The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

In the Bahamas government primary schools there are approximately 65 per cent Haitians and 5 per cent different nationalities sitting in our classrooms.

Get this – most of the foreign nationals are also on The Bahamas Government’s Social Service lunch programme (receiving free lunch each day). As we Bahamians are aware Haitians do their best to blend in within our society, including their names.

What they try to do is change the title of their child's name to sound like ours and they practise the children the same. For example, the child’s title is Louis, but they tell them it is pronounced (Lewis), François (Francis) Richemond (Richmond). Is this one of the reasons why our national average is so low? Hmmmm. Bahamas Immigration and Ministry of Education what are we going to do?

MS ROLLE

Nassau,

September 24, 2012.

(This is quite contrary to the reports that we receive at The Tribune. The usual complaint is that the Haitian children are the ones coming top of their class, leaving Bahamians behind. In other words they are the ones achieving the grades and walking away with the scholastic honours. Bahamian parents want them removed from the classroom to give Bahamian children a chance — in other words remove the competition, so mediocrity can compete with mediocrity.

(It is not that a Haitian child is smarter than a Bahamian child, it is just that the Haitian works harder — this is the story of all underdogs — they have to work harder to prove themselves. When one is at the bottom hard work is the only way to get to the top.

(Many persons have remarked that the only children one sees being walked to school by an adult — usually a parent – are Haitian children.

(When Bahamian children return home from school in the afternoon, they are off wasting time with their friends, while the Haitian child is at home doing his school work. Parents should note that conscientious study is the only way that one can get to the head of the class — not by having fewer Haitians in the class.

(Instead of all the foolish talk about Bahamian entitlement, they should be talking about Bahamian achievement. The only entitlement they should expect is what they achieve for themselves.

(It is true that the Haitians are achieving. It is also true that the story of the human race will be played out on our shores — those who work the hardest will achieve the most and eventually take over. Never forget that the first black person in our House of Assembly was a Haitian and his offspring are still here – all Bahamian. This is true of all of us, because there is no indigenous Bahamian amongst any of us. If today’s Bahamians are left behind, the Haitians cannot be blamed. Bahamians will only have themselves to blame — and unless they recognise this and change themselves, no one else can change the inevitable – in the end the names will be Lewis, Francis and Richmond. — Ed).