NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The government had repatriated more than 2,000 people for the year, according to Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell yesterday.
He defended the Davis administration’s efforts in tacking illegal immigration as he fielded questions from the media ahead of a Cabinet meeting.
“We do recognise that there is a challenge in the Abacosand certainly other areas of The Bahamas where we have large irregular migrant populations. For me the central issue is what is the government doing about it. I think that is the focus and ought to be the focus of the Bahamian people and all of us,” said Bell.
Bell noted that in 2014 the Christie administration commenced the largest investment in the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, known as Sandy Bottom Project.
“We invested over $200 million in new vessels. What we have sought to do is ensure that we equip our law enforcement agencies with the requisite tools, that is seafaring deep ocean vessels which are able to create a blade. Secondly, we have partnered with the United States, the US Coast Guard, and certainly the Turks and Causes Islands to ensure that all three countries and ensure that we seek to block the southern route coming not just into The Bahamas but certainly into the Turks and Caicos and the US.”
Bell added: “As it relates to Immigration, Immigration has had a longstanding history of ensuring that due diligence is taken into account for persons who come into the country. In addition to our due diligence policy, The Bahamas Immigration Department is about to graduate 173 immigration trainee officers on November 2 to add to the complement of officers. We’ve put boots on the ground in the Abacos.”
Bell further noted: “We have repatriated in excess of 2,000 people already for the year. We have put persons before the courts. There are a number of active investigations. Boosts are on the ground.”
