Pastor TG Morrison (inset) spoke during the Ecumenical Service celebrating Majority Rule Day at Zion Baptist Church yesterday. Photos: Dante Career
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
AS top government officials looked on yesterday, Pastor TG Morrison railed against illegal immigration during a Majority Rule Day ceremony, claiming that “something cataclysmic is going to happen” if the issue is not addressed.
He described illegal migration as an “existential threat” to The Bahamas and said unless people are brave enough to stand against it, the country will face a lifetime of regret.
“While we sympathise with the plight of others, we do not do so at our own peril, for we cannot cut off our nose to spite our face,” he said.
His comments during an ecumenical church service at Zion Baptist Church in honour of Majority Rule Day came weeks after Defence Force Commodore Raymond King said irregular migration from Haiti had declined by 22 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022. Commodore King said there were no reported or detected migrant landings in 2023.
The United Nations, meanwhile, has urged the country to halt deportations of Haitians because of the unrest in that country.
Earlier this month, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said migration was needed to maintain the country’s population and meet the labour demand.
“The problem we have here is that there’s a lack of understanding or recognition of this, and people are emotionally upset about what they see as a group of people trying to take over the country,” Mr Mitchell said. “I assure you, no one can take this country over unless Bahamians allow it.”
Yesterday, Rev Morrison acknowledged the need for skilled workers, but claimed, without evidence, that the country faces an era of children who “would lift up a certain flag and dare Bahamian students to pass that way because they declare that is their territory”.
“This is what we are up against, and unless somebody is brave enough to say that something has to be done, we will regret what happens, for after all, we fought for The Bahamas for Bahamians, and after 57 years, there ought to be a Bahamian people who are prepared to take charge,” he said, adding that some people lack “the political will” to stem illegal migration.
“One does not have to be a social scientist to see that our country is seething right now,” he said.
The religious leader also called for a review of citizenship laws, saying they need “urgent and radical revisiting,” though he did not elaborate.
Yesterday’s service at Zion Baptist was one of several events held to commemorate the country’s 56th anniversary of Majority Rule. After the service, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the gravesite of Sir Lynden Pindling.
Comments
realitycheck242 3 months, 2 weeks ago
I agree with Rev Morrison, these political leaders have turned a blind eye to the illegal immigration situation in this country. The illegals are coming in by plane and simply overstaying their time, that's why the BDF commodore can report a down-ward trend in arrivals. I see new illegal faces every day especially in the inner city. I know they are illegal by the creole the speak.
Set up check points at bus stops, go back to the old Pindling era ways of knocking down doors at all hours of the night. Speed up the demolition of shanty towns.
Topdude 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Sounds like the Rev. Planning to run for political office?
Sickened 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Sounds like Fweddy found a Haitian love interest and is now siding with them.
mandela 3 months, 2 weeks ago
The Rev can see, he is an intelligent individual, he can comprehend our situation. Hong Kong was British for 99 years, generations came and went and now Hong Kong belongs to China. After 50 years of independence we are partly being out numbered, in 99 years the Bahamas will be a little Haiti. Haiti has doubled their population in 50 years from roughly 5 million to 11 million, so imagine what's in store for us.
SP 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Finally, a member of the clergy in the person of Pastor TG Morrison, has found the courage to stand up and acknowledge the governments apathy on the Haitian invasion crises.
We cannot even begin to listen to Fred Mitchell who is himself of Haitian decent, as are too many other so called "political leaders".
What percentage of individuals of Haitian decent sit in the Dominican Republics Parliament verses the Bahamas Parliament? How does the Bahamas expect Haitians with political power to fight the invasion of their own Haitian nationals?
What justification is there for "The United Nations, meanwhile, has urged the country to halt deportations of Haitians because of the unrest in that country" when BahamasAir is overbooked daily with flights to Haiti?
Illegal Haitian migration has been a national security threat for decades, and is already an existential threat that has caused cataclysmic effects in unemployment, fraud, traffic violations, crime, drug and arms dealing, not to mention the devastating effects of the well known Haitian parallel economy that undermines everything Bahamian!
Regardless of the governments usual soft shoe, duck and dodge, approach to the invasion crises, Every Bahamian is well aware that the Haitian invasion is the enemy # 1 to the sovereignty of the Bahamas.
zemilou 3 months, 2 weeks ago
I wonder how many members of the audience (and in the pulpit) benefit, or even profit, from hiring illegal (undocumented) immigrants -- either by illegally hiring them or by securing documentation for them (because they can afford the permits and/or have the connections to get the permits)?
DonAnthony 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Illegal immigration is not nearly the problem most Bahamians think it is. The reality is that the country greatly benefits from and needs the cheap labor that they provide. Construction in the the country would almost come to a standstill without foreign (predominately Haitian labor). At the very least it would be much more expensive and home ownership which is barely possible for many Bahamians would be prohibitively more expensive and out of reach. We need development and growth, how many FDI projects and the Bahamian jobs they provide along w tax revenue and ancillary benefits would not occur if construction was too expensive and the labor to complete them simply unavailable? The problem is that it needs to be properly regulated and no Bahamian government seems capable of doing this properly, but make no mistake in the grand scheme of things illegal labor is almost certainly a necessity and net benefit to the Bahamas.
LastManStanding 3 months, 2 weeks ago
"We need to have illegal immigration so we can dodge NIB and pay below minimum wage for borderline slave labour" isn't the great argument that you think it is. Judging by the quality of the shanty homes that I have observed, they're not great builders either.
rosiepi 3 months, 2 weeks ago
If their homes were made with quality materials you’d be wondering where they stole it…
LastManStanding 3 months, 2 weeks ago
You're right, I probably would, or I might wonder what foreign NGO gave it to them. Funnily enough I actually know someone who had to close on their property for 30k less than the agreed upon sale price because Haitians came and stole the doors, windows, patio, even the bloody hardi plank off the sides of the residence while it was still under contract (this was in the months after Dorian where there was zero police presence on Abaco).
It's not our problem that Haiti is a shithole, and Haitians have no one else to blame but themselves for turning it into one. They will come here and do the same thing if we let them, we already see it with the lawlessness involving the shantytowns and the feigned victimhood whenever someone with any balls tries to do something about them.
hrysippus 3 months, 2 weeks ago
The greatest single threat to this country is the pervasive morbid obesity; why did pastor TG Morrison not mention this? Oh, now I see, I mean literally now I see.
DWW 3 months, 2 weeks ago
What a wholesome Christian based values statement to make! Such a godly man of the cloth scared of a few children? Maybe we should make LEGAL immigration easier then there wouldn't be so much illegal stuff...? If you can't beat em join em? if I hire a Bahamian he works half as hard for twice the pay and leaves early (and quite possibly come back and steal something.) The Haitian is so happy for work he shows up early, stays late and gets the job done. Deuteronomy 10:19, Genesis 23:4, Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 27:19, 1 Chronicles 16:19-22, Job 29:15-17, need I go on?
LastManStanding 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Yes, because it's very Christian to steal land, build shacks on other people's property without permission, steal utilities, and spread disease shitting everywhere in the bush right? Always the people who don't know anything about Christ trying to lecture on Christianity.
rosiepi 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Haitians refugees come here to work and carve out a life for their families, the fact they keep coming usually means there’s a need for their labour. I don’t see Haitians holding up walls in Nassau…
Folks like this so called ‘pastor’ know very well the consequences of their fear and hate mongering, and that makes it difficult to see the Lord working through such a man. In fact he reminds me of Trump and those tyrants round the globe who stir up fear and hatred against one’s fellows in a bid for power.
LastManStanding 3 months, 2 weeks ago
They come here to build shantytowns and send money back to Haiti is what you must mean.
Listen, I studied and worked abroad at one point in my life, but I did not go and build a shack in the public park nor violate the conditions imposed on my ability to work, neither did I just cross the border illegally and then cry victim when getting sent home like they do here. There is a process for work permits, and conditions attached to them. Quite frankly, even the legal ones need to be sent home because most of them contribute to the shantytown problem (government has no balls to hold the employers responsible for them), refuse to integrate, work for multiple people while on one permit, and drive down wages for unskilled/semi-skilled Bahamian labour in certain sectors such as construction. There is zero benefit, economic or social, to having them here. Only greedy contractors who just want to produce the shittiest build without having to pay a proper wage/NIB are in favour of having them here. Government needs to crack down hard on that sector because I know for a fact that many of them end up stealing materials to take back and build their shantytowns with. Anyone found encouraging the construction of these shantytowns needs to be sent to prison, I am sick and tired of this problem. It is ridiculous that we are still having to deal with shantytowns in 2024.
Regarding the religious aspect, God gave every kind of people their own land. When directing the Israelite people to the Holy Land, he bluntly told them not to pick fights with Edom and their other neighbours on the way because that was not their land and He would not help them one bit in a war of conquest against it. This idea that Christianity supports mass migration and the destruction of entire nations is foolish and has no basis in Scripture or any tradition. Speaking the truth is not "hate", we cannot destroy our own country in the process of trying to "help" others.
TalRussell 3 months, 2 weeks ago
To the younger amongst us --- Words matter! ---'Tis a Comrade Pastor's wording like these --- Will spring up defining instruments.---- Fithteen years forward --- During a completely different ecumenical church service in honour of Majority Rule Day. --- Being delivered before a --- Creole-speaking congregation. --- Words can/will be prosecuted. --- Yes?
Bonefishpete 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Grass ain't going to mow itself.
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