|
Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 Dear Editor,
I write in response to the recent plethora of commentary regarding the Bahamas’ current immigration policies and strategies, in particular a recently published Letter to The Editor, under the heading, “Fred Mitchell, hero of immigration”.
Firstly, let me preface my comments by stating that I am absolutely not in the habit of defending any able-bodied person who can defend themselves. The tone of the commentaries, in my mind, begs some kind of independent, nationalistic and ‘big picture’ response.
Secondly, with all due respect, references (in my opinion) to any high profiled national office-holder, should always be respectful. The writer began his attack of Mr. Mitchell by throwing light barbs at the Prime Minister, who he initially and correctly refers to as ‘Prime Minister Christie’ but quickly threw in a ‘Perry’ reference - “..as only Perry can do”.
As prolific as the writer is I have never read a penned reference to ‘Hubert’ in any of his articles or letters. While it is understood and the norm in The Bahamas that conversationally we always refer to politicians by their first names, particularly the former and present Prime Minister, we must remember to be respectful in public.
Example: I do not believe that the dear writer would refer to Sir Michael Barnett (former Chief Justice) as Michael in any published op-ed piece or letter. Most right-thinking persons would not do, so I must assume that what I read was purely typographical.
Reading through the New York Times article that spurred the onslaught of commentaries, “Immigration Rules in Bahamas Sweep up Haitians”, it is easy for informed and/or well-travelled persons to spot the hyperboles, bias and fallacies. However, it was this very same article that a number of ‘informed’ persons choose to use as the platform to ratchet up rhetoric upon rhetoric.
Commentaries this week ranged from predictions that hundreds/ thousands of children will forego education all the way to a reference to ‘ethnic cleansing’ and all other sorts of inciting terms. I had to read those commentaries several times to make certain I was not having a nightmare.
It is against this backdrop that I choose to add my ‘two cents worth’ to the discussion.
The NY Times article writer tells the world that Immigration has stepped up “raids in predominantly Haitian shantytowns”… The question then is, ‘is the Bahamas home to numerous shantytowns, including predominantly Haitian ones?’ Or – “are our illegal Haitian brothers and sisters predominantly staying in shantytowns”? Or, more telling, what is the broader narrative?
The correct answer places a different perspective on the entire article. The broader narrative would speak to the fact that the overwhelming majority of illegal immigrants are Haitians, so any corrective or preventive immigration action will, by definition, be skewed against our Haitian brothers and sisters.
The Bahamas is home to many productive migrants, (especially) inclusive of Haitians. We are also home to many illegal migrants, who are unproductive and a drain on our scarce resources. That is the reality and we do need to get a grasp and fix it, so that the positively productive immigrants can be properly assimilated into our society and culture.
To do this, we absolutely have to determine ‘who are here’, ‘who are productive’ and ‘who do we wish to keep’. This speaks to blue and white collar workers, legal and illegal. Once done and the amnesty or ‘cooling off’ period is finished, then we have to dig in our heels and forcefully make all and sundry observe our laws.
Academic and intellectual arguments aside, my time spent abroad, as a student and professional, taught me that properly constituted and enforced immigration laws, ensures a high and sustainable standard of living. In the countries I have had the good fortune of studying and working, I had to be documented and I understood and accepted the host country rules. Things may not have been as rosy at home, during those times, but that was life. If I took a chance and overstayed or contravened the immigration rules, I knew what the consequences would have been.
In terms of immigration policy in North America and other developed countries, nothing much has changed. However, an escalating amount of Bahamians living abroad are now taking chances and overstaying their time in those countries and if/ when caught are sent home.
Most if not all Bahamians accept this reality. Such is life!
My time in the Channel Islands…. I had to qualify for a “J” visa, which allowed my family to accompany me; and permitted my wife and any dependent to work – without having to (re)apply for a permit. It also allowed me full access to hospitals and prescription plans. My wife had access to the hospital plans but had to sign-up and begin paying social security, within 2 months of moving there, to continuously receive those benefits.
The result, that small island state could more accurately and effectively budget and project spending patterns for education, health, immigration, etc., than we have been able to do and their standard of living was high and stable. Our issues in budgeting, or even balancing our budget, probably begin with the difficulties we face with in determining (measuring) how many persons live in or country, who will require these essential services in any particular year and how to tax and govern our informal economies.
Additionally, on that small island state, visas (work permits) dictated where you could live/ rent. My professional visa gave me full rein but a visa for say a labourer would be more restrictive. I cannot recall seeing any shantytowns in the Channel Islands.
My time in the Isle of Man was even more educational. On that particular small island state, nobody could purchase property on that island, at least when I was travelling there professionally, unless they were ‘residents’ for 10 consecutive years. What did those good people do? Granted and renewed work permits up to 9 years and then break the run. There were exceptions but only for those high profiled and high demand jobs, i.e., medical specialists, etc., who they wanted to live there permanently.
Professionals and investors know of the policies in these competing jurisdictions and have absolutely no problems with them. The law is the law is the law. It has to be transparent and properly enforced for all to make a determination.
Minister Mitchell is trying to do his job and understands that we need a benchmark or starting point. This speaks to registration. Whether or not the fee is too high is arguable and one may say it is a small enough price to pay to know ‘who is who and where’ in our country.
As Bahamians and responsible residents we need to chime in but respectfully, particularly if we want our ‘good’ ideas to be heard. I am not naïve and would support any argument that suggests that ‘governments’ must find innovative ways to get the right persons around the discussion table(s) to help formulate policies and strategies. I detest, however, anything that hints or boldly suggests that ethnic cleansing is being perpetrated in our country. That emphasizes challenges faced by one group and not the whole. I have a problem with anything that undermines the overarching changes that need to be made to improve The Bahamas – for the benefit of any one group.
Back to our good friend the ‘letter writer’ (Richard Coulson) – his 24 November 2010 Tribune article, ‘A “Tea Party” for The Bahamas?’, spoke to a ‘fix it right now’ attitude by a ‘growing body of citizens who feel like the Tea Partiers in the U.S. – that we cannot continue with “business as usual”’.
He even went further and predicted that not all of his proposals (to stem the drain on our country’s resources) could be accomplished at once or ever, but they would provide the basis from shifting from the (our) welfare state and towards individual responsibility.
The letter writer also wrote that his suggestions would just be starting points for an ‘imaginative Tea Partier’. Whilst, I do not think Minister Mitchell is a conservative or Tea Party type, he is certainly getting to the point and doing his jobs. We need to feed ideas about how we can assist the process, how it works in other places and how we can basically work together.
Crime is escalating, our deficit is growing, unemployment is soaring, and Bahamians need to be empowered, so we need the sharpest minds in the room - pulling in the same direction to modernize our country. Disagreements are fine, once progressive, but we have to desist with anything that detracts from people performing their jobs, promotes selfish agendas or cheap politicizing.
Love and respect to all,
Donald Demeritte
The Bahamas
Disclaimer:
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his/her
private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of
TheBahamasWeekly.com
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
Top of Page
|
