More Than Three Months After The Carmichael Road Detention Centre Uprising, no Cuban Has Been Charged

The failure of police to charge any Cubans in connection with the uprising – which resulted in 11 Defense Force officers and nine detainees being injured – has some people pointing to what they see as differential treatment between Haitian and Cuban immigrants in The Bahamas 

Attorney Eliezer Regnier, who represents the Haitian family charged within days of the Nassau Village riot earlier this year, is one of them

Cubans In Limbo At Fox Hill

By Candia Dames

candiadames@hotmail.com

Nassau, The Bahamas

11th March 2005

There are reportedly concerns among some in government that any decision by police to bring charges in relation to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre uprising in December could spark a serious backlash from the Cuban-American community, The Bahama Journal has learnt.

But Assistant Commission of Police Reginald Ferguson has assured that due process is being followed in the matter.

A source close to the investigation told The Bahama Journal that there are serious diplomatic issues involved that must also be considered.

More than three months after the incident, which made international headlines, no Cuban has been charged in connection with the matter, although police and immigration authorities had indicated that charges were likely.

There are also reports that police may forward the matter to the Office of the Attorney General, but Mr. Ferguson said that determination had not yet been made.

He added, “That is one of the options that is open to us.  We may very well do that to get a thorough look at it to assist in the thoroughness of the whole investigative process.”

The failure of police to charge any Cubans in connection with the uprising – which resulted in 11 Defense Force officers and nine detainees being injured – has some people pointing to what they see as differential treatment between Haitian and Cuban immigrants.

Attorney Eliezer Regnier, who represents the Haitian family charged within days of the Nassau Village riot earlier this year, is one of them.

“I think the Cuban situation is such that the Cubans in Miami have put the fear in the government [of The Bahamas],” Mr. Regnier said.  “I think they just want to sweep that situation under the carpet.  They fear terrorist reprisals because the Miami Cubans are very aggressive whereas in the case of the Haitians, they know once they do something to them, that’s the end of the matter.”

Magistrate Linda Virgill denied the Haitian parents and their son bail and sent them to Her Majesty’s Prison.  She also suspended their permanent residence status.

However, Mr. Regnier told The Bahama Journal that he was able to eventually secure bail for Wilson Pierre, Clarisine Pierre and Celession Simeus.

He also noted that it did not take long for the Haitians who attempted to ram a Defence Force boat off New Providence to be charged either.

Magistrate Virgill gave most of those involved maximum sentences and fines after they pleaded guilty.  They admitted to trying to smuggle illegal Haitian immigrants into The Bahamas.

Mr. Regnier believes this is a clear case of differential treatment among immigrants.

But Mr. Ferguson cautioned against drawing comparisons, pointing out that each investigation is different.

“Every investigation has its own characteristics and it is determined by the investigation as it progresses,” he noted.  “I don’t think it is fair to make a comparison between one incident versus the other because every incident is different.”

Prison Superintendent Dr. Elliston Rahming has confirmed that the 22 Cuban nationals believed to have been involved in the Detention Centre incident back in December are still being held at Her Majesty’s Prison in Fox Hill.

Cuban Consul General to The Bahamas Felix Wilson told The Bahama Journal that he is aware that a group of Cubans may soon be repatriated, but he was not sure whether those at the prison may be a part of that group.

Following the fire at the Detention Centre, some Cuban-Americans demonstrated in Miami, claiming that the Cubans at the facility were being abused.

But that’s a claim government officials have vehemently denied repeatedly.

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 2

The Bahamas Haitian Situation ‐ Part 2

By Apostle Cedric Moss
March 18, 2004

Was Aristide forced out?  Many are discussing this question locally and abroad and choosing which account they believe, Aristide's or The United States of America's.  In my view, beyond the need to give it some consideration at the diplomatic level, whichever account is right, it makes little difference for The Bahamas.  The situation of tens of thousands of illegal Haitian immigrants in our country still represents one of our biggest national challenges and the academic discussion about Mr. Aristide only distracts us from focusing on much needed proactive solutions.

The Proposed Agreement

For the past 10 years, efforts have been made by The Bahamas' government to enter into an agreement with the Haitian government to cover mass repatriation of Haitians residing in The Bahamas.  To date, the agreement is still not signed and with the current unstable climate in Haiti, it is not likely to be signed any time soon.  However, even if we could sign the agreement today, what would it really accomplish?

As I understand it, this agreement was initially negotiated around 1994.  The intention was to seek to regularize Haitians who have resided in The Bahamas prior to 1985 and to repatriate those who arrived illegally after that date.  Had the agreement been signed and implemented around the time it was initially negotiated, tens of thousands of Haitians who had illegally resided in The Bahamas for periods of one to ten years would have been repatriated.  Among them would have been thousands of children born to Haitian parents, even though such children have the right to apply for Bahamian citizenship at age 18.

Considering that 1985 is still the threshold year for the agreement waiting to be executed, Haitians who have illegally resided in The Bahamas for as long as 19 years could potentially be repatriated.  While we as a country have the legal right to repatriate them, even without a signed agreement, would it be the humane thing to do after allowing them to remain for so many years?  How would we manage the future fallout that would come from the generations of Bahamians born to Haitian parents who were subjected to this traumatic experience?

Alternative Solutions

Am I proposing that we officially absorb the unknown tens of thousands of illegal Haitian immigrants currently residing in The Bahamas as opposed to repatriating them?  No, I'm not proposing that at all.  However, I am saying that we need to consider alternative solutions, because we know full well that repatriation is only a temporary solution, and a costly one at that.

While I believe successive governments of The Bahamas have sought international assistance to deal with the problem of illegal immigration from Haiti, it's my view that we need to redouble our efforts in this direction.  Somehow, we need to involve The United States, Canada, France and The United Nations in order to seek both short and long term solutions to the problems in Haiti and the illegal immigration situation we face as a result.  The reality is that unless Haiti stabilizes and attracts investment to create jobs, Haitians will continue to leave in search of a better way of life and The Bahamas is their logical first destination.

Here to Stay

For many Haitians, they are far beyond making that desperate seas voyage from Haiti to The Bahamas; they are already here.  And they are here to stay.  Some came prior to 1985 and much later.  While they were enduring exploitation by far too many of us, they seemed to have followed the advice Prophet Jeremiah gave to the Israelites who were in exile in Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.  Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters.  Increase in number there; do not decrease". (Jeremiah 29:5-6, NIV).  The Haitians also followed another one: Educate your children.  All of these they have done, so uprooting and deporting them today is not near as easy as it was 25 years ago.

Preview of Next Week

Since Haitians are here to stay in large numbers, how can we manage their assimilation for the overall good of The Bahamas?  Join me next week when I conclude my commentary and answer this question.

Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Commentary and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 1>>>

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 3>>> 

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 1

The Bahamas Haitian Situation ‐ Part 1

By Apostle Cedric Moss
March 4, 2004

For several months I have been contemplating offering my thoughts on the Haitian situation in our country.  Prompted by the climatic events in Haiti this past week that resulted in President Jean Bertrand Aristide's resignation, I today I begin in earnest part one of a three part series.

More than talk

As I followed local news coverage of the events unfolding in Haiti, I was particularly moved by Dr. Eugene Newry's request for prayer for the strife-torn nation of Haiti.  Although Dr. Newry is the Bahamian Ambassador to Haiti, he seems to recognize that beyond diplomatic talk, the real need of the Haitian people is for divine intervention through prayer to Almighty God.  I agree with him.  Therefore, we who are followers of Christ should take heart that while governments talk and exercise human diplomacy; we can exercise divine diplomacy in prayer.

Balancing Two Concerns

For reasons that are obvious, a major concern in The Bahamas about the chaos in Haiti is that thousands of Haitians will come here with the hope of finding good fortune and a better life.  However, we must have an additional concern.  We must also be concerned about the plight of our brothers and sisters in Haiti, not just the effect that the situation there can potentially have on us.

I know it is easy to misunderstand my point so I will restate it: I am not saying that we must not be concerned about the potential additional strain that further amounts of Haitian immigrants will have on public services in our small country.  We obviously must be concerned because our resources are limited.  However, if our concern stops at the point of ourselves and does not take into account the grim circumstances faced by our Haitian brothers and sisters, we would be selfish.  So we must balance these two concerns.

A Major Challenge

The reality is that even if there was a way to prevent further illegal immigration from Haiti to The Bahamas, the existing number of Haitians already here (speculated by some to be as high as 60,000) presents us with one of the most significant national challenges we face.  This challenge cannot be wished away or talked away.  It is here and our best option is to try to deal with it proactively.

As I listen to some Bahamians propose solutions to the problem of Haitians residing illegally in The Bahamas it is becoming clearer to me that many of them do not realize how serious and far gone the problem is.  Therefore, their solutions are no real solution.  In addition, some of the so-called solutions are illegal and/or inhumane.

Our Day of Reckoning

In my view, although it is the lot of the present government to deal with the Haitian situation, successive governments of The Bahamas have to take collective responsibility for the state of affairs.  While it would be naive to minimize the task of effectively combating the problem of illegal immigration of Haitians to The Bahamas, I believe much more could have been done.  By this I do not mean more rounding up and repatriations since this strategy by itself is no real solution.

In addition to successive governments falling short, we are Bahamians in general must take responsibility.  Many among us took and still take economic advantage of our Haitian brothers and sisters and exploit them economically as modern day indentured servants, thereby contributing to the situation we now face.  The tragedy is that now many of these same exploiters are speaking the loudest and shouting, "Send them home!"  But it's a bit too late.  Our day of reckoning has come. 

Preview of Next Week

Now that the government in Haiti is in further limbo, the prospects of our government getting the much talked about treaty that covers repatriation, among other things, signed any time soon is not that great.  But what if they did get the treaty signed immediately?  What would it produce?  Join me next week when I will analyze the much talked about treaty and at the same time answer these questions.

Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre.  Comments and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 2>>>

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 3>>>