Law enforcement to determine whether migrants who led the disturbance will be brought before the courts
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A number of Cuban migrants at the Carmichael Road Detention Center incited an uprising yesterday, leading to a disturbance at the facility, said Immigration Minister Keith Bell.
In an interview with Eyewitness News, Bell advised that the group dumped a pile of garbage inside the detention center and demanded to be sent home.
“As a means of precaution, law enforcement agents made sure they responded very appropriately and quickly to make sure the incident didn’t develop into a major incident,” he said.
Bell could not say what recourse will be taken with the migrants that led the disturbance.
“We are awaiting reports from the law enforcement agents and if they make the recommendation that they should be charged before the courts, then we will do that,” he said.
“As it stands now, there was no damage to property and so therefore I do not necessarily at this stage see the need to, unless they recommend that we charge them or put them before the courts.”
The immigration minister noted that 99 Cuban nationals, including 94 men and five women, are currently being held at the facility, some of whom have been there for several weeks.
“We are working very closely, through diplomatic channels, with the Cuban government to make sure they accept their nationals back and they are repatriated as soon as possible,” he added.
Last month, Bell advised that an investigation has been launched into the most recent interdiction of dozens of undocumented migrants from Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Ecuador, Romania and Turkey aboard one yacht.
The incident followed weeks of apprehensions and the detention of more than 1,000 undocumented Haitian migrants in Bahamian waters as Haiti continues to face challenges ranging from the ongoing pandemic, consecutive natural disasters including a recent earthquake and political unrest.
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