By DANA SMITH
Tribune Staff Reporter
dsmith@tribunemedia.net
SENIOR banking officials, located as far as Europe, are “having discussions” about moving certain banking sectors from the country because they are “fearful” of an Immigration Department visit similar to the reported “raid” at Atlantis, according to opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis.
Dr Minnis was speaking yesterday afternoon in the House of Assembly and was quickly rebuked by Financial Services Minister Ryan Pinder for “misleading” the entire country and “instilling panic.” Dr Minnis was also challenged by Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell who said the opposition leader should not “be involved with or complicit in defaming officers” of the Immigration Department.
“With respect to the immigration policy, I have met with senior personnel in the banking sector and many are now afraid because of what happened at Paradise Island,” Dr Minnis said.
“At present, senior individuals in the banking sector as far as Switzerland are presently having discussions about moving certain sectors of the banking system from the Bahamas because individuals are fearful that similar things may happen to them.
“I ask the minister to review and have the policy in place so that these things do not happen again.”
Rising on a point of order, Mr Pinder dubbed the opposition leader’s comments “unpatriotic” and “dangerous.” He called on Dr Minnis to apologise and withdraw his comments, if he has no proof.
“The honourable leader of that side is misleading the House, the entire country, and might I say, the entire world, right now. Instilling panic and adverse propaganda when he knows better,” Mr Pinder said.
“The financial services industry throughout the world is reassured and knows the commitment of this government to their advancement and any propaganda that would come out of that side to try to diminish the growth and the advancement of the financial services industry is unpatriotic.
“He should apologise and unless he has proof to table in this place right now, he should withdraw. Those are dangerous statements.”
Mr Mitchell also rose on a point of order and noted he has been “trying to be very careful” with regards to responding to “all these allegations that have been made in the press” about what the Immigration Department did and did not do.
“I’m loathe to describe the particulars of it, because my belief is these are matters that are between employers and employees and the department,” he said. “I can’t understand, for the life of me, why a company would put information in the public domain about something that allegedly happened on their premises, which spreads panic and fear.”
Noting he would “respond generally”, Mr Mitchell explained that if a visitor arrives in a country and their passport stamp states they are a visitor, but they are working on that job site – “if information comes to the attention of the Immigration Department that this is going on, what then, does the Immigration Department do? It has to act to find out if that is in fact the case.
“To portray that anything unusual happened other than that is simply, it’s just mischief. It leaves me speechless; and then to go on now and say that somehow the financial services sector is under threat because of something which is completely the figment of the imagination of the press.”
House Speaker Kendal Major told Dr Minnis he would not allow any “hearsay evidence” and if the Opposition leader has evidence, the House would like him to share it.
Dr Minnis responded: “I spoke to individuals; those names, I will not reveal.”
Dr Major sent out a final warning that “members ought to be very careful in this place with accusations and propaganda, as we go forward.”
Last week, Immigration officers disrupted Atlantis operations at Dolphin Cay to detain and escort away the attraction’s head sea lion trainer.
She was later released after a colleague contacted Immigration and informed them the resort had filed an appeal over her denied work permit renewal, well-placed sources told The Tribune.
A day later, Immigration officials approached a number of expatriate staff at the Sheraton during their lunch break and temporarily detained five engineers, on site.
Senior officials there noted Immigration handled the situation, respectfully, but also explained the country has to be “very careful” that it does not send signals to investors or potential investors that the country is not investor-friendly.
Comments
smallbiz 10 years, 11 months ago
Are they promoting corruption with these words, "these are matters that are between employers and employees and the department." Is this government off their rocker? Someone please remind the government they work for the public and everyone has a right to know what they are doing.
Philosopher_King 10 years, 11 months ago
Another Red Herring by the Tribune; upset their kinsmen and women may suffer the same treatment as the lowly Jamaican or Haitian illegal worker is subjected to all the time with utter silence from the press. In Cayman and Singapore two thriving banking centers there are stricter work permit rules yet there isn't any mass hysteria from the press or irrational outcry by their banking sectors when officers come to places of work and extract illegal white collar employees of European origin. In fact in Cayman they call you just before your permit is up tell to be prepared to leave the island on said date and check to see if you're gone at your place of residence and work if no record of your leaving is in their system. We need to assign an officer to every permit track them as intently as these jurisdiction do, and then you’ll see who has been breaking the law all along.
SP 10 years, 11 months ago
Let the banks go and open the financial market to other players. They can take Hubert Minnus useless backside with them!
dacy 10 years, 11 months ago
foolish words....not saying what Hubert Minnis said is accurate but should you follow up with such foolish words...what if they follow your advise...
Ironvelvet 10 years, 11 months ago
The term hearsay should also be applied to the "information" that the Immigration Dept received which is the reason Mr. Mitchell says they acted. I supposed that same "hearsay" prevented them from doing their proper job by looking up the said reported illegal worker to then find out their permit was on appeal and thus the worker should have just carried on as usual without interruption from Immigration. That hearsay that the Immigration dept which Mitchell says they should have acted on cause that dept to act in a "panic" and was "dangerous".
Collin 10 years, 11 months ago
SP you really need to be mature and thoughtful in your discourse, but to each their own.
Having stricter policies has nothing to do with with this, having more tact does. Also having a cabinet minister that seems to insult anyone who has a different view does not auger well for a mature government or individual; certainly not leader.
Now, let us get to the bras tax. It is being said that individuals are now positioning for a run at the leadership of the PLP. These individuals are now seeking heighten their profile and endear themselves to the Bahamian masses.
I trust that good minister is not one of those, especially since until recently this was the segment of his portfolio he played least attention too.
I am only putting this forward in consideration and if you listened to the increase activity locally and the speech yesterday it is becoming more interesting.
The manner this issue is being played is very old school PLP, I mean very old. We shall see what comes of it..
concernedcitizen 10 years, 11 months ago
xenophobia is a big political seller ,,of the 8000 jobs at Atlantis there are 74 on work permits ..@ SP don,t be so quick to tell banks or tourist dollars to go elsewhere ,,we our under increaseing pressure from our neighbors both in the tourism sector and banking sector ,,there is sun ,sand and sea all around us and Cuba will open soon ,,and please don,t go on about farming these coral rocks ,,our neighbors to the south w/ volcanic soil do it on an economy of scale that whips our butts ,,,and if we don,t let in hatian labour whos going to work these farms ,,
shortpants 10 years, 11 months ago
What is happening is true all over the Bahamas people are being told they have two weeks to leave this country.This is not good we put these do-nothings in power to work for us not wreck our country .So when they tell these people to leave who are going to fill there positions. Bahamians wake up please we are in some deep shit .This route will not create jobs for our people because the private sector still don't have to hire anyone this is the new age where people can work via internet get real these losers are just making our beds hard.Never had a plan never will.
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