PRIME Minister Hubert Minnis. (File photo)
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said there have been many complaints about illegal immigration in Andros and vowed yesterday to clamp down on the problem in a humane manner.
His comments to The Tribune came as the Department of Immigration continues a joint operation on the island.
The department said in a statement on Saturday: “In direct response to recent complaints of increased sightings of suspected illegal migrants on the island of Andros, a mass joint exercise dubbed ‘Operation Chickcharney’ was launched Saturday morning. This exercise involved the combined effort of senior immigration officers, Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers and Royal Bahamas Police Force officers.
“The purpose of the operation was to investigate and where necessary take the necessary action against any illegal migrant found, regardless of one’s ethnicity. We have reaped some success, as we continue our operations.”
Yesterday, Immigration Director Clarence Russell said the operation is ongoing, with several people in custody assisting authorities and the HMBS Lawrence Major anchored off Andros as the base of operations and transport vessel. Joint teams have more than 50 officers blanketing the districts, he said.
Strong rhetoric against illegal immigration has been a feature of Dr Minnis’ tenure as prime minister.
Yesterday he again sounded a warning to Bahamians, saying: “If they are caught harbouring illegals they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of our laws. “We will be dealing aggressively with illegals within our borders. However, they will receive respect and be treated in a humane manner within the confines of our laws. There have been a lot of complaints coming out of Andros and some other areas and we will be looking into all of them.”
Andros has become central as the government seeks to lift a Supreme Court injunction blocking the demolition of shanty towns around the country and address immigration issues related to their existence.
Former Chief Councillor Peter Douglas, 60, claimed recently in an affidavit that there are 900 people living in three shanty towns across North Andros.
And in a recent statement about the discovery of E coli in water on the island, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said it was examining whether Norther Andros’ groundwater was contaminated by nearby unregulated communities.
“...A discussion ensued as to the possible source of well water contamination which was suggested to be as a result of unregulated development (lack of bathroom facilities attached to structures not approved for construction),” its statement said.
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resource has been actively working to determine whether any agricultural crown land has been encroached upon by the migrant community of North Andros or Bahamians and will do everything under the law to ensure that if such encroachment has occurred, it is brought to an end. Furthermore, the use of crown land is strictly for agricultural purposes by those who are registered to lease the land and thus, have no right to sublease to any individual or group of persons.”
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 2 months ago
The illegal Haitian aliens in the Andros shanty towns are telling government officials the E coli in the ground water is coming from all of the shiite that the Carnival cruise ships continue to dump in our territorial waters. Minnis is truly hopeless on all fronts.....protecting any and everyone but the Bahamian people!
bogart 4 years, 2 months ago
The Bahamas Authorities need to find out these boat captains, the leaders of these Human Trafficking, there must be leaders of these illegal transporting, facilatilating, aiding, abbetting, sheltering...!!!!!!!!!!!
Absolute 900 in some three shantytown or 700 in one shantytown on this Bahamaland SOVEREIGN..!!!!! SOVEREIGN...!!!!!! SOIL....BEING HERE ILLEGALLY, SHITTING POLLUTING LANDS, HARBOURINGVWHAT DISEASES FROM HAITI.......AND TO DATE THE BAHAMIAN AUTHORITIES NEVER...NEVER,...NRVER YET CATCH ONE BOAT CAPTAIN OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BOAT.......all this repeated repeated hot air and BAHAMUAN PUBLIC JUS PLAIN TIRED VEXATION ALL YUCK UP WID ALL DESE ILLEGALS ...JUS CAUGHT AN GIVEN JET PLANE RIDE BACK TO HAITI...!!!!!...AND GOVT MINISTER WILL JUMP UP AND SAY THAT THESE CHILDREN MUST BE SENT TO GOVT SCHOOLS IN ANDROS...!!!!!...Minister Lloyd has to say to Andros the same he say whoever blocking these chillrens from Andros shantytowns going to school........
sheeprunner12 4 years, 2 months ago
Haitians are not humane towards each other ……… why should we be humane to them????
They already think that we are soft, laid back, lazy, entitled, free-spending, generous, and spoilt …… cheaper we change that mindset now before we get run out of our own country.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
because it's not about how they treat each other, it's about treating people how "you" would want to be treated if God forbid you were in need of help ( and that don't mean let illegal migrants stay)
TheMadHatter 4 years, 2 months ago
Abaco is done and over ... so they moved to Andros. There is nothing that can be done about it. That's why every statement here says govt will do everything "under the law" ... which as Fred Smith has demonstrated over and over again is NOTHING.
Haitians are here and the only thing Bahamians can do is ask them to drop their drawers while we pucker our lips.
TalRussell 4 years, 2 months ago
Colony's Comrade PM says lots things that only an outside the colony's hired gun Trump republican strategist could've conceived - that PMO's comrade sister Erica, would've prepared text for for the PM. Can't write this. You just, can't.
BahamaPundit 4 years, 2 months ago
The Bahamas Government gives favor to Haitians over any other nationality. Imagine if Cubans or Dominicans had set up camp in Andros? They would be run out of town in weeks. Goes to show how far Haitians have infiltrated our Government.
bogart 4 years, 2 months ago
Numbers of past Elections before current technology there were complaints of voters without legal documentation allegedly obtaining swown affidavits to be eligible to vote and obtaining Voters Cards. Now with having Voters Card them seems to open up other avenues to get documentation. Seemed to happen that nothing was wrong or seemed to have ever been investigated.
sealice 4 years, 2 months ago
The PLP used to give em papers in Abaco so they could vote for them - that's why all those "Farm Communities" got so big so quick in the 70's - good luck trying to get the haitians out of Treasure Cay - they been there for (3) generations.
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