderful gesture and we
think a lot of people will benefit from it," he said.
Alicia Garland, community service director Freeport Seventh-Day Church, thanked the immigration department for its donation.
"We are most pleased that the immigration department saw fit to select us as the recipient of this charitable donation."
Ms Garland said the Evangeline Jervis community distribution centre on
Beachway Drive is a facility where the poor and those in need can come
for food items and clothing.
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