NASSAU, BAHAMAS — There are approximately 1,600 citizenship applications that will be impacted in some way by the Privy Council’s landmark decision on citizenship last week, according to Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell.
“I think Bahamians are warming up to what the impact of the decision really is,” Bell said.
“The impact of the decision is there is no need to apply to Immigration anymore — they can now go straight to the passport office and get their documentation.”
Bell said yesterday the government may have to consider introducing DNA testing to confirm a child’s paternity to mitigate against fraud. The Privy Council has ruled that all children born in The Bahamas out of wedlock to foreign women and Bahamian men are Bahamian citizens at birth.
“As Bahamians, we have to ask ourselves and advise our government whether in such instances we require further evidence in the absence of a birth certificate to show proof of paternity, whether there should be DNA evidence to minimize fraud,” said Bell.
Bell stressed that Immigration officials will not compromise the process of granting citizenship, stressing that due diligence will be carried out.
“I will not compromise on the granting of citizenship. We will do our due diligence. There is widespread fraud and deceit because we do not have a system to identify who is who in this country.
“We have cases where more than one Bahamian has the same identity in this country and we have to deal with it. The only way we can do it is through scientific means,” said Bell.
