Time for vendors to get their house in order
tribune242 editorial
"SHOWBOATING" on the sidelines is what government is calling the position taken by the PLP in the case of the nine jailed straw vendors in New York. We see it as the PLP playing its usual game -- taking advantage of the ignorance of less fortunate people.
The position is that nine straw vendors went to New York in September on a shopping spree. According to their own admissions they knowingly purchased fake designer goods -- brand named bags and jewellery -- for resale at their market stalls on Bay Street. As they waited at the airport in New York to board their return flight to Nassau, loaded down with shopping bags of illegal goods, they were arrested and charged in a Manhattan court with conspiracy to defraud the US by trafficking in counterfeit merchandise.
Because Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs, made a public statement to the effect that vendors at home should take note of what had happened to their colleagues and govern themselves accordingly, the PLP are trying to infer that the government had abandoned the straw vendors. They had no intention of helping them, said the PLP, until the PLP got on their case and embarrassed them into action.
This, of course, is not true. The government was not embarrassed by the PLP's senseless haranguing. On learning of the vendors arrest all agents of government moved in to provide whatever help they could. Mr Symonette received a daily report from the Bahamas Consulate in New York, which provided assistance to the vendors and kept their families informed.
Almost immediately the Ministries of Education and Labour and Social Development assisted the families and children left behind in Nassau. The government also engaged legal counsel to represent the vendors.
But apparently that is not enough. The PLP want the government to help them with their bail, find suitable accommodation for them until they go to trial, resolve the bond issue "and see whether -- since this is a government-to-government issue -- to see if we can't through the attorneys seek to get the charges dropped."
Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell and Fort Charlotte MP Alfred Sears, both lawyers, should know that once a matter gets before the courts it ceases to be a government-to-government issue. Nobody can interfere with the judicial process. No one can do it in the Bahamas, nor can anyone do it in New York. It is, therefore, wrong to take advantage of less educated people, and make them believe that somehow governments can negotiate with the courts. Should offenders facing our courts in Nassau and jail time in HM Prison expect the same consideration from their government? These PLP lawyers should know that the symbol of a blindfolded justice sends out the message that all persons are equal before the Law and each gets equal justice -- regardless of who they happen to be. The most the Bahamas government can do is to ensure that the vendors have good legal representation and are judged fairly. The vendors cannot expect more than that - and it is wrong of the PLP to fool them into believing otherwise. The law cannot be bent to accommodate them. As for those still in Nassau, who want to find wiggle room to continue the illicit trade, they should take Mr Symonette's wise advise and get their stalls in order before the police have to come and do it for them.
The PLP should be the last to be crowing when we discover that when the matter of the counterfeit goods should have been settled in 2006, a "senior government official" in the PLP administration instructed a "senior police official" not to raid the vendors' stalls, but let them continue to sell their goods. These instructions came after police raided the warehouse on East Street, allegedly the supplier of the counterfeit goods, and were prepared to move onto the straw market to put a stop to the illegal trade there.
The police's lack of action in stamping out the trade in 2006 led the US government to unfairly conclude that Bahamian police officers were "complicit" in the straw market's counterfeit commerce. From the information we now have the police turned a blind eye to what was going on in the market on instructions in 2006 from a "senior government official."
This is why we find the holier-than-thou position now being taken by the PLP not only farcical, but insincere. If they are so concerned, why don't some of them take up a collection and help pay the bail for the ladies who are now in distress?
They should also go to the straw market and -- despite the famous remarks of one reverend gentlemen that "principles don't put food on the table" -- instruct the ladies that the continued illegal sale of counterfeit goods that once put food on their tables, will now land them in jail.
We recommend to the straw vendors that instead of being lulled into a stupor by PLP words excusing their actions, they should heed the sound advice of Mr Symonette, who said: "As a result of these charges, I highly recommend that Bahamians be guided accordingly."
In other words quickly clean up your act and abide by the law.
October 06, 2010
tribune242 editorial
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Showing posts with label Brent Symonette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brent Symonette. Show all posts
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Perry Christie: Brent Symonette's utterances on his administration's immigration policy have been quite confusing
PLP CALLS FOR CONSISTENT IMMIGRATION POLICY
By CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com
The time has long passed for the Ingraham administration to articulate a clear and consistent immigration policy, according to Opposition Leader Perry Christie.
Christie's comments came in an interview with The Nassau Guardian after Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, who has ministerial responsibility for immigration, said in a statement that apprehension exercises will resume September 1.
A day earlier, he had said there were no plans to restart apprehensions.
Christie said Symonette's utterances on his administration's immigration policy have been quite confusing.
"It seems to me that the deputy prime minister does not have a grasp of his portfolio, given the confusion that he is bringing about in the different statements that he is making as to the intention of the ministry(of immigration)with respect to illegal immigrants,"Christie said.
"It appears that he is now being directed by persons from outside of that ministry--either the Cabinet or some other force[perhaps]the prime minister--in terms of how he is looking in his pronouncements and there is a need to become more consistent in articulating the policy. And so that has resulted in a comical kind of development in one of the most pressing and urgent issues confronting the country."
Symonette faced similar controversy relating to his portfolio earlier this year when he contradicted Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham's announced policies that undocumented Haitian migrants who came to The Bahamas after the January earthquake in Haiti would be charged before the courts with illegal landing.
Asked by The Nassau Guardian what would happen to a group of Haitian migrants who landed in The Bahamas not long after, Symonette said they would most likely be released.
Within hours they were taken to court and charged with illegal landing. The migrants were later repatriated.
Christie said there are various important reasons why a clear immigration policy must be outlined.
"It is very, very important that the country has articulated for it the policy of The Bahamas government with respect to the illegal immigration situation here in The Bahamas, especially at a time when we are discussing the proposed Baha Mar development, which contemplates thousands of work permits which already, I think, embraces the full understanding that immigrants are now a full part of the construction force in the country and that if we are going to in fact have the maximum benefit of a Baha Mar development, it has to take into consideration the government's policy as it is now working and as it will affect the construction industry,"he said.
"The Bahamas, faced with the level of unemployment, which is in itself related to the increasing crime, needs to have a clear, and coherent policy which we all can embrace and that is what we call upon the minister of immigration to do, to get it right with his colleagues and then come to the country and articulate a policy that makes sense to the country and one in which the community of immigrants who have become(legal)residents of our country can also themselves be a part of enforcing."
The Opposition leader recognized that successive administrations have been faced with the politics of immigration. He said immigration policies sometimes result in fear and concern and the loss of support among an increasing voting bloc--the Haitian community.
"This is a very difficult subject that at the best of times governments walk gingerly in dealing with issues relating to immigration, but it is an incredibly serious issue that will impact the future of our country and we need to have unanimity among the political directorate. There ought to be no division between the parties on what the policy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is,"Christie said."We need to be able to agree on an issue of that kind, to discuss it nationally and agree because it is an incredibly serious issue and one that is not going away. And the longer we take to be strong and bring our national will to bear on this problem it's going to continue to get worse, and we are going to rue the day that we delayed and procrastinated on having an immigration policy that can be strictly enforced with the concurrence of the population of our country."On August 16, Symonette issued a statement saying:"Persons who are found to be in The Bahamas illegally will be repatriated forthwith."
He said Thursday that in the interest of allowing illegal migrants who wished to leave immediately and voluntarily to do so, the government has allowed for a brief period of voluntary repatriation.
The current debate on illegal immigration was sparked by the change in immigration policy announced by the prime minister in the wake of the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince in January. But the immigration issue has long been a controversial one.
Under the Christie administration, then Blue Hills MP Leslie Miller had warned that the illegal immigration problem was a ticking time bomb.
8/28/2010
thenassauguardian
By CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com
The time has long passed for the Ingraham administration to articulate a clear and consistent immigration policy, according to Opposition Leader Perry Christie.
Christie's comments came in an interview with The Nassau Guardian after Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, who has ministerial responsibility for immigration, said in a statement that apprehension exercises will resume September 1.
A day earlier, he had said there were no plans to restart apprehensions.
Christie said Symonette's utterances on his administration's immigration policy have been quite confusing.
"It seems to me that the deputy prime minister does not have a grasp of his portfolio, given the confusion that he is bringing about in the different statements that he is making as to the intention of the ministry(of immigration)with respect to illegal immigrants,"Christie said.
"It appears that he is now being directed by persons from outside of that ministry--either the Cabinet or some other force[perhaps]the prime minister--in terms of how he is looking in his pronouncements and there is a need to become more consistent in articulating the policy. And so that has resulted in a comical kind of development in one of the most pressing and urgent issues confronting the country."
Symonette faced similar controversy relating to his portfolio earlier this year when he contradicted Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham's announced policies that undocumented Haitian migrants who came to The Bahamas after the January earthquake in Haiti would be charged before the courts with illegal landing.
Asked by The Nassau Guardian what would happen to a group of Haitian migrants who landed in The Bahamas not long after, Symonette said they would most likely be released.
Within hours they were taken to court and charged with illegal landing. The migrants were later repatriated.
Christie said there are various important reasons why a clear immigration policy must be outlined.
"It is very, very important that the country has articulated for it the policy of The Bahamas government with respect to the illegal immigration situation here in The Bahamas, especially at a time when we are discussing the proposed Baha Mar development, which contemplates thousands of work permits which already, I think, embraces the full understanding that immigrants are now a full part of the construction force in the country and that if we are going to in fact have the maximum benefit of a Baha Mar development, it has to take into consideration the government's policy as it is now working and as it will affect the construction industry,"he said.
"The Bahamas, faced with the level of unemployment, which is in itself related to the increasing crime, needs to have a clear, and coherent policy which we all can embrace and that is what we call upon the minister of immigration to do, to get it right with his colleagues and then come to the country and articulate a policy that makes sense to the country and one in which the community of immigrants who have become(legal)residents of our country can also themselves be a part of enforcing."
The Opposition leader recognized that successive administrations have been faced with the politics of immigration. He said immigration policies sometimes result in fear and concern and the loss of support among an increasing voting bloc--the Haitian community.
"This is a very difficult subject that at the best of times governments walk gingerly in dealing with issues relating to immigration, but it is an incredibly serious issue that will impact the future of our country and we need to have unanimity among the political directorate. There ought to be no division between the parties on what the policy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is,"Christie said."We need to be able to agree on an issue of that kind, to discuss it nationally and agree because it is an incredibly serious issue and one that is not going away. And the longer we take to be strong and bring our national will to bear on this problem it's going to continue to get worse, and we are going to rue the day that we delayed and procrastinated on having an immigration policy that can be strictly enforced with the concurrence of the population of our country."On August 16, Symonette issued a statement saying:"Persons who are found to be in The Bahamas illegally will be repatriated forthwith."
He said Thursday that in the interest of allowing illegal migrants who wished to leave immediately and voluntarily to do so, the government has allowed for a brief period of voluntary repatriation.
The current debate on illegal immigration was sparked by the change in immigration policy announced by the prime minister in the wake of the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince in January. But the immigration issue has long been a controversial one.
Under the Christie administration, then Blue Hills MP Leslie Miller had warned that the illegal immigration problem was a ticking time bomb.
8/28/2010
thenassauguardian
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Brent Symonette: Illegal immigrant apprehension exercises will resume September 1, 2010
Brent Symonette: Illegal immigrant apprehension exercises set to resume
tribune242
THE Department of Immigration will resume illegal immigrant apprehension exercises on September 1 after a grace period for voluntary repatriation ends, said Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Brent Symonette.
In a statement released recently, the minister aimed to clear up the "confusion" over his ministry's repatriation and apprehension policies while maintaining that he has always been consistent in his remarks on the issue.
"There appears to have been some confusion relative to comments I made in an interview with the media on August 25 as to the time frame for the resumption of apprehension exercises of illegal immigrants from the Republic of Haiti or any other country," said Mr Symonette, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister.
"On August 16, I issued a statement noting: 'Persons who are found to be in the Bahamas illegally will be repatriated forthwith'.
"In the interest of allowing illegal immigrants who wished to leave immediately and voluntarily to do so, the government has allowed for a brief period of voluntary repatriation. That period will end on August 31. Apprehension exercises will resume as of September 1, consistent with my statement of August 16 relative to the resumption of such exercises.
Mr Symonette said his August 16 statement reminded the public of the government's long-standing policy with respect to illegal entry into the Bahamas.
"Having regard to the recent heightened infringement of Bahamas immigration law, notice is hereby given that with immediate effect, all illegal immigrants are requested to leave the Bahamas voluntarily.
"All persons who are here illegally are in contravention of the laws of the Bahamas, and are advised to return to their country of origin or be subject to apprehension and deportation.
"I also wish to recall the humanitarian decision of the Bahamas in suspending for a short period both apprehension and repatriation exercises following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January of this year," said the August 16 statement.
Since a cataclysmic earthquake devastated Haiti's capital city, the Bahamas has resumed repatriation exercises for illegal immigrants from that country.
Over the past six months, 772 Haitian and 183 Jamaican nationals have been repatriated to the Republic of Haiti and Jamaica respectively.
tribune242
tribune242
THE Department of Immigration will resume illegal immigrant apprehension exercises on September 1 after a grace period for voluntary repatriation ends, said Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Brent Symonette.
In a statement released recently, the minister aimed to clear up the "confusion" over his ministry's repatriation and apprehension policies while maintaining that he has always been consistent in his remarks on the issue.
"There appears to have been some confusion relative to comments I made in an interview with the media on August 25 as to the time frame for the resumption of apprehension exercises of illegal immigrants from the Republic of Haiti or any other country," said Mr Symonette, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister.
"On August 16, I issued a statement noting: 'Persons who are found to be in the Bahamas illegally will be repatriated forthwith'.
"In the interest of allowing illegal immigrants who wished to leave immediately and voluntarily to do so, the government has allowed for a brief period of voluntary repatriation. That period will end on August 31. Apprehension exercises will resume as of September 1, consistent with my statement of August 16 relative to the resumption of such exercises.
Mr Symonette said his August 16 statement reminded the public of the government's long-standing policy with respect to illegal entry into the Bahamas.
"Having regard to the recent heightened infringement of Bahamas immigration law, notice is hereby given that with immediate effect, all illegal immigrants are requested to leave the Bahamas voluntarily.
"All persons who are here illegally are in contravention of the laws of the Bahamas, and are advised to return to their country of origin or be subject to apprehension and deportation.
"I also wish to recall the humanitarian decision of the Bahamas in suspending for a short period both apprehension and repatriation exercises following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January of this year," said the August 16 statement.
Since a cataclysmic earthquake devastated Haiti's capital city, the Bahamas has resumed repatriation exercises for illegal immigrants from that country.
Over the past six months, 772 Haitian and 183 Jamaican nationals have been repatriated to the Republic of Haiti and Jamaica respectively.
tribune242
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Bahamas Immigration Dilemma
The Immigration Dilemma
By JUAN MCCARTNEY
Guardian Senior Reporter
juan@nasguard.com:
Back in the 1980s when the name Loftus Roker, then minister responsible for immigration, was spoken in the Haitian community, it was done so in hushed tones with an underlying sense of impending doom.
Illegal and legal Haitian migrants, adults and children alike feared Roker. And for good reason.
During Roker's heyday many in the Haitian community referred to him as"Daddy".
And many of those same Haitian migrants were constantly looking over their shoulders, fretting that'Daddy'and his team of eager immigration officers might swoop in at any time or place at schools, at the hospital, at church, in the middle of the night and have them swiftly back on Haitian soil.
Just as many Haitians feared Roker, many Bahamians at the time considered him a savior come to rid The Bahamas of undesirable aliens who"messed up their own country and were now coming to take over ours".
Conversely, there were those Bahamians who viewed Roker's reign at immigration as one of terror.
The Roker style is not in practice today.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, when asked by a reporter a couple of years ago if the Department of Immigration should conduct raids'Roker-style', replied:"We are not of that ilk."
While there is no denying Roker's zeal and popular appeal at the time, in the end it should be noted that Roker was about as effective as every other minister of immigration The Bahamas has ever seen; which is to say that he was not very effective at all.
Nothing Roker did actually helped stem the tide of illegal Haitian migrants into the country. Illegal Haitian migrants as they have been doing for the past 30 years still flock to our shores today.
Fast-forward to the 21st Century, when just recently, Immigration and Royal Bahamas Defence Force(RBDF)officials(with some help from the United States Coast Guard)apprehended over 500 illegal migrants within several days.
Five-hundred Haitian men, women and children paid what would be considered a vast amount in their home country to cram like sardines into unseaworthy vessels, with little food or water and a high probability of drowning in a summer of record heat, in search of a better way of life.
One would recall the case of an alleged murderer reportedly of Haitian descent, who eluded police several years ago only to be recaptured upon trying to reenter the country at a Family Island port.
When recaptured, the young man reportedly told police that he had been hiding in Haiti, but things were so rough in that country that finding food on a daily basis was never assured. He reportedly told police that he knew that if he were imprisoned in The Bahamas, he would eat every day.
That a man facing the death penalty would reportedly utter such comments, also speaks volumes about our justice system, but immigration policies are the focus at the moment.
The point is that illegal Haitian migrants come here unabated, knowing the chance of being caught is slim and even if they are deported, they could always risk their lives again.
Many Haitians apparently believe they can enter The Bahamas almost at will. This may be because they are aware that like Roker, all immigration ministers in recent memory have subscribed to the policy of'round-up and repatriate'as the solution to the illegal immigration problem.
Round-ups(or apprehension exercises as the politically correct prefer to term them)alone have failed to solve the problem.
They are at best ineffective stopgap measures that have mainly been used as a publicity tool for the government.
But they are better than nothing.
How the administration of Prime Minister Ingraham has flip-flopped and mishandled the illegal Haitian migration issue since that devastating January 12 earthquake in Port-au-Prince would have been amusing to watch had the implications not been so serious.
First the government ceased repatriations and apprehension exercises in light of the earthquake. Then the government, in a move that prompted a firestorm of debate, released more than 100 illegal Haitian migrants from the Carmichael Road Detention Centre and gave the less than 60 former detainees who bothered to show up to register at the Department of Immigration, six months temporary status. To this day, the current status of those immigrants remains unclear.
From there the policy became even more muddled.
About two weeks after Ingraham declared the shift in policy, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette(the substantive minister responsible for immigration)and the then junior immigration minister Branville McCartney had two different views on what should happen to a group of illegal Haitian migrants that landed in the Coral Harbour area of New Providence since Ingraham's announcement.
Symonette, who was interviewed as he was going into a Cabinet meeting, said the immigrants would"more than likely"be released.
Minutes later McCartney-who was not yet aware of what the senior minister had told reporters-said he planned to stick to the prime minister's previously stated policy of charging the immigrants with illegal landing before the courts.
Not long after that, Prime Minister Ingraham showed up and said that his policy of charging the immigrants still stood.
Ingraham's word of course superseded Symonette's and the immigrants were charged with illegal landing that day.
Little else was heard about illegal Haitian migrants since.
Now, after having done little for the past seven or so months, Symonette admits that there has been an uptick in illegal Haitian migration into The Bahamas and has urged that all illegal migrants turn themselves in to immigration officials to be returned home forthwith.
After Symonette communicated the words in English and Creole, a collective roar of laughter must have risen out of the Haitian community.
Does Symonette really expect Haitians who had come here illegally to all of a sudden do an about-face and volunteer to be returned home?
Surely not, considering that Symonette admits that apprehension exercises were still on hold and Director of Immigration Jack Thompson could up to last week give no firm timeline on when the exercises would resume.
And it is this ever-shifting, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants attitude as it regards Haitian migration since the beginning of the year that has conclusively shown that the current administration has never really had an actual workable plan with definable goals in place to deal with the issue.
And if we are mistaken and Prime Minister Ingraham and the Free National Movement actually have a plan in mind, then it seems that they lack the political will or courage to attempt its implementation.
Either way, this latest incarnation of the Ingraham administration, like all administrations since Independence, has failed the Bahamian people on the immigration front.
Ingraham's bark is worse than his bite
Some people criticize Ingraham for being too direct and gruff at times.
It's what some Bahamians would term as too"no manners".
Despite the'pit bull'persona Ingraham has generated, if you observe him carefully, you would see that at heart he is really a soft touch for those who find themselves particularly disadvantaged.
After Ingraham's 2002 referendum was rejected in spectacular fashion, he vowed that no more referenda would be held under his watch.
That referendum was rejected for numerous reasons: a terrible public awareness campaign; Ingraham's aggressive(and perhaps off-putting)selling of its agenda; an about-face by the Progressive Liberal Party(PLP), which voted for it in Parliament, but while on the campaign trail, advised Bahamians to shoot it down; and then there was the perception by many that the then government was trying to amend too much too fast.
If you watch the House of Assembly as intently as those in our profession do, you would sometimes catch Ingraham on the floor digressing in a retrospective manner about what he tried to do for women, for the tens of thousands of people out there who are technically Haitian but know no other home than The Bahamas.
Ingraham did try his best to bring some sort of major immigration reform, but in the end his best was not good enough and he seems to have still not fully gotten over that defeat.
But if that is the case, it's about time that he does.
The PLP not much better
True to form, the Opposition under the leadership of former Prime Minister Perry Christie has taken no clear position on the immigration issue since it once again became front and center earlier this year.
The Progressive Liberal Party(PLP)has sat idly by twiddling its thumbs in classic fashion, crying about non-consultation, hoping that the FNM will ultimately look so inept that the Bahamian people will give the party another shot at government.
Perhaps the issue is too big for the PLP, which has trouble making up its mind on various issues that have widespread implications--legalizing numbers, the marital rape issue, Baha Mar and Chinese labor to name a few.
The Opposition seems to be more suited to complaining about the landscaping of beaches, the direction of roads and the appointment of foreigners to public office.
Far be it from the PLP to actually propose an alternate immigration plan.
The only person in the Opposition who seems to have any focus on the issue is Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell, who while proposing no new ideas per se, at least has the issue on his radar.
Alas, Mitchell is even more of a soft touch than the prime minister.
Christie meantime has not shown a particularly keen interest in even acknowledging the problem.
Voices within the party that actually propose ideas about the issue such as former chairman Raynard Rigby are often met with derision.
That the PLP has not put the services of people as intelligent as Rigby(of which there are many in the party)to use in crafting a new national platform for the party, makes one wonder what, aside from ratifying candidates and throwing jeers at Cabinet members, has the party been doing for the past three years.
As the PLP learned when it was defeated amidst an economic boom in 2007, the Bahamian electorate is fickle.
The party must propose alternate solutions to the policies of the Ingraham administration if it is to set itself apart and regain the government.
Make the hard choices
Although the world and The Bahamas have made exponential progress in the past 30 years, little has changed since the 1980s regarding illegal migration.
The most notable immigration ministers since Roker have been Golden Gates MP Shane Gibson and Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney, both of whom resigned in the midst of their respective tenures.
Gibson, who was widely compared to Roker in his aggressive approach, resigned amid the Anna Nicole-Smith scandal.
McCartney reportedly became fed up that Ingraham found his stance toward illegal Haitian migrants too aggressive and flashy.
Since McCartney's departure we are now left with Symonette, who seems to have too much on his plate.
He is the deputy prime minister, the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of immigration.
Tens of thousands of illegal migrants perhaps sit in shanty towns across the country mocking Symonette's recent hollow threat.
Ingraham seems content to leave this issue to the next generation of Bahamians.
Meantime, The Bahamas immigration policy cannot be clearly defined and the Bahamian people remain adrift in a sea of uncertainty, much like the Haitian sloops that depart Port-de-Paix and Cape Haitien, filled with human cargo in search of a better life.
However, the major difference between us and them is that the Haitians at least have some idea of their destination.
8/23/2010
thenassauguardian
By JUAN MCCARTNEY
Guardian Senior Reporter
juan@nasguard.com:
Back in the 1980s when the name Loftus Roker, then minister responsible for immigration, was spoken in the Haitian community, it was done so in hushed tones with an underlying sense of impending doom.
Illegal and legal Haitian migrants, adults and children alike feared Roker. And for good reason.
During Roker's heyday many in the Haitian community referred to him as"Daddy".
And many of those same Haitian migrants were constantly looking over their shoulders, fretting that'Daddy'and his team of eager immigration officers might swoop in at any time or place at schools, at the hospital, at church, in the middle of the night and have them swiftly back on Haitian soil.
Just as many Haitians feared Roker, many Bahamians at the time considered him a savior come to rid The Bahamas of undesirable aliens who"messed up their own country and were now coming to take over ours".
Conversely, there were those Bahamians who viewed Roker's reign at immigration as one of terror.
The Roker style is not in practice today.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, when asked by a reporter a couple of years ago if the Department of Immigration should conduct raids'Roker-style', replied:"We are not of that ilk."
While there is no denying Roker's zeal and popular appeal at the time, in the end it should be noted that Roker was about as effective as every other minister of immigration The Bahamas has ever seen; which is to say that he was not very effective at all.
Nothing Roker did actually helped stem the tide of illegal Haitian migrants into the country. Illegal Haitian migrants as they have been doing for the past 30 years still flock to our shores today.
Fast-forward to the 21st Century, when just recently, Immigration and Royal Bahamas Defence Force(RBDF)officials(with some help from the United States Coast Guard)apprehended over 500 illegal migrants within several days.
Five-hundred Haitian men, women and children paid what would be considered a vast amount in their home country to cram like sardines into unseaworthy vessels, with little food or water and a high probability of drowning in a summer of record heat, in search of a better way of life.
One would recall the case of an alleged murderer reportedly of Haitian descent, who eluded police several years ago only to be recaptured upon trying to reenter the country at a Family Island port.
When recaptured, the young man reportedly told police that he had been hiding in Haiti, but things were so rough in that country that finding food on a daily basis was never assured. He reportedly told police that he knew that if he were imprisoned in The Bahamas, he would eat every day.
That a man facing the death penalty would reportedly utter such comments, also speaks volumes about our justice system, but immigration policies are the focus at the moment.
The point is that illegal Haitian migrants come here unabated, knowing the chance of being caught is slim and even if they are deported, they could always risk their lives again.
Many Haitians apparently believe they can enter The Bahamas almost at will. This may be because they are aware that like Roker, all immigration ministers in recent memory have subscribed to the policy of'round-up and repatriate'as the solution to the illegal immigration problem.
Round-ups(or apprehension exercises as the politically correct prefer to term them)alone have failed to solve the problem.
They are at best ineffective stopgap measures that have mainly been used as a publicity tool for the government.
But they are better than nothing.
How the administration of Prime Minister Ingraham has flip-flopped and mishandled the illegal Haitian migration issue since that devastating January 12 earthquake in Port-au-Prince would have been amusing to watch had the implications not been so serious.
First the government ceased repatriations and apprehension exercises in light of the earthquake. Then the government, in a move that prompted a firestorm of debate, released more than 100 illegal Haitian migrants from the Carmichael Road Detention Centre and gave the less than 60 former detainees who bothered to show up to register at the Department of Immigration, six months temporary status. To this day, the current status of those immigrants remains unclear.
From there the policy became even more muddled.
About two weeks after Ingraham declared the shift in policy, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette(the substantive minister responsible for immigration)and the then junior immigration minister Branville McCartney had two different views on what should happen to a group of illegal Haitian migrants that landed in the Coral Harbour area of New Providence since Ingraham's announcement.
Symonette, who was interviewed as he was going into a Cabinet meeting, said the immigrants would"more than likely"be released.
Minutes later McCartney-who was not yet aware of what the senior minister had told reporters-said he planned to stick to the prime minister's previously stated policy of charging the immigrants with illegal landing before the courts.
Not long after that, Prime Minister Ingraham showed up and said that his policy of charging the immigrants still stood.
Ingraham's word of course superseded Symonette's and the immigrants were charged with illegal landing that day.
Little else was heard about illegal Haitian migrants since.
Now, after having done little for the past seven or so months, Symonette admits that there has been an uptick in illegal Haitian migration into The Bahamas and has urged that all illegal migrants turn themselves in to immigration officials to be returned home forthwith.
After Symonette communicated the words in English and Creole, a collective roar of laughter must have risen out of the Haitian community.
Does Symonette really expect Haitians who had come here illegally to all of a sudden do an about-face and volunteer to be returned home?
Surely not, considering that Symonette admits that apprehension exercises were still on hold and Director of Immigration Jack Thompson could up to last week give no firm timeline on when the exercises would resume.
And it is this ever-shifting, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants attitude as it regards Haitian migration since the beginning of the year that has conclusively shown that the current administration has never really had an actual workable plan with definable goals in place to deal with the issue.
And if we are mistaken and Prime Minister Ingraham and the Free National Movement actually have a plan in mind, then it seems that they lack the political will or courage to attempt its implementation.
Either way, this latest incarnation of the Ingraham administration, like all administrations since Independence, has failed the Bahamian people on the immigration front.
Ingraham's bark is worse than his bite
Some people criticize Ingraham for being too direct and gruff at times.
It's what some Bahamians would term as too"no manners".
Despite the'pit bull'persona Ingraham has generated, if you observe him carefully, you would see that at heart he is really a soft touch for those who find themselves particularly disadvantaged.
After Ingraham's 2002 referendum was rejected in spectacular fashion, he vowed that no more referenda would be held under his watch.
That referendum was rejected for numerous reasons: a terrible public awareness campaign; Ingraham's aggressive(and perhaps off-putting)selling of its agenda; an about-face by the Progressive Liberal Party(PLP), which voted for it in Parliament, but while on the campaign trail, advised Bahamians to shoot it down; and then there was the perception by many that the then government was trying to amend too much too fast.
If you watch the House of Assembly as intently as those in our profession do, you would sometimes catch Ingraham on the floor digressing in a retrospective manner about what he tried to do for women, for the tens of thousands of people out there who are technically Haitian but know no other home than The Bahamas.
Ingraham did try his best to bring some sort of major immigration reform, but in the end his best was not good enough and he seems to have still not fully gotten over that defeat.
But if that is the case, it's about time that he does.
The PLP not much better
True to form, the Opposition under the leadership of former Prime Minister Perry Christie has taken no clear position on the immigration issue since it once again became front and center earlier this year.
The Progressive Liberal Party(PLP)has sat idly by twiddling its thumbs in classic fashion, crying about non-consultation, hoping that the FNM will ultimately look so inept that the Bahamian people will give the party another shot at government.
Perhaps the issue is too big for the PLP, which has trouble making up its mind on various issues that have widespread implications--legalizing numbers, the marital rape issue, Baha Mar and Chinese labor to name a few.
The Opposition seems to be more suited to complaining about the landscaping of beaches, the direction of roads and the appointment of foreigners to public office.
Far be it from the PLP to actually propose an alternate immigration plan.
The only person in the Opposition who seems to have any focus on the issue is Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell, who while proposing no new ideas per se, at least has the issue on his radar.
Alas, Mitchell is even more of a soft touch than the prime minister.
Christie meantime has not shown a particularly keen interest in even acknowledging the problem.
Voices within the party that actually propose ideas about the issue such as former chairman Raynard Rigby are often met with derision.
That the PLP has not put the services of people as intelligent as Rigby(of which there are many in the party)to use in crafting a new national platform for the party, makes one wonder what, aside from ratifying candidates and throwing jeers at Cabinet members, has the party been doing for the past three years.
As the PLP learned when it was defeated amidst an economic boom in 2007, the Bahamian electorate is fickle.
The party must propose alternate solutions to the policies of the Ingraham administration if it is to set itself apart and regain the government.
Make the hard choices
Although the world and The Bahamas have made exponential progress in the past 30 years, little has changed since the 1980s regarding illegal migration.
The most notable immigration ministers since Roker have been Golden Gates MP Shane Gibson and Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney, both of whom resigned in the midst of their respective tenures.
Gibson, who was widely compared to Roker in his aggressive approach, resigned amid the Anna Nicole-Smith scandal.
McCartney reportedly became fed up that Ingraham found his stance toward illegal Haitian migrants too aggressive and flashy.
Since McCartney's departure we are now left with Symonette, who seems to have too much on his plate.
He is the deputy prime minister, the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of immigration.
Tens of thousands of illegal migrants perhaps sit in shanty towns across the country mocking Symonette's recent hollow threat.
Ingraham seems content to leave this issue to the next generation of Bahamians.
Meantime, The Bahamas immigration policy cannot be clearly defined and the Bahamian people remain adrift in a sea of uncertainty, much like the Haitian sloops that depart Port-de-Paix and Cape Haitien, filled with human cargo in search of a better life.
However, the major difference between us and them is that the Haitians at least have some idea of their destination.
8/23/2010
thenassauguardian
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Bishop Simeon Hall: Illegal immigrants would not be in The Bahamas in such high numbers without the "complicity of some corrupt persons in authority
Immigration appeal 'may become joke'
tribune242
THE government's appeal for all illegal immigrants to leave the country must be "substantive" or it will become a "joke", Bishop Simeon Hall warned yesterday.
Brent Symonette, acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, recently ordered all illegal immigrants residing in the Bahamas to voluntarily leave the country or face immediate deportation.
However, Bishop Hall, senior pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church, said the appeal must not only be given to Haitians and Jamaicans but also to Americans, Europeans and Chinese who he says have "corrupted the system by buying their stay here."
The bishop said: "All persons who compromise the immigration laws of the Bahamas must know that the majority of Bahamians are not prepared for them to have a free ride on the back of those who must work hard every day to build this country."
In the statement, Bishop Hall noted that "it is the government's responsibility to enforce all laws of the Bahamas, especially to protect our national sovereignty. Successive governments have promised during election time to deal with the overwhelming problem of illegal immigration in the country, yet it remains a vexing situation."
Bishop Hall also claimed that illegal immigrants would not be in the country in such high numbers without the "complicity of some corrupt persons in authority."
He added: "Illegal immigrants have corrupted many agencies in our Bahamas and this pronouncement by the Minister must have teeth or it becomes laughable."
August 21, 2010
tribune242
tribune242
THE government's appeal for all illegal immigrants to leave the country must be "substantive" or it will become a "joke", Bishop Simeon Hall warned yesterday.
Brent Symonette, acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, recently ordered all illegal immigrants residing in the Bahamas to voluntarily leave the country or face immediate deportation.
However, Bishop Hall, senior pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church, said the appeal must not only be given to Haitians and Jamaicans but also to Americans, Europeans and Chinese who he says have "corrupted the system by buying their stay here."
The bishop said: "All persons who compromise the immigration laws of the Bahamas must know that the majority of Bahamians are not prepared for them to have a free ride on the back of those who must work hard every day to build this country."
In the statement, Bishop Hall noted that "it is the government's responsibility to enforce all laws of the Bahamas, especially to protect our national sovereignty. Successive governments have promised during election time to deal with the overwhelming problem of illegal immigration in the country, yet it remains a vexing situation."
Bishop Hall also claimed that illegal immigrants would not be in the country in such high numbers without the "complicity of some corrupt persons in authority."
He added: "Illegal immigrants have corrupted many agencies in our Bahamas and this pronouncement by the Minister must have teeth or it becomes laughable."
August 21, 2010
tribune242
Friday, August 20, 2010
The majority of Branville McCartney support is on the outside of his party - the Free National Movement (FNM)
Branville 'lacking Cabinet support'
tribune242:
ALTHOUGH widely considered to be a "popular Member of Parliament" by the voting public, FNM MP Branville McCartney does not share that same level of support among his former cabinet colleagues, The Tribune has been informed.
Out of a cabinet of 17 persons, sources close to the Bamboo Town MP said Mr McCartney could have the backing of possibly only "three or four" ministers.
This support, however, is said to grow when one considers there are a few "disgruntled" backbenchers within the party who would like to see a change in the party's leadership.
A senior FNM told The Tribune: "For right now, the majority of Branville's support is on the outside of the party. So his allies, within the organisation, will have to be in a wait-and-see mode. You don't want to be the man to put up your hand in support of him and draw back a stump."
Another voting delegate within the FNM said Mr McCartney would be wise to implement a "wait and see" position at this time, as he should not allow "outside influences" to move him before "the right time."
"In politics, timing is everything. Having political capital, and knowing what to do with it, are two completely different things. It is also very hard to remove a leader who all you can say about him is that you don't like his style. So ambition, in this instance, must learn to pace itself," he said.
Currently, if Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham were to step aside as leader of the FNM by the end of the year, the governing party could see a six-way race for its leadership post.
Among the names being touted as persons interested in becoming the next possible leader of the organisation are: Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing, Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes, the chairman of the party Carl Bethel, and, of course, the former Minister of State for Immigration Branville McCartney.
August 19, 2010
tribune242
tribune242:
ALTHOUGH widely considered to be a "popular Member of Parliament" by the voting public, FNM MP Branville McCartney does not share that same level of support among his former cabinet colleagues, The Tribune has been informed.
Out of a cabinet of 17 persons, sources close to the Bamboo Town MP said Mr McCartney could have the backing of possibly only "three or four" ministers.
This support, however, is said to grow when one considers there are a few "disgruntled" backbenchers within the party who would like to see a change in the party's leadership.
A senior FNM told The Tribune: "For right now, the majority of Branville's support is on the outside of the party. So his allies, within the organisation, will have to be in a wait-and-see mode. You don't want to be the man to put up your hand in support of him and draw back a stump."
Another voting delegate within the FNM said Mr McCartney would be wise to implement a "wait and see" position at this time, as he should not allow "outside influences" to move him before "the right time."
"In politics, timing is everything. Having political capital, and knowing what to do with it, are two completely different things. It is also very hard to remove a leader who all you can say about him is that you don't like his style. So ambition, in this instance, must learn to pace itself," he said.
Currently, if Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham were to step aside as leader of the FNM by the end of the year, the governing party could see a six-way race for its leadership post.
Among the names being touted as persons interested in becoming the next possible leader of the organisation are: Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing, Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes, the chairman of the party Carl Bethel, and, of course, the former Minister of State for Immigration Branville McCartney.
August 19, 2010
tribune242
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Brent Symonette - Minister of Immigration: Bahamians "cannot continue to employ non-Bahamian labour and complain at the rate of unemployment."
Deputy PM: we cannot employ non-Bahamian labour and complain about unemployment
By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
BAHAMIANS should take a hard look at the realities behind the immigration of foreigners into their country and accept that their own behaviour and choices sometimes play a part in the situation about which many complain, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Immigration, Brent Symonette, said that Bahamians "cannot continue to employ non-Bahamian labour and complain at the rate of unemployment."
"We either have to accept that there are certain jobs Bahamians are unwilling, unable or are not being suitably paid to do or else we have to move on," he said.
"A Bahamian will work in a hotel, but yet we're importing maids to work in private homes. What's the difference between them? Why are we prepared to do one and not the other?" asked the Minister and MP for St Anne's.
Under Bahamian immigration law, a foreign person can get a work permit from the Department of Immigration to fill a job in the Bahamas if no suitably qualified Bahamian can be found to do the job. In some cases, this may mean those who apply for the job are not necessarily holding the skills or qualifications the position demands, and in others, foreigners are able to gain legal authorisation to work in The Bahamas when no Bahamians actually apply for certain jobs when they are advertised.
He suggested that not only does the level of foreigners employed to do these jobs in The Bahamas mean some Bahamians remain unemployed while jobs exist that they could do, but "you have to ask the question what other burdens do (immigrants) put on the system."
Meanwhile, Mr Symonette said there has been a "gradually growing" number of cases of suspected sham marriages between Bahamians and foreigners seeking "papers" in The Bahamas - primarily Haitians and Jamaicans.
"A number of persons of non-Bahamian citizenship come to the Bahamas, overstay their welcome, when caught get deported and coincidentally marry a Bahamian the next day in a country south of us then come back as the spouse of a Bahamian. The cases are far too common to be real. And that's an issue we all have to face. There are a number of marriages that we question," said Mr Symonette.
He said that where the Immigration Department suspects that a marriage is one of "convenience", lacking authenticity, it has denied the right to the usual work and residency related benefits that extend to the spouses of Bahamians and some fraudulent cases have been prosecuted. However, he added that the situation is a tricky one as the government must extend these benefits to the spouses of Bahamians or else face the likelihood that Bahamians who go abroad and marry will not return home. Referring to the employment of foreigners, mainly Haitians and Jamaicans, in relatively unskilled jobs such as housekeeping and gardening -- thousands of permits are approved each year for foreigners to work in posts like these when Bahamians cannot be found to do the work -- and the fact that there is "on a daily basis a demand for skilled labour at the Department of Labour." Mr Symonette said the Bahamas needs to "start looking at the whole immigration policy in this country."
"Do we have enough skilled labour in the Bahamas or don't we have enough? Are people applying for work permits with job descriptions that don't necessarily fit the job in hand? These are issues I think we need to get out for public discussion," said Mr Symonette.
June 16, 2010
tribune242
By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
BAHAMIANS should take a hard look at the realities behind the immigration of foreigners into their country and accept that their own behaviour and choices sometimes play a part in the situation about which many complain, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Immigration, Brent Symonette, said that Bahamians "cannot continue to employ non-Bahamian labour and complain at the rate of unemployment."
"We either have to accept that there are certain jobs Bahamians are unwilling, unable or are not being suitably paid to do or else we have to move on," he said.
"A Bahamian will work in a hotel, but yet we're importing maids to work in private homes. What's the difference between them? Why are we prepared to do one and not the other?" asked the Minister and MP for St Anne's.
Under Bahamian immigration law, a foreign person can get a work permit from the Department of Immigration to fill a job in the Bahamas if no suitably qualified Bahamian can be found to do the job. In some cases, this may mean those who apply for the job are not necessarily holding the skills or qualifications the position demands, and in others, foreigners are able to gain legal authorisation to work in The Bahamas when no Bahamians actually apply for certain jobs when they are advertised.
He suggested that not only does the level of foreigners employed to do these jobs in The Bahamas mean some Bahamians remain unemployed while jobs exist that they could do, but "you have to ask the question what other burdens do (immigrants) put on the system."
Meanwhile, Mr Symonette said there has been a "gradually growing" number of cases of suspected sham marriages between Bahamians and foreigners seeking "papers" in The Bahamas - primarily Haitians and Jamaicans.
"A number of persons of non-Bahamian citizenship come to the Bahamas, overstay their welcome, when caught get deported and coincidentally marry a Bahamian the next day in a country south of us then come back as the spouse of a Bahamian. The cases are far too common to be real. And that's an issue we all have to face. There are a number of marriages that we question," said Mr Symonette.
He said that where the Immigration Department suspects that a marriage is one of "convenience", lacking authenticity, it has denied the right to the usual work and residency related benefits that extend to the spouses of Bahamians and some fraudulent cases have been prosecuted. However, he added that the situation is a tricky one as the government must extend these benefits to the spouses of Bahamians or else face the likelihood that Bahamians who go abroad and marry will not return home. Referring to the employment of foreigners, mainly Haitians and Jamaicans, in relatively unskilled jobs such as housekeeping and gardening -- thousands of permits are approved each year for foreigners to work in posts like these when Bahamians cannot be found to do the work -- and the fact that there is "on a daily basis a demand for skilled labour at the Department of Labour." Mr Symonette said the Bahamas needs to "start looking at the whole immigration policy in this country."
"Do we have enough skilled labour in the Bahamas or don't we have enough? Are people applying for work permits with job descriptions that don't necessarily fit the job in hand? These are issues I think we need to get out for public discussion," said Mr Symonette.
June 16, 2010
tribune242
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Illegal Immigrant Policy Shift Confirmed by Minister of Immigration - Brent Symonette
By Candia Dames ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
After initially declining to provide an explanation on the government's decision to resume repatriations to Haiti, Minister of Immigration Brent Symonette confirmed in a statement last night that the long-standing policy as it regards undocumented Haitian nationals is now back in effect.
The government had shifted the policy following the powerful earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince on January 12.
"The procedures that obtained before the earthquake have been resumed," said Symonette, who is also deputy prime minister. "That is, Haitian illegals will be held at the Detention Centre and repatriated as soon as arrangements can be made."
His statement came several days after The Nassau Guardian revealed exclusively that a group of undocumented Haitian nationals was repatriated to Haiti after being picked up in Long Island.
Symonette also confirmed that the group of Haitians charged in late January with illegal landing has been repatriated.
The repatriation came two months after Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez ordered the illegal immigrants be held for six months at Her Majesty's Prison.
The decision to charge them in court was part of the government's stated policy on immigration following the earthquake.
On Thursday, Director of Immigration Jack Thompson confirmed that the Haitians were sent to Cap Haitien, about 100 miles north of Port-au-Prince.
Symonette advised last night, "Any new illegal immigrants are being apprehended and repatriated as promptly as possible."
He also said that while the policy of apprehension, regularization and repatriation remains constant, changing circumstances may dictate that the government respond to those circumstances in the country's broad national interests at home and abroad.
In his statement last night, Symonette also hit out at the Official Opposition, saying it continues to make irresponsible and incoherent comments pertaining to the repatriation of illegal immigrants from Haiti.
Symonette pointed to Opposition Leader Perry Christie's refusal to say what decision he would have made regarding undocumented Haitian nationals had he been in power when the earthquake struck Haiti.
The deputy prime minister also hit out at former PLP Minister of Immigration Vincent Peet over recent criticisms of the government after the recent repatriations took place without any announcements being made.
"As the government of the day, the FNM is obliged to make decisions in real-time, not late again," Symonette said. "The government is obliged to act, rather than posture."
Following the earthquake, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced that the government was releasing 102 undocumented Haitian immigrants who were at the Detention Centre at the time of the earthquake.
In total, 15 women, three children, and 84 men were released from the holding facility.
Speaking at a news conference in January on his government's decision to release the Haitian immigrants, Ingraham pointed to a New York Times editorial that said, "Burdening a collapsed country with destitute deportees would be a true crime."
"No one knows how long it will be before Haiti is restored to some semblance of normalcy and when repatriation flights from The Bahamas and other places will again be able to land and be processed in Port-au-Prince," the prime minister said at the time. "So it makes sense and it is compassionate not to keep them incarcerated indefinitely."
Thompson said that group released from the Detention Centre after the earthquake is still free on temporary status.
Following an emergency meeting in the Dominican Republic several days after the earthquake, Ingraham announced that as part of the temporary immigration policy, undocumented Haitian nationals apprehended in The Bahamas after the disaster would be charged in court so they could be detained for longer periods.
Symonette said conditions in Haiti now allow for the resumption of repatriation exercises.
April 06, 2010
thenassauguardian
After initially declining to provide an explanation on the government's decision to resume repatriations to Haiti, Minister of Immigration Brent Symonette confirmed in a statement last night that the long-standing policy as it regards undocumented Haitian nationals is now back in effect.
The government had shifted the policy following the powerful earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince on January 12.
"The procedures that obtained before the earthquake have been resumed," said Symonette, who is also deputy prime minister. "That is, Haitian illegals will be held at the Detention Centre and repatriated as soon as arrangements can be made."
His statement came several days after The Nassau Guardian revealed exclusively that a group of undocumented Haitian nationals was repatriated to Haiti after being picked up in Long Island.
Symonette also confirmed that the group of Haitians charged in late January with illegal landing has been repatriated.
The repatriation came two months after Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez ordered the illegal immigrants be held for six months at Her Majesty's Prison.
The decision to charge them in court was part of the government's stated policy on immigration following the earthquake.
On Thursday, Director of Immigration Jack Thompson confirmed that the Haitians were sent to Cap Haitien, about 100 miles north of Port-au-Prince.
Symonette advised last night, "Any new illegal immigrants are being apprehended and repatriated as promptly as possible."
He also said that while the policy of apprehension, regularization and repatriation remains constant, changing circumstances may dictate that the government respond to those circumstances in the country's broad national interests at home and abroad.
In his statement last night, Symonette also hit out at the Official Opposition, saying it continues to make irresponsible and incoherent comments pertaining to the repatriation of illegal immigrants from Haiti.
Symonette pointed to Opposition Leader Perry Christie's refusal to say what decision he would have made regarding undocumented Haitian nationals had he been in power when the earthquake struck Haiti.
The deputy prime minister also hit out at former PLP Minister of Immigration Vincent Peet over recent criticisms of the government after the recent repatriations took place without any announcements being made.
"As the government of the day, the FNM is obliged to make decisions in real-time, not late again," Symonette said. "The government is obliged to act, rather than posture."
Following the earthquake, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced that the government was releasing 102 undocumented Haitian immigrants who were at the Detention Centre at the time of the earthquake.
In total, 15 women, three children, and 84 men were released from the holding facility.
Speaking at a news conference in January on his government's decision to release the Haitian immigrants, Ingraham pointed to a New York Times editorial that said, "Burdening a collapsed country with destitute deportees would be a true crime."
"No one knows how long it will be before Haiti is restored to some semblance of normalcy and when repatriation flights from The Bahamas and other places will again be able to land and be processed in Port-au-Prince," the prime minister said at the time. "So it makes sense and it is compassionate not to keep them incarcerated indefinitely."
Thompson said that group released from the Detention Centre after the earthquake is still free on temporary status.
Following an emergency meeting in the Dominican Republic several days after the earthquake, Ingraham announced that as part of the temporary immigration policy, undocumented Haitian nationals apprehended in The Bahamas after the disaster would be charged in court so they could be detained for longer periods.
Symonette said conditions in Haiti now allow for the resumption of repatriation exercises.
April 06, 2010
thenassauguardian
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Bahamas Illegal Immigration Policy Shifts Once Again
By Krystel Rolle ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ krystel@nasguard.com:
In an apparent shift once again in its illegal immigration policy, the government has repatriated a group of undocumented Haitians.
Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, who is also the minister of immigration, told The Nassau Guardian that the 86 Haitians, who were caught on Long Island last weekend, were returned to Haiti yesterday morning.
The immigrants were found by police wandering in the area of Stevens, Long Island on Saturday. The group, which included 77 men and nine women, were transported to New Providence.
"They are back in Haiti," Symonette confirmed.
Asked if the government has shifted its policy, Symonette declined to speak on the matter.
"That's all I want to say at the moment — that we have returned that group to Haiti," he said.
The repatriation exercise comes about two months after a group of 49 Haitian migrants who landed in New Providence in January was charged in court with illegal landing. The men were sent to prison for six months, and the women were sent to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, along with the children in the group, according to statement from the Department of Immigration.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham changed the policy so that Haitians could be charged and thereby detained for longer periods.
The policy shift came after a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince on January 12, destroying many buildings, killing hundreds of thousands of people and leaving millions more homeless.
Days after the earthquake, Ingraham also announced that Haitian immigrants who were held in the Carmichael Road Detention Centre prior to the disaster were being released and given temporary status. There were a little over 100 Haitian immigrants in the temporary holding facility at the time. Ingraham added that repatriation exercises would be postponed until further notice.
Former Minister of Immigration Vincent Peet told The Guardian yesterday that it is clear that the government has no clear policy.
"I think some Bahamians would be surprised and some would not be surprised that the immigration policy changes almost every week," Peet said.
"The repatriation today by the government clearly indicates a new policy which was not announced to the public. One has to wonder what those illegal immigrants who were detained at the Fox Hill prison and those who were set free are now thinking. The government must be consistent. We are all concerned about the plight of Haitians and Haiti is now gradually recovering. The question is are they at the stage where they can take these immigrants back and if that is the case, then when will the others be repatriated?"
Peet said the government is clearly unfocused as it has no coherent policy. He added that the constant shift is policy is probably confusing to Bahamians.
April 01, 2010
thenassauguardian
In an apparent shift once again in its illegal immigration policy, the government has repatriated a group of undocumented Haitians.
Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, who is also the minister of immigration, told The Nassau Guardian that the 86 Haitians, who were caught on Long Island last weekend, were returned to Haiti yesterday morning.
The immigrants were found by police wandering in the area of Stevens, Long Island on Saturday. The group, which included 77 men and nine women, were transported to New Providence.
"They are back in Haiti," Symonette confirmed.
Asked if the government has shifted its policy, Symonette declined to speak on the matter.
"That's all I want to say at the moment — that we have returned that group to Haiti," he said.
The repatriation exercise comes about two months after a group of 49 Haitian migrants who landed in New Providence in January was charged in court with illegal landing. The men were sent to prison for six months, and the women were sent to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, along with the children in the group, according to statement from the Department of Immigration.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham changed the policy so that Haitians could be charged and thereby detained for longer periods.
The policy shift came after a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince on January 12, destroying many buildings, killing hundreds of thousands of people and leaving millions more homeless.
Days after the earthquake, Ingraham also announced that Haitian immigrants who were held in the Carmichael Road Detention Centre prior to the disaster were being released and given temporary status. There were a little over 100 Haitian immigrants in the temporary holding facility at the time. Ingraham added that repatriation exercises would be postponed until further notice.
Former Minister of Immigration Vincent Peet told The Guardian yesterday that it is clear that the government has no clear policy.
"I think some Bahamians would be surprised and some would not be surprised that the immigration policy changes almost every week," Peet said.
"The repatriation today by the government clearly indicates a new policy which was not announced to the public. One has to wonder what those illegal immigrants who were detained at the Fox Hill prison and those who were set free are now thinking. The government must be consistent. We are all concerned about the plight of Haitians and Haiti is now gradually recovering. The question is are they at the stage where they can take these immigrants back and if that is the case, then when will the others be repatriated?"
Peet said the government is clearly unfocused as it has no coherent policy. He added that the constant shift is policy is probably confusing to Bahamians.
April 01, 2010
thenassauguardian
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Branville McCartney interested in Free National Movement (FNM) leadership bid
By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
While stressing that the Free National Movement has a leader whom he supports wholeheartedly, Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney confirmed yesterday that he is interested in vying for the leadership of the party down the road.
McCartney's admission in an exclusive interview with The Nassau Guardian was not at all surprising, as he is viewed by some observers as a leadership hopeful sometime after the retirement of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
Asked about his interest in the leadership position, he said, "We do have a leader at this time."
McCartney expanded, "What I think the prime minister has done, he has a complement of men in and outside of his Cabinet, in the FNM, who can take over this country and take it to another level. I think I can be one of them. But he has quite a number of them, quite a number. I'm just only one."
McCartney also stressed that his leadership aspirations had nothing to do with his decision to resign from the Cabinet of Hubert Ingraham, and said his focus at this time is on serving his constituents of Bamboo Town.
"I did not want to let the prime minister down. I did not want to let the people of Bamboo Town down and more importantly, I did not want to let The Bahamas down so I did my best while I was there," he said in an interview at his home as his wife, Lisa, looked on.
"...I honestly believe at this stage that I can make more of a difference outside of Cabinet."
McCartney moved onto the political scene when the FNM was under the leadership of Tommy Turnquest, and said he had worked for two years in the St. Thomas More constituency before Ingraham became leader again and asked him to serve in Bamboo Town. While seeking an FNM nomination, McCartney was a strong anti-crime advocate, and some supporters had hoped he would eventually become minister of national security.
While he said yesterday he did not feel that he was serving to his full potential as minister of state for immigration, McCartney said there had not been another portfolio he was eyeing.
"I don't feel at this time I would have been an asset to the country sitting in the Cabinet as an immigration minister of state, because I don't think at this time I would have been effective and if I get into anything, whatever I get into, I want to be effective. I think I've been effective to a certain stage, but I don't think I would be effective moving on," he said.
"When you're in Cabinet you are bound by confidentiality; that is our oath, that is what we promise. You have to tow the party line more so as a Cabinet minister. I would like to speak out more on crime. I would even like to speak out more on immigration. I want to speak out on what is right and not based on party lines. My conviction comes first as to how I feel as a young Bahamian first and I honestly care about my country, the future of my country. "
McCartney said while he believes he is one of the people who could one day lead the FNM, Ingraham is today the right man for the job.
"He is my prime minister. If it were not for the prime minister I would not have had the opportunity to sit in his Cabinet in those two very, very vital ministries," he said.
"He has shown faith in me in that regard. I have also learned a lot from the prime minister. There's no doubt that the prime minister, Hubert Alexander Ingraham, is the best man for the job at this time. He is no doubt the best leader that we have had for our party and he remains that way today... I respect him, I support him. He has my full, full support."
McCartney also said he has a great deal of respect for Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, the substantive minister of immigration. He said he was grateful for Symonette's guidance and learned much from him.
Some observers have speculated that McCartney's resignation on Sunday was part of a wider move to position himself to eventually become leader of the FNM.
Asked to respond to this, he repeated, "We have a prime minister. I want to make myself clear. I still support the prime minister. We have a sitting prime minister as it stands now and as of this date, he is still the best person for the job."
Again making it clear that he has no interest in joining the Progressive Liberal Party, McCartney added, "The FNM is still the best party for this country. There's no doubt about it. Sitting in Cabinet has confirmed that to me over and repeatedly almost on a weekly basis, that the FNM, in my view, has the best interest [of the Bahamian people at heart]. There's nothing perfect. We have our difficulties like anything else, but when it comes down to the running of the country, out of the two parties, FNM hands out."
He said while he has many friends in the Progressive Liberal Party and respects them, "I am an FNM. I don't want persons to get the wrong impression about me going to the PLP. That is not my position. I am going to support the FNM in any which way I can so that they are the next government of The Bahamas whenever the prime minister decides to call the election. I have faith in that party. I have faith in the leadership."
While McCartney stressed repeatedly that he respects the prime minister and his leadership style, he admitted that he had not been privy to the decision to transfer (now former) Deputy Director of Immigration Roderick Bowe to head the defence force.
He also admitted to The Guardian that he had no prior knowledge of the shift in the immigration policy following the January earthquake in Haiti. McCartney said he learned of the change in policy when the prime minister announced it to the media.
" I would have perhaps gone about it a different way. I probably would have waited a little longer to look at the situation, but I respect the prime minister's decision," he said.
Asked about the prime minister's public reversal of the Department of Immigration's decision to have tents and other supplies on hand to prepare for any possible influx of undocumented Haitian nationals in light of the earthquake, McCartney added, "I would have waited to see how the situation in Haiti panned out before making certain decisions."
McCartney — an attorney by profession — said his decision to leave the Cabinet at this time has nothing to do with the state of his finances.
"I got into politics 17 years after becoming a lawyer. This year is my 20th year. I turned 40 four days after I was elected. I made sure that when I got into politics I did not have to work and if I had to work, I had a very smart wife next to me who would pay my bills," he said with a chuckle. "Finances were not a problem. I made a commitment that my children can go to school, go to college prior to me entering the political arena.
"...Even my funds I made as a minister and MP — I'm not even sure how much that is — but everything went into my constituency, from a minister and an MP, whatever that salary is, those funds went into Bamboo Town. The number of programs we have in Bamboo Town, they don't come free."
McCartney said now that he has more time on his hands, he plans to spend even more of it in Bamboo Town.
"We're going to take it to different, new level now," he said.
"Bamboo Town is going to be the blueprint of all constituencies. You've got my word on that."
March 02, 2010
thenassauguardian
While stressing that the Free National Movement has a leader whom he supports wholeheartedly, Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney confirmed yesterday that he is interested in vying for the leadership of the party down the road.
McCartney's admission in an exclusive interview with The Nassau Guardian was not at all surprising, as he is viewed by some observers as a leadership hopeful sometime after the retirement of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
Asked about his interest in the leadership position, he said, "We do have a leader at this time."
McCartney expanded, "What I think the prime minister has done, he has a complement of men in and outside of his Cabinet, in the FNM, who can take over this country and take it to another level. I think I can be one of them. But he has quite a number of them, quite a number. I'm just only one."
McCartney also stressed that his leadership aspirations had nothing to do with his decision to resign from the Cabinet of Hubert Ingraham, and said his focus at this time is on serving his constituents of Bamboo Town.
"I did not want to let the prime minister down. I did not want to let the people of Bamboo Town down and more importantly, I did not want to let The Bahamas down so I did my best while I was there," he said in an interview at his home as his wife, Lisa, looked on.
"...I honestly believe at this stage that I can make more of a difference outside of Cabinet."
McCartney moved onto the political scene when the FNM was under the leadership of Tommy Turnquest, and said he had worked for two years in the St. Thomas More constituency before Ingraham became leader again and asked him to serve in Bamboo Town. While seeking an FNM nomination, McCartney was a strong anti-crime advocate, and some supporters had hoped he would eventually become minister of national security.
While he said yesterday he did not feel that he was serving to his full potential as minister of state for immigration, McCartney said there had not been another portfolio he was eyeing.
"I don't feel at this time I would have been an asset to the country sitting in the Cabinet as an immigration minister of state, because I don't think at this time I would have been effective and if I get into anything, whatever I get into, I want to be effective. I think I've been effective to a certain stage, but I don't think I would be effective moving on," he said.
"When you're in Cabinet you are bound by confidentiality; that is our oath, that is what we promise. You have to tow the party line more so as a Cabinet minister. I would like to speak out more on crime. I would even like to speak out more on immigration. I want to speak out on what is right and not based on party lines. My conviction comes first as to how I feel as a young Bahamian first and I honestly care about my country, the future of my country. "
McCartney said while he believes he is one of the people who could one day lead the FNM, Ingraham is today the right man for the job.
"He is my prime minister. If it were not for the prime minister I would not have had the opportunity to sit in his Cabinet in those two very, very vital ministries," he said.
"He has shown faith in me in that regard. I have also learned a lot from the prime minister. There's no doubt that the prime minister, Hubert Alexander Ingraham, is the best man for the job at this time. He is no doubt the best leader that we have had for our party and he remains that way today... I respect him, I support him. He has my full, full support."
McCartney also said he has a great deal of respect for Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, the substantive minister of immigration. He said he was grateful for Symonette's guidance and learned much from him.
Some observers have speculated that McCartney's resignation on Sunday was part of a wider move to position himself to eventually become leader of the FNM.
Asked to respond to this, he repeated, "We have a prime minister. I want to make myself clear. I still support the prime minister. We have a sitting prime minister as it stands now and as of this date, he is still the best person for the job."
Again making it clear that he has no interest in joining the Progressive Liberal Party, McCartney added, "The FNM is still the best party for this country. There's no doubt about it. Sitting in Cabinet has confirmed that to me over and repeatedly almost on a weekly basis, that the FNM, in my view, has the best interest [of the Bahamian people at heart]. There's nothing perfect. We have our difficulties like anything else, but when it comes down to the running of the country, out of the two parties, FNM hands out."
He said while he has many friends in the Progressive Liberal Party and respects them, "I am an FNM. I don't want persons to get the wrong impression about me going to the PLP. That is not my position. I am going to support the FNM in any which way I can so that they are the next government of The Bahamas whenever the prime minister decides to call the election. I have faith in that party. I have faith in the leadership."
While McCartney stressed repeatedly that he respects the prime minister and his leadership style, he admitted that he had not been privy to the decision to transfer (now former) Deputy Director of Immigration Roderick Bowe to head the defence force.
He also admitted to The Guardian that he had no prior knowledge of the shift in the immigration policy following the January earthquake in Haiti. McCartney said he learned of the change in policy when the prime minister announced it to the media.
" I would have perhaps gone about it a different way. I probably would have waited a little longer to look at the situation, but I respect the prime minister's decision," he said.
Asked about the prime minister's public reversal of the Department of Immigration's decision to have tents and other supplies on hand to prepare for any possible influx of undocumented Haitian nationals in light of the earthquake, McCartney added, "I would have waited to see how the situation in Haiti panned out before making certain decisions."
McCartney — an attorney by profession — said his decision to leave the Cabinet at this time has nothing to do with the state of his finances.
"I got into politics 17 years after becoming a lawyer. This year is my 20th year. I turned 40 four days after I was elected. I made sure that when I got into politics I did not have to work and if I had to work, I had a very smart wife next to me who would pay my bills," he said with a chuckle. "Finances were not a problem. I made a commitment that my children can go to school, go to college prior to me entering the political arena.
"...Even my funds I made as a minister and MP — I'm not even sure how much that is — but everything went into my constituency, from a minister and an MP, whatever that salary is, those funds went into Bamboo Town. The number of programs we have in Bamboo Town, they don't come free."
McCartney said now that he has more time on his hands, he plans to spend even more of it in Bamboo Town.
"We're going to take it to different, new level now," he said.
"Bamboo Town is going to be the blueprint of all constituencies. You've got my word on that."
March 02, 2010
thenassauguardian
Monday, March 1, 2010
Branville McCartney - Minister of state for immigration resigns
By Juan Mccartney ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ juan@nasguard.com:
In a move that caught many by surprise yesterday Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney resigned his post in Cabinet, but told The Nassau Guardian that he remains a committed FNM MP and is loyal to the leadership of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
In an exclusive interview with The Guardian last night, McCartney said that while he would not publicly comment on the reasoning behind his resignation as minister of state for immigration, or how it was done, he wanted his position to be clear.
"I will continue to represent the people of Bamboo Town," he said. "In fact, we're going to be taking Bamboo Town to a whole other level."
McCartney also said that he would remain a member of the Free National Movement (FNM) and has no intention of becoming an independent MP or any plans to "engage in any discussion about joining the Progressive Liberal Party."
"I wouldn't even entertain the thought," said McCartney, when asked about the possibility of switching his party allegiance.
"I am committed to the FNM and Hubert Ingraham. They are the best choice for this Bahamas at this time. And they have my full support."
McCartney then reiterated that the FNM is "without question" the party best-suited to govern the country. McCartney declined further comment.
McCartney was noticeably absent from the mid-year budget presentation in The House of Assembly on Wednesday. He was said to be on vacation with his family.
Sources close to McCartney said he had been planning to resign since January, but stayed on because he didn't want to hurt the FNM's chances in the Elizabeth by-election last month.
The move comes after there had been widespread speculation in political circles that McCartney was unhappy with at least two major decisions that were recently made in Immigration without his prior knowledge.
In a statement sent out Sunday evening, Prime Minster Hubert Ingraham confirmed that he had accepted McCartney's resignation, and while "the resignation of a minister or minister of state is always regrettable, I cannot say that I am completely surprised by Mr. McCartney's decision.
"Each of us in politics (is) bound to follow what we believe to be the best course of action in the interest of the people we are privileged to represent, and in accordance with our own convictions and perceptions at any given time," said Ingraham. "I have no doubt that Mr. McCartney, as he indicates, has given serious consideration to the action he has taken."
The Guardian understands that McCartney was not told that newly-appointed Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Roderick Bowe would be leaving his post as deputy director of immigration last month in order to assume command of the RBDF.
McCartney reportedly learned of the plan to transfer Bowe when he read about it in the newspaper.
McCartney was also said to be very unhappy that the prime minister changed the national policy toward illegal Haitian migrants after a 7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince on January 12.
On January 14, Ingraham announced at an FNM news conference that as a result of the earthquake, the 102 illegal Haitian migrants at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre would be released and given some sort of temporary residency status. Ingraham also suspended the apprehension and repatriation of illegal Haitian migrants.
That news sparked heated debate among the general public.
On January 15, McCartney told The Guardian that his superiors made the call and his job was to ensure that the mandate was carried out.
"This was a decision made at a higher level. I am quite sure that the decision that was made is in the best interests of the country and it's something that we are carrying out," McCartney said.
However, there were reports that McCartney was not informed of the decision prior to its announcement and privately disagreed with the move, viewing it as a hasty decision as the situation on the ground in Haiti was still being assessed.
The public outcry forced Ingraham to repeatedly clarify the government's position on the issue, with the prime minister further stating that the government's policy would be that any new illegal Haitian migrants caught in the country would be taken to court and charged in order for the government to legally hold them for an extended period.
Two weeks later there still seemed to be some confusion as to what the government's policy toward illegal Haitian migrants was.
On January 27, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette (the substantive minister responsible for immigration) and McCartney had two separate views on what should happen to a group of illegal Haitian migrants that landed in the Coral Harbour area the previous day.
Symonette, who was interviewed as he was going into a Cabinet meeting, said the immigrants would "more than likely" be released.
Minutes later McCartney - who was not yet aware of what the senior minister had told reporters - said he planned to stick to the prime minister's previously stated policy.
Not long after that, Prime Minister Ingraham showed up and said that his policy of charging the immigrants still stood.
The immigrants were charged with illegal landing that day. The men were sent to prison for six months, and the women were sent to the detention center, along with the children in the group.
McCartney has been widely considered as a front-runner for the leadership of the FNM in the future.
He was also widely praised as an effective minister of immigration.
In a statement sent on behalf of the PLP yesterday, PLP chairman Bradley Roberts said that the country should be told the "truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," regarding McCartney's resignation.
"The resignation of Branville McCartney as minister of state for immigration is a source of serious concern for the country," Roberts said in a brief statement sent out last night in the wake of McCartney's resignation.
"Mr. McCartney was responsible for driving the immigration policy of the government. In the midst of a crisis in immigration, the minister resigns," he said. "The prime minister must give a full and frank explanation for the comment of Mr. McCartney that he believed that he was being stagnated within Mr. Ingraham's Cabinet and could not fulfill his full potential." Roberts called McCartney's resignation "a serious indictment" of the current Ingraham administration.
"His resignation has exposed the truth of how Mr. Ingraham governs the country and his party," Roberts said. The PLP believes that the country is not well served by the conduct of public affairs led with bombast, harsh words and disrespect as a hallmark of governance. We warned against it from the day Mr. Ingraham first took office. Now the FNM has turned on one of its own."
March 01, 2010
thenassauguardian
In a move that caught many by surprise yesterday Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney resigned his post in Cabinet, but told The Nassau Guardian that he remains a committed FNM MP and is loyal to the leadership of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
In an exclusive interview with The Guardian last night, McCartney said that while he would not publicly comment on the reasoning behind his resignation as minister of state for immigration, or how it was done, he wanted his position to be clear.
"I will continue to represent the people of Bamboo Town," he said. "In fact, we're going to be taking Bamboo Town to a whole other level."
McCartney also said that he would remain a member of the Free National Movement (FNM) and has no intention of becoming an independent MP or any plans to "engage in any discussion about joining the Progressive Liberal Party."
"I wouldn't even entertain the thought," said McCartney, when asked about the possibility of switching his party allegiance.
"I am committed to the FNM and Hubert Ingraham. They are the best choice for this Bahamas at this time. And they have my full support."
McCartney then reiterated that the FNM is "without question" the party best-suited to govern the country. McCartney declined further comment.
McCartney was noticeably absent from the mid-year budget presentation in The House of Assembly on Wednesday. He was said to be on vacation with his family.
Sources close to McCartney said he had been planning to resign since January, but stayed on because he didn't want to hurt the FNM's chances in the Elizabeth by-election last month.
The move comes after there had been widespread speculation in political circles that McCartney was unhappy with at least two major decisions that were recently made in Immigration without his prior knowledge.
In a statement sent out Sunday evening, Prime Minster Hubert Ingraham confirmed that he had accepted McCartney's resignation, and while "the resignation of a minister or minister of state is always regrettable, I cannot say that I am completely surprised by Mr. McCartney's decision.
"Each of us in politics (is) bound to follow what we believe to be the best course of action in the interest of the people we are privileged to represent, and in accordance with our own convictions and perceptions at any given time," said Ingraham. "I have no doubt that Mr. McCartney, as he indicates, has given serious consideration to the action he has taken."
The Guardian understands that McCartney was not told that newly-appointed Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Roderick Bowe would be leaving his post as deputy director of immigration last month in order to assume command of the RBDF.
McCartney reportedly learned of the plan to transfer Bowe when he read about it in the newspaper.
McCartney was also said to be very unhappy that the prime minister changed the national policy toward illegal Haitian migrants after a 7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince on January 12.
On January 14, Ingraham announced at an FNM news conference that as a result of the earthquake, the 102 illegal Haitian migrants at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre would be released and given some sort of temporary residency status. Ingraham also suspended the apprehension and repatriation of illegal Haitian migrants.
That news sparked heated debate among the general public.
On January 15, McCartney told The Guardian that his superiors made the call and his job was to ensure that the mandate was carried out.
"This was a decision made at a higher level. I am quite sure that the decision that was made is in the best interests of the country and it's something that we are carrying out," McCartney said.
However, there were reports that McCartney was not informed of the decision prior to its announcement and privately disagreed with the move, viewing it as a hasty decision as the situation on the ground in Haiti was still being assessed.
The public outcry forced Ingraham to repeatedly clarify the government's position on the issue, with the prime minister further stating that the government's policy would be that any new illegal Haitian migrants caught in the country would be taken to court and charged in order for the government to legally hold them for an extended period.
Two weeks later there still seemed to be some confusion as to what the government's policy toward illegal Haitian migrants was.
On January 27, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette (the substantive minister responsible for immigration) and McCartney had two separate views on what should happen to a group of illegal Haitian migrants that landed in the Coral Harbour area the previous day.
Symonette, who was interviewed as he was going into a Cabinet meeting, said the immigrants would "more than likely" be released.
Minutes later McCartney - who was not yet aware of what the senior minister had told reporters - said he planned to stick to the prime minister's previously stated policy.
Not long after that, Prime Minister Ingraham showed up and said that his policy of charging the immigrants still stood.
The immigrants were charged with illegal landing that day. The men were sent to prison for six months, and the women were sent to the detention center, along with the children in the group.
McCartney has been widely considered as a front-runner for the leadership of the FNM in the future.
He was also widely praised as an effective minister of immigration.
In a statement sent on behalf of the PLP yesterday, PLP chairman Bradley Roberts said that the country should be told the "truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," regarding McCartney's resignation.
"The resignation of Branville McCartney as minister of state for immigration is a source of serious concern for the country," Roberts said in a brief statement sent out last night in the wake of McCartney's resignation.
"Mr. McCartney was responsible for driving the immigration policy of the government. In the midst of a crisis in immigration, the minister resigns," he said. "The prime minister must give a full and frank explanation for the comment of Mr. McCartney that he believed that he was being stagnated within Mr. Ingraham's Cabinet and could not fulfill his full potential." Roberts called McCartney's resignation "a serious indictment" of the current Ingraham administration.
"His resignation has exposed the truth of how Mr. Ingraham governs the country and his party," Roberts said. The PLP believes that the country is not well served by the conduct of public affairs led with bombast, harsh words and disrespect as a hallmark of governance. We warned against it from the day Mr. Ingraham first took office. Now the FNM has turned on one of its own."
March 01, 2010
thenassauguardian
Saturday, January 23, 2010
How Bahamian Members of Parliament (MPs) spent their $200,000 allocation - Part IV
By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
HERE is the fourth and final part of The Tribune's report on what MPs say they did with the $200,000 allocated for constituency enhancement projects in their constituencies in the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 budgets.
A number of MPs forwarded these details after requests were put to them before and after the Christmas holidays. Fewer than half of the MPs responded -- 15 FNMs and one PLP.
Earlier this week, The Tribune reported how Desmond Bannister (Carmichael), Carl Bethel (Seabreeze), Loretta Butler-Turner (Montagu), Larry Cartwright (Long Island and Ragged Island), Sidney Collie (Blue Hills), Earl Deveaux (Marathon), Fred Mitchell (Fox Hill), Hubert Ingraham (North Abaco), Zhivargo Laing (Marco City), Charles Maynard (Golden Isles), Branville McCartney (Bamboo Town) and Phenton Neymour (South Beach) said they utilised the funds in their constituencies. See www.tribune242.com for those details.
Brensil Rolle - FNM - Garden Hills:
Providing a list of the payments made from the constituency allowance in chronological order, Mr Rolle first noted that $19,000 was allocated towards the establishment of two learning centres designed to assist students with basic language, mathematics and science and Spanish language skills, and enable tutoring for homework assignments.
The MP donated funds from the allowance to several junkanoo groups, including $2,000 to the Prodigal Sons and $2,000 to Kingdom Warriors.
A further $6,000 was spent on a constituency clean-up campaign which had appliances, garbage and derelict vehicles removed by local contractors.
Under the Entrepreneurial Creative Straw Vendor Programme, Mr Rolle said two industrial sewing machines were purchased, instructors hired, and 50 people were trained in creative straw production. The funds also covered the purchase of materials for the classes. A total of $4,819.60 was spent on the programme. A subdivision clean-up campaign cleared debris from overgrown lots in the constituency at a cost of $6,050.
For $26,710 a Subdivision Entrance Landscaping Programme was undertaken. Trees were planted at "strategic intersections in the constituency to improve the ambiance at the entrance to subdivisions," Mr Rolle said.
As part of the after-school programme, three payments of $800 were made to the Cousin McPhee Cathedral, and $1,000 was paid to Kizzy McKinney, Pamela Murphy and Vanessa Rolle.
A second session of the Entrepreneurial Creative Straw Vendor Programme was funded by $3,200.
Another $1,000 donation was made to the Prodigal Sons junkanoo group.
The sum of $23,420 was committed to improvements to the public park in Pride Estates by contractor Hubert Styles. This project is awaiting approval by the Ministry of Public Works.
A $1,000 donation was made to the Kingdom Warriors junkanoo group.
A second clean-up campaign was carried out at a cost of $20,010.
And $200 was donated to each of the following seven churches that participated in a Senior Citizens Christmas programme: Cousin McPhee Cathedral, Good Samaritan Church, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Southwest church of God, Independence Church of God, Chapel on the Hill and Bible Truth Ministries.
The sum of $1,500 was allocated to those who catered to senior citizens during the event.
A Ms McQueen was paid $1,000 for her instruction as part of a Straw Craft Certification Programme in collaboration with the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation that trained and certified 30 people. BAIC was paid $700.
The sum of $5,000 was spent on a special education programme for challenged students of Garden Hills. Students followed a special curriculum and received individual tuition during the six-month programme held from January to June 2009.
A further $2,128.50 was spent on the purchase of playground equipment for the Pride Estates Public Park. Donations of $2,000 each were made to the following public schools in the constituency: A F Adderley Jr High, S C McPherson Jr High, C W Sawyer Primary, and S C McPherson Jr High.
Materials and an instructor for a shell craft training programme were purchased for $4,000.
The sum of $19,128.50 was spent to allow 50 members of the constituency to participate in the Ministry of Agriculture's Backyard Farming Programme. $1,060 was allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture for subdivision drainage. Twenty subdivision signs were printed and erected in the constituency for $14,400.
Playground equipment for a public park in the constituency was purchased from Creative Kids for $12,061.50. The placement of three drainage wells in areas that experience serious flooding cost $18,000, paid to M and R Drilling and Well Construction.
Further junkanoo donations of $1,500 each were made to the Kingdom Warriors and the Prodigals Sons. Another clean-up campaign saw $2,320 paid to Old Har Investments.
Tommy Turnquest - FNM - Mount Moriah:
Minister Turnquest said he has committed contracts for the entire sum of $200,000 and essentially all the funds have been spent, or will be spent, on recreational parks in his constituency.
"I purchased materials and supplies (approximately $20,000) for three parks in yellow Elder Gardens; spending $80,000 plus on the big park in Stapledon Gardens and about $35,000 on the smaller parks on Sunderland Road and Spitfire Road. I spent $40,000 on bathroom facilities on the park in Millennium Gardens."
The rules governing how constituency allowance funds are spent do not demand that the contracts to provide the work, goods or services are put out to competitive tender, and Mr Turnquest noted that none of his contracts were.
"The parks in Yellow Elder were done by the prison work group as part of their community work. I provided the supplies and equipment to the prison and they had three quotes and sourced from the lowest quote. The big park in Stapledon Gardens is being done by Enviroscape Ltd. The park on Sunderland Road was developed by Cedrick Smith and the bathrooms on Millennium Park and the park on Spitfire road were constructed by Davis Renovations and Landscaping Company."
Brent Symonette - FNM - St Anne's:
The Deputy Prime Minister did not break down exactly how much of the $200,000 he had allocated to date or who was paid for the work, however he gave a brief description of what the money was used for.
Mr Symonette utilised the funds to construct walking tracks in two parks and provide benches for three parks.
He also undertook the redevelopment of the East End point, the waterfront area opposite the Winton Fort and the waterfront area on Eastern Road and Prince Charles, landscaping pathways, installing planters, a drain and park benches.
Mr Symonette noted that a considerable number of drainage wells were also dug or cleaned throughout the area using the allowance funds.
"All of the work was supervised and signed off on by the Ministry of Works in line with price guidelines which they had established. I am still working on lighting for two parks which might have to be covered by the allowance," he added.
Hubert Minnis - FNM - Killarney:
The MP said the allocation was used towards signage in the community, including "welcome signs" for the entrances of Southwest Ridge, Rockcrusher and the Grove West, and repairing signage to Lake Cunningham. Beautification efforts were also funded, plants and flowers purchased and landscaping carried out around the signs. However, some of these were stolen, the MP said. Other funds were used to install speed bumps in South Westridge and benches at the Rockcrusher basketball court.
January 22, 2010
01222010
How Bahamian Members of Parliament (MPs) spent their $200,000 allocation - part I
How Bahamian Members of Parliament (MPs) spent their $200,000 allocation - Part II
How Bahamian Members of Parliament (MPs) spent their $200,000 allocation - Part III
tribune242
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
HERE is the fourth and final part of The Tribune's report on what MPs say they did with the $200,000 allocated for constituency enhancement projects in their constituencies in the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 budgets.
A number of MPs forwarded these details after requests were put to them before and after the Christmas holidays. Fewer than half of the MPs responded -- 15 FNMs and one PLP.
Earlier this week, The Tribune reported how Desmond Bannister (Carmichael), Carl Bethel (Seabreeze), Loretta Butler-Turner (Montagu), Larry Cartwright (Long Island and Ragged Island), Sidney Collie (Blue Hills), Earl Deveaux (Marathon), Fred Mitchell (Fox Hill), Hubert Ingraham (North Abaco), Zhivargo Laing (Marco City), Charles Maynard (Golden Isles), Branville McCartney (Bamboo Town) and Phenton Neymour (South Beach) said they utilised the funds in their constituencies. See www.tribune242.com for those details.
Brensil Rolle - FNM - Garden Hills:
Providing a list of the payments made from the constituency allowance in chronological order, Mr Rolle first noted that $19,000 was allocated towards the establishment of two learning centres designed to assist students with basic language, mathematics and science and Spanish language skills, and enable tutoring for homework assignments.
The MP donated funds from the allowance to several junkanoo groups, including $2,000 to the Prodigal Sons and $2,000 to Kingdom Warriors.
A further $6,000 was spent on a constituency clean-up campaign which had appliances, garbage and derelict vehicles removed by local contractors.
Under the Entrepreneurial Creative Straw Vendor Programme, Mr Rolle said two industrial sewing machines were purchased, instructors hired, and 50 people were trained in creative straw production. The funds also covered the purchase of materials for the classes. A total of $4,819.60 was spent on the programme. A subdivision clean-up campaign cleared debris from overgrown lots in the constituency at a cost of $6,050.
For $26,710 a Subdivision Entrance Landscaping Programme was undertaken. Trees were planted at "strategic intersections in the constituency to improve the ambiance at the entrance to subdivisions," Mr Rolle said.
As part of the after-school programme, three payments of $800 were made to the Cousin McPhee Cathedral, and $1,000 was paid to Kizzy McKinney, Pamela Murphy and Vanessa Rolle.
A second session of the Entrepreneurial Creative Straw Vendor Programme was funded by $3,200.
Another $1,000 donation was made to the Prodigal Sons junkanoo group.
The sum of $23,420 was committed to improvements to the public park in Pride Estates by contractor Hubert Styles. This project is awaiting approval by the Ministry of Public Works.
A $1,000 donation was made to the Kingdom Warriors junkanoo group.
A second clean-up campaign was carried out at a cost of $20,010.
And $200 was donated to each of the following seven churches that participated in a Senior Citizens Christmas programme: Cousin McPhee Cathedral, Good Samaritan Church, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Southwest church of God, Independence Church of God, Chapel on the Hill and Bible Truth Ministries.
The sum of $1,500 was allocated to those who catered to senior citizens during the event.
A Ms McQueen was paid $1,000 for her instruction as part of a Straw Craft Certification Programme in collaboration with the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation that trained and certified 30 people. BAIC was paid $700.
The sum of $5,000 was spent on a special education programme for challenged students of Garden Hills. Students followed a special curriculum and received individual tuition during the six-month programme held from January to June 2009.
A further $2,128.50 was spent on the purchase of playground equipment for the Pride Estates Public Park. Donations of $2,000 each were made to the following public schools in the constituency: A F Adderley Jr High, S C McPherson Jr High, C W Sawyer Primary, and S C McPherson Jr High.
Materials and an instructor for a shell craft training programme were purchased for $4,000.
The sum of $19,128.50 was spent to allow 50 members of the constituency to participate in the Ministry of Agriculture's Backyard Farming Programme. $1,060 was allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture for subdivision drainage. Twenty subdivision signs were printed and erected in the constituency for $14,400.
Playground equipment for a public park in the constituency was purchased from Creative Kids for $12,061.50. The placement of three drainage wells in areas that experience serious flooding cost $18,000, paid to M and R Drilling and Well Construction.
Further junkanoo donations of $1,500 each were made to the Kingdom Warriors and the Prodigals Sons. Another clean-up campaign saw $2,320 paid to Old Har Investments.
Tommy Turnquest - FNM - Mount Moriah:
Minister Turnquest said he has committed contracts for the entire sum of $200,000 and essentially all the funds have been spent, or will be spent, on recreational parks in his constituency.
"I purchased materials and supplies (approximately $20,000) for three parks in yellow Elder Gardens; spending $80,000 plus on the big park in Stapledon Gardens and about $35,000 on the smaller parks on Sunderland Road and Spitfire Road. I spent $40,000 on bathroom facilities on the park in Millennium Gardens."
The rules governing how constituency allowance funds are spent do not demand that the contracts to provide the work, goods or services are put out to competitive tender, and Mr Turnquest noted that none of his contracts were.
"The parks in Yellow Elder were done by the prison work group as part of their community work. I provided the supplies and equipment to the prison and they had three quotes and sourced from the lowest quote. The big park in Stapledon Gardens is being done by Enviroscape Ltd. The park on Sunderland Road was developed by Cedrick Smith and the bathrooms on Millennium Park and the park on Spitfire road were constructed by Davis Renovations and Landscaping Company."
Brent Symonette - FNM - St Anne's:
The Deputy Prime Minister did not break down exactly how much of the $200,000 he had allocated to date or who was paid for the work, however he gave a brief description of what the money was used for.
Mr Symonette utilised the funds to construct walking tracks in two parks and provide benches for three parks.
He also undertook the redevelopment of the East End point, the waterfront area opposite the Winton Fort and the waterfront area on Eastern Road and Prince Charles, landscaping pathways, installing planters, a drain and park benches.
Mr Symonette noted that a considerable number of drainage wells were also dug or cleaned throughout the area using the allowance funds.
"All of the work was supervised and signed off on by the Ministry of Works in line with price guidelines which they had established. I am still working on lighting for two parks which might have to be covered by the allowance," he added.
Hubert Minnis - FNM - Killarney:
The MP said the allocation was used towards signage in the community, including "welcome signs" for the entrances of Southwest Ridge, Rockcrusher and the Grove West, and repairing signage to Lake Cunningham. Beautification efforts were also funded, plants and flowers purchased and landscaping carried out around the signs. However, some of these were stolen, the MP said. Other funds were used to install speed bumps in South Westridge and benches at the Rockcrusher basketball court.
January 22, 2010
01222010
How Bahamian Members of Parliament (MPs) spent their $200,000 allocation - part I
How Bahamian Members of Parliament (MPs) spent their $200,000 allocation - Part II
How Bahamian Members of Parliament (MPs) spent their $200,000 allocation - Part III
tribune242
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Minister of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette defends Bahamas' human rights record, criticises US Ambassador Nicole Avant
By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
tthompson@tribunemedia.net:
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette defended the country's "enviable" human rights record and criticised US Ambassador Nicole Avant for what he termed as "misrepresentation" of the Bahamas' position on human rights issues.
In a four-page press release outlining the Government's reasons for abstaining on a recent United Nation's vote on three human rights resolutions regarding the actions of Iran, Burma and North Korea, Mr Symonette said the Bahamas chose not to vote because of "factual errors" in the resolutions, which were highlighted by the ambassador of Iran.
Additionally, there were no rebuttals to these criticisms from the co-sponsors of the resolution when the matter was before the UN's Committee for consideration, he said.
"Furthermore there were no proposals from the co-sponsors of the resolution to request a separate vote on each of the substantive paragraphs of the resolution, which would have allowed countries to express their positions on 'controversial' sections," said Mr Symonette's statement, which accompanied the full text of the Bahamas' statement to the UN during consideration of the resolutions and the UN member state voting record.
"When the matter was considered in the Plenary on December 18, 2009, the Bahamas abstained, as it did in the Third Committee, along with 59 member states. Forty-nine member states voted against and 74 voted in favour," he continued, stressing that the Bahamas did not vote against the resolutions.
Mr Symonette, the country's deputy prime minister, said the Bahamas has complied with important sanctions against Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea under the UN Security Council Resolution, adding that the Bahamas is sharp-eyed in their implementation.
His statements came in the wake of stinging criticism from Ms Avant who last week issued a public statement faulting the Government for its decision.
In her remarks, Ms Avant noted that formerly, the Bahamas was consistently one of the "brave souls" in the region that stood up for human rights. She said it is the "fervent hope" of the United States that the Bahamas and other Caribbean countries that abstained or voted against the resolutions will reconsider.
She also chided the Bahamas' explanation for abstaining and its statement that the issues raised in the resolutions should be addressed during the Human Rights Council's (HRC) Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which each country submits to every four years.
"The problem with this argument is that Iran has not facilitated the visit of a single rapporteur or independent expert of the Human Rights Council to its country in over four years. . .Iran's review is February 2010, Burma in 2011, and DPRK at the end of 2009. If we were to do what the Bahamas suggests and wait for the UPR, this would mean the international community would say nothing about these situations in the meantime," Ms Avant wrote, in part.
According to Mr Symonette, Korea underwent its UPR on December 7 adding that Iran will be subject to the same on February 15, 2010.
"Consequently these countries are about to be exposed to the full glare of the intense spotlight of this dedicated organ of the United Nations for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms," he said, adding that a number of the co-sponsors of the relevant resolutions are members of the HRN and can ensure intense scrutiny on the three countries in question.
December 23, 2009
tribune242
Tribune Staff Reporter
tthompson@tribunemedia.net:
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette defended the country's "enviable" human rights record and criticised US Ambassador Nicole Avant for what he termed as "misrepresentation" of the Bahamas' position on human rights issues.
In a four-page press release outlining the Government's reasons for abstaining on a recent United Nation's vote on three human rights resolutions regarding the actions of Iran, Burma and North Korea, Mr Symonette said the Bahamas chose not to vote because of "factual errors" in the resolutions, which were highlighted by the ambassador of Iran.
Additionally, there were no rebuttals to these criticisms from the co-sponsors of the resolution when the matter was before the UN's Committee for consideration, he said.
"Furthermore there were no proposals from the co-sponsors of the resolution to request a separate vote on each of the substantive paragraphs of the resolution, which would have allowed countries to express their positions on 'controversial' sections," said Mr Symonette's statement, which accompanied the full text of the Bahamas' statement to the UN during consideration of the resolutions and the UN member state voting record.
"When the matter was considered in the Plenary on December 18, 2009, the Bahamas abstained, as it did in the Third Committee, along with 59 member states. Forty-nine member states voted against and 74 voted in favour," he continued, stressing that the Bahamas did not vote against the resolutions.
Mr Symonette, the country's deputy prime minister, said the Bahamas has complied with important sanctions against Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea under the UN Security Council Resolution, adding that the Bahamas is sharp-eyed in their implementation.
His statements came in the wake of stinging criticism from Ms Avant who last week issued a public statement faulting the Government for its decision.
In her remarks, Ms Avant noted that formerly, the Bahamas was consistently one of the "brave souls" in the region that stood up for human rights. She said it is the "fervent hope" of the United States that the Bahamas and other Caribbean countries that abstained or voted against the resolutions will reconsider.
She also chided the Bahamas' explanation for abstaining and its statement that the issues raised in the resolutions should be addressed during the Human Rights Council's (HRC) Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which each country submits to every four years.
"The problem with this argument is that Iran has not facilitated the visit of a single rapporteur or independent expert of the Human Rights Council to its country in over four years. . .Iran's review is February 2010, Burma in 2011, and DPRK at the end of 2009. If we were to do what the Bahamas suggests and wait for the UPR, this would mean the international community would say nothing about these situations in the meantime," Ms Avant wrote, in part.
According to Mr Symonette, Korea underwent its UPR on December 7 adding that Iran will be subject to the same on February 15, 2010.
"Consequently these countries are about to be exposed to the full glare of the intense spotlight of this dedicated organ of the United Nations for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms," he said, adding that a number of the co-sponsors of the relevant resolutions are members of the HRN and can ensure intense scrutiny on the three countries in question.
December 23, 2009
tribune242
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell comments on Bahamas' UN human rights vote abstention
By BRENT DEAN ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ brentldean@nasguard.com:
The recent criticism of voting practices of The Bahamas by U.S. Ambassador Nicole Avant should show the government that countries have interests that are separate and aside from personal friendships and relationships, former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said yesterday.
"The FNM tried to make a meal out of the fact that the PLP had principled positions at the UN and in its foreign policy which was in the best interest of The Bahamas. But they took the opportunity when they were in opposition to score cheap political points, saying we were being anti-American," said Mitchell, the PLP MP for Fox Hill.
"So what is their explanation now? Are they being anti-American because they voted the way they did at the United Nations?"
In an Op-Ed published in The Nassau Guardian on Saturday, Ambassador Avant criticized The Bahamas for its decision to abstain from part of a vote at the United Nations on resolutions on the human rights situations in Iran, Burma and North Korea.
"It is our fervent hope that The Bahamas and others in the Caribbean region who abstained or voted against these resolutions will reconsider their positions. We cannot stand by and wait when people's lives are at stake and the principles that we all purport to share — respect for democracy, the rule of law and human rights — are in jeopardy," said Avant.
The votes on the resolutions condemning the human rights practices in the three countries were held on November 19 and 20, at the United Nations General Assembly's Third Committee.
The three resolutions passed.
The General Assembly allocates to the Third Committee a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues.
Mitchell said that as sovereign countries both The Bahamas and the U.S. have the right to their respective positions on the issue. He said historically The Bahamas and Caribbean countries have stayed away from resolutions specifically condemning countries, as was the case with the recent abstentions.
However, added Mitchell, the last PLP government moved away from this position, siding with the U.S. government on several resolutions at the request of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
When asked about the issue last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Brent Symonette said, "We voted in favor of the resolution. We abstained from the second part of the resolution which requires affirmative action. The resolution this year, to the best of my knowledge, dropped or left out certain other countries which it included last year.
"When we abstained from that vote, we also submitted an explanation — which I think the U.S. ambassador or certainly the State Department would have been fully aware of — which explains our situation. We have been approached by the Canadians and the Americans with regard to our actions and I am in the process of drafting a response to them."
December 22, 2009
thenassauguardian
The recent criticism of voting practices of The Bahamas by U.S. Ambassador Nicole Avant should show the government that countries have interests that are separate and aside from personal friendships and relationships, former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said yesterday.
"The FNM tried to make a meal out of the fact that the PLP had principled positions at the UN and in its foreign policy which was in the best interest of The Bahamas. But they took the opportunity when they were in opposition to score cheap political points, saying we were being anti-American," said Mitchell, the PLP MP for Fox Hill.
"So what is their explanation now? Are they being anti-American because they voted the way they did at the United Nations?"
In an Op-Ed published in The Nassau Guardian on Saturday, Ambassador Avant criticized The Bahamas for its decision to abstain from part of a vote at the United Nations on resolutions on the human rights situations in Iran, Burma and North Korea.
"It is our fervent hope that The Bahamas and others in the Caribbean region who abstained or voted against these resolutions will reconsider their positions. We cannot stand by and wait when people's lives are at stake and the principles that we all purport to share — respect for democracy, the rule of law and human rights — are in jeopardy," said Avant.
The votes on the resolutions condemning the human rights practices in the three countries were held on November 19 and 20, at the United Nations General Assembly's Third Committee.
The three resolutions passed.
The General Assembly allocates to the Third Committee a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues.
Mitchell said that as sovereign countries both The Bahamas and the U.S. have the right to their respective positions on the issue. He said historically The Bahamas and Caribbean countries have stayed away from resolutions specifically condemning countries, as was the case with the recent abstentions.
However, added Mitchell, the last PLP government moved away from this position, siding with the U.S. government on several resolutions at the request of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
When asked about the issue last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Brent Symonette said, "We voted in favor of the resolution. We abstained from the second part of the resolution which requires affirmative action. The resolution this year, to the best of my knowledge, dropped or left out certain other countries which it included last year.
"When we abstained from that vote, we also submitted an explanation — which I think the U.S. ambassador or certainly the State Department would have been fully aware of — which explains our situation. We have been approached by the Canadians and the Americans with regard to our actions and I am in the process of drafting a response to them."
December 22, 2009
thenassauguardian
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette responds to Fred Smith's allegations over lawsuit
RESPONDING to allegations made in an affidavit by prominent attorney Fred Smith that FNM officials told him to drop a controversial lawsuit or lose his political dreams, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette said he does not recall Mr Smith's version of the events.
As reported by The Tribune earlier this week, Mr Smith, QC, a senior partner with Callender's and Co in Grand Bahama filed an affidavit on December, 7 which alleges that the FNM's Candidates Committee told him he would not receive their endorsement for the Pine Ridge constituency in the 2007 general election -- unless he dropped lawsuit against a foreign developer.
At the time, Mr Smith represented the litigants against the Baker's Bay resort development in Guana Cay, Abaco.
Said Mr Symonette when contacted by The Tribune for a reaction to the allegations: "If Mr Smith has made those allegations in an affidavit form -- I don't think the party, the FNM party, is a member of the action in court and so we don't have a forum to deal with it. And if that's what he wishes to put in his affidavit -- (it's) a democratic country he can put it there.
"It's not my recollection of what happened but that's obviously his recollection."
Mr Smith represented the Save Guana Cay Reef Association in a four-year-long legal battle against the $500 million Baker's Bay development. The case was recently rejected by the Privy Council.
The lawyer alleges that money outweighed democracy in the selection of the FNM candidate for the Pine Ridge seat in 2007 -- claiming that the committee was worried that his part in the Guana Cay case would offend the FNM's "powerful financial backers."
Ultimately, another Grand Bahama attorney -- Kwasi Thompson -- was officially nominated for the constituency and was elected as MP for the area.
The affidavit was filed in connection with the argument over who should pay the legal costs in the unsuccessful appeal to the Privy Council launched by Mr Smith on behalf of the SGCRA seeking to have the initial ruling that gave the development the go-ahead in the face of the SGCRA's concerns overturned.
In the affidavit, Mr Smith stated: "My political aspirations and the wishes of the voters in the Pine Ridge Constituency Association were dashed as a result of this case.
"I was elected by the members of the (Pine Ridge Constituency) Association, prior to the last general election in 2007, to be the FNM candidate for the Pine Ridge Constituency. The next stage was for the FNM party candidates' committee to nominate me as the FNM party candidate for the election.
"Despite overwhelming local support I was told at one of the meetings with the committee members that unless I dropped the Guana Cay case, or unless I persuaded my clients to drop the case, I would not be chosen by the committee as the candidate for the next general election."
December 16, 2009
tribune242
As reported by The Tribune earlier this week, Mr Smith, QC, a senior partner with Callender's and Co in Grand Bahama filed an affidavit on December, 7 which alleges that the FNM's Candidates Committee told him he would not receive their endorsement for the Pine Ridge constituency in the 2007 general election -- unless he dropped lawsuit against a foreign developer.
At the time, Mr Smith represented the litigants against the Baker's Bay resort development in Guana Cay, Abaco.
Said Mr Symonette when contacted by The Tribune for a reaction to the allegations: "If Mr Smith has made those allegations in an affidavit form -- I don't think the party, the FNM party, is a member of the action in court and so we don't have a forum to deal with it. And if that's what he wishes to put in his affidavit -- (it's) a democratic country he can put it there.
"It's not my recollection of what happened but that's obviously his recollection."
Mr Smith represented the Save Guana Cay Reef Association in a four-year-long legal battle against the $500 million Baker's Bay development. The case was recently rejected by the Privy Council.
The lawyer alleges that money outweighed democracy in the selection of the FNM candidate for the Pine Ridge seat in 2007 -- claiming that the committee was worried that his part in the Guana Cay case would offend the FNM's "powerful financial backers."
Ultimately, another Grand Bahama attorney -- Kwasi Thompson -- was officially nominated for the constituency and was elected as MP for the area.
The affidavit was filed in connection with the argument over who should pay the legal costs in the unsuccessful appeal to the Privy Council launched by Mr Smith on behalf of the SGCRA seeking to have the initial ruling that gave the development the go-ahead in the face of the SGCRA's concerns overturned.
In the affidavit, Mr Smith stated: "My political aspirations and the wishes of the voters in the Pine Ridge Constituency Association were dashed as a result of this case.
"I was elected by the members of the (Pine Ridge Constituency) Association, prior to the last general election in 2007, to be the FNM candidate for the Pine Ridge Constituency. The next stage was for the FNM party candidates' committee to nominate me as the FNM party candidate for the election.
"Despite overwhelming local support I was told at one of the meetings with the committee members that unless I dropped the Guana Cay case, or unless I persuaded my clients to drop the case, I would not be chosen by the committee as the candidate for the next general election."
December 16, 2009
tribune242
Monday, October 10, 2005
Supporters of Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Senator Tommy Turnquest along with some FNM Action Group members Attack Hubert Ingraham
FNMs Attack Ingraham
By Candia Dames
Nassau, The Bahamas
October 10, 2005
Supporters of Free National Movement Leader Senator Tommy Turnquest, including some members of the FNM Action Group, have launched what has amounted to a campaign to block the return of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham as leader of the party.
"Hubert Ingraham ‐ you are still the most hated man in this country and the people will remind you of it if you go back on your word and challenge Tommy Turnquest as leader," said a letter forwarded to the press by supporters of Senator Turnquest over the weekend.
The scathing letter blames Mr. Ingraham for certain "failures", but does not acknowledge that Senator Turnquest was also a part of the Cabinet when those alleged failures occurred.
The letter came more than a week after FNM MP's secured the support of the party's Central Council to have Mr. Ingraham replace Alvin Smith as the FNM's parliamentary leader.
The vote has resulted in a fierce internal battle in the party as observers wait to see if Mr. Smith will resign as leader of the Official Opposition.
Oswald Marshall, chairman of the Action Group, who commented on the matter on Saturday, said he doubts Mr. Ingraham will become the parliamentary leader.
"I don't expect Ingraham [to return]," Mr. Marshall added. "They had some kind of idea that they would push Ingraham to the front of the party by getting him to take over leadership (in the House). I think they polluted that process and I understand that he is not doing that anymore. The council members [who voted against the move] felt that this was a prelude to Ingraham taking over the party."
The letter from Senator Turnquest's supporters reminds council members who supported Mr. Ingraham's return that it was the former prime minister "who botched the referendum" in 2002.
The letter continues: "It was Hubert Ingraham that promoted and left PLP's in office while you the FNM controlled the government.
"It was Hubert Ingraham that destroyed the financial services sector through the enactment of ill-advised legislation;
"It was Hubert Ingraham that bludgeoned Batelco by giving packages to existing management and staff who were performing and performing well; "It was Hubert Ingraham that had all of the major unions up in arms through his policies and action;
"It was Hubert Ingraham who expelled senior men in the FNM who had been with the party way before he was on the scene."
The letter says, "Men such as Tennyson Wells and Pierre Dupuch, loyal supporters of ideals of the party, were discarded by Hubert Ingraham."
Although it was a claim former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson denied when he appeared on the Love 97 programme, "Jones and Company" just over a week ago.
Supporters of Senator Turnquest also accused Mr. Ingraham of operating "on his own terms without regard to his ministers."
The letter also accused the former prime minister of doing as he wished without reference to the concerns of the Bahamian electorate.
"He did not listen and the people just as they fell in love with him in 1992 and 1997 - hated him in 2002 and consequently voted the FNM out. That is why we lost by the margins we did, it said."
The letter added, "Now Mr. Ingraham seeks to use the FNM once more for his own selfish gain by sending his hatchet men such as Frank Watson, Hubert Minnis, Brent Symonette and those less than men parliamentarians to say the party needs him.
"No way, do we need Hubert Ingraham to lead this party. We have a leader of our own; one bred in the party - who paid his dues and has risen to the leadership position."
The letter continues, "We have reached an important milestone in the FNM when history will judge our actions as we prepare for the election in 2006 or 2007. Do we [want to] embrace a new leader who will take care of FNM's in a fair way or do we bring back a rejected man?
"Tommy Turnquest may not be perfect in everyone's eye, but he is 100 percent FNM."
When he spoke with The Bahama Journal on Thursday, Senator Turnquest said he had "no idea" whether Mr. Ingraham will become the new parliamentary leader as the other FNM MP's wish.
But he reiterated that the former prime minister has assured him that he has no plans to again seek the leadership post of the FNM.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Tommy Turnquest says that He is Not Troubled by Opposition within or outside His Party
Tommy On Defensive
By Candia Dames
Nassau, The Bahamas
27 April 2005
Amid reports that he is facing fierce opposition from within his own party, Free National Movement Leader Tommy Turnquest called a press conference on Tuesday to reassure FNM's that all is well in the party.
Mr. Turnquest told reporters that he is confident that he has the full support of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and that as far as he is aware Mr. Ingraham, despite reports, is not interested in returning as leader of the party.
"We in the FNM will not allow our political opponents to capitalize on make-believe issues in our party," said Mr. Turnquest, who added that he is not troubled by opposition within or outside his party.
"They want desperately to take the focus off their incompetence, ineffectiveness and inefficiency. We must continue to reveal their total ineptitude as a government. The old, pompous, all-for-me nature of the PLP is back and we must resolve to rid our country of this rudderless, incompetent and unfocused government. This is the focus of the FNM ‐ nothing more, nothing less."
The FNM leader called the press conference to respond to a Bahama Journal article published on Monday under the headline "FNM's Want Tommy Out."
That story revealed that an advisory council of the party headed by former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson has advised Mr. Turnquest that there are many FNM's who want him out and Mr. Ingraham back in as leader.
On Tuesday, Mr. Turnquest refused to discuss the findings of the advisory council with reporters, saying that, "It is unfortunate that some people seem to have taken [the appointment of the council] as a sign of crisis in leadership in our party."
He said, "As the duly elected leader of the FNM, I am working to ready our party to compete fiercely in the next general election. On a daily basis, I am meeting with persons who have expressed a desire to be an FNM candidate in the next election, a process I hope to complete very soon so that we might begin to put them in place."
Mr. Turnquest also urged party supporters to "be strong so we may finish strong."
"The work that we must do is crucial," he said. "Our nation is in the hands of incompetent drifters. They have failed to live up to many of their promises. Our people are hurting. Our country is directionless. We are being misled by those who govern us. They are working to enrich themselves, their families and their cronies."
Mr. Turnquest was flanked by his deputy, Sidney Collie; FNM Chairman Carl Bethel; Montagu MP Brent Symonette; Senator Tanya McCartney; and Loretta Butler Turner, who was a candidate in the last general election.
Leader of the Official Opposition Alvin Smith and a handful of FNM supporters also showed up to support the FNM leader.
There was, however, no member of the advisory council present at the press conference.
On Monday, former FNM Cabinet Minister Tennyson Wells, now an independent MP, told The Bahama Journal that the fact that Mr. Turnquest had to appoint that council indicates that the party is in "disarray."
But Mr. Turnquest said the FNM has never been more united.
When asked whether he had an image problem, he said that he had no idea what it means to have an image problem.
Mr. Wells has said that the key problem with Mr. Turnquest is his image and that the very people who supported his bid for leadership in 2000 are the ones trying to overthrow him as leader.
Former Cabinet Minister Algernon Allen, meanwhile, said that there was treachery afoot.
Mr. Turnquest dismissed those statements.
"In May 2002, I sat at this very table and offered my resignation to the highest authority in his party," Mr. Turnquest said at the press conference at FNM headquarters. "I was asked to remain until the next national convention which I did. I then offered myself for leadership and I was elected as leader.
"I really can do no more than that, but if I continue to look over my shoulder or behind my back, I'd be constantly focused on that rather the real prize which is ahead and that is defeating the PLP and making sure that we return this country back to where it ought to be."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)