The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday remained tightlipped over the investigation into suspected visa irregularities at the Bahamas’ Embassy in Haiti.

Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade confirmed that investigations had not yet been completed; however at a press conference yesterday, the commissioner did not confirm whether or not the matter involved Haitian nationals.

“I’m not prepared,” Mr Greenslade said, “at this stage, except to tell you I’m very satisfied that work is being done, very good work and we are going in the right direction. It is a valid question. It is one that must be reported in the public domain and where we have concluded those investigations, when we do, if we find that there is culpability, we will charge persons.” 

When asked whether the matter involved Haitian nationals, he said: “I’m not prepared to say it involves Haitian nationals because far too often whenever we have a problem in the Bahamas we seek to point fingers at other people. People that commit crime can be of any nationality and we will go where the evidence leads.”

Concerns were raised over a possible visa scam earlier this month after online reports alleged that the Bahamas Embassy in Haiti might have been involved in the fraudulent issue of thousands of Bahamian entry visas to Haitian nationals. 

The report further alleged that the scam had been operational over the past six months, with some entry visas having been sold to persons in Haiti for as much as $1,000.

At that time, Police Assistant Commissioner Anthony Ferguson confirmed to The Tribune that investigators were “conducting an investigation concerning suspected visa irregularities.”

However, Mr Ferguson declined to specify if the investigations into “visa irregularities” involved Haitians or the Bahamas Embassy in Haiti.