NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell was in Miami and not Switzerland as he previously claimed when he received a call from a dying man who wanted his wife and children to receive Bahamian citizenship.
The Ministry of Labour & Immigration yesterday released a statement addressing concerns and questions recently raised in Parliament by Opposition leader Michael Pintard regarding multiple immigration ‘violations.’
The Opposition has strongly criticized Bell for overseeing the “unorthodox” swearing-in ceremony of the two children of the late Frank Racine and his widow. Bell has stated that he was merely fulfilling Mr Racine’s dying wishes.
Earlier this week, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis called into question Bell’s explanation to reporters last month regarding the circumstances that led to the swearing-in of the family at Racine’s funeral service.
The statement from the Ministry of Labour and Immigration noted: “Concerning the questions put by the former Prime Minister about a specific citizenship application, we clarify that, at the time in question, the Minister was, in fact in Miami, not in Switzerland as previously stated in error.”
The statement also noted that the group of Chinese workers at the British Colonial Hilton who were detained by Immigration officials and subsequently released were in the country legally.
According to a report from an immigration official who supervised the apprehension exercise in January, it was discovered that only three individuals possessed Chinese passports, while the others had no identification at all.
Minister of Labour, Keith Bell, has acknowledged the presence of “irregularities” in the situation. However, he emphasized that after a thorough assessment, it was deemed unnecessary to transfer the individuals to the detention center, where undocumented migrants are typically held.
The incident involving the apprehension of Chinese migrants occurred in January, but Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard recently made it public, accusing Bell of acting inappropriately by ordering the release of the migrants on the same night they were discovered at the hotel.
“Regarding the issue involving the Chinese nationals, we confirm that the workers were in the country legally. Their employers were in the process of applying for their work permits. To avoid disruption to the major ongoing construction project on which they were working, it was considered futile to detain them overnight. The issue was promptly corrected the following day,” the ministry said in its statement.
Addressing other immigration concerns raised by Pintard the statement continued: “Firstly, a case was raised regarding a work permit that had expired, which led to an arrest and detention. We want to clarify that the arrest and detention report was uploaded on the same day the renewal application was enrolled. Despite the outstanding fees, the renewal was approved. Factors that were taken into consideration included the individual’s long-term residence in The Bahamas, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lack of salary during the period of the pandemic. This discretion was exercised in line with practices of previous administrations under similar circumstances,” it was noted
In another case, Pintard noted that an individual was reportedly approved for a permit while they were detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
“We can confirm that at the time the decision was made, no information regarding the arrest or deportation was on file or in the system. Consequently, the Minister granted the approval without any contradictory information that might have otherwise affected the decision,” the statement read.
“The third case mentioned involved an individual intercepted on a boat attempting to smuggle into the USA. The individual was charged, convicted and restricted. The Ministry of Labour & Immigration would like to clarify that this individual’s work permit was denied three times and was never approved.’
“In the fourth case, contrary to claims, the applicant was never detained. In fact, the individual held valid permits from 2015, renewed annually, and valid until 2023. The fifth case involved an arrest for overstaying, which subsequently led to deportation. Despite the allegations, there was no arrest or detainee report on file or within our system for this individual. In the case raised involving a Permit to Reside, despite claims that there was an approval after a conviction for overstaying and scheduled deportation, we found no document on file or within the system to indicate that this individual was convicted in court,” the Ministry noted.
The statement also said that while concerns were raised about the approval process for permits, the current practice at the Department of Immigration does not require employers to submit financial information.
“Therefore, it is challenging to accurately determine employers’ ability to sustain employment. In respect of the claim that approvals were granted without interviews being conducted, or unsupported by proper documentation, we consider that instances of such cases are highly unlikely, given the stringent checks and balances in place. However, we urge the Leader of the Opposition to provide specific instances for further investigation,” the statement noted.
It was underscored that the approval of applications made while an applicant is detained at the Detention Centre is not illegal.
“There have been many occasions when individuals have been arrested while an application for approval is pending. In respect of the claim that approvals have been granted to employers who, after investigation, stated that they did not submit the application, our records confirm that there have been incidents where work permits were approved without consultation with the Director or Minister. Upon receiving complaints from employers, these matters have been promptly addressed.”
The statement also noted that the government has been working to curb the issue of multiple work permits being issued to individuals deemed as “facilitators”.
“Our administration has been working diligently to curb this activity. We continue to monitor and take the necessary action. It is open to everyone to report wrongdoing wherever found, and so the Leader of the Opposition is welcome to provide any evidence he has of instances where approvals have been granted to unqualified applicants or employers. In situations where detainees were ordered to be released, we urge the Leader of the Opposition to provide specific examples,” the statement continued.
On the matter of citizenship, it was noted that there are categories under the Nationality Act that allow individuals to be sworn in, without renouncing other citizenships.
Loading ...
