Repatriations budget for year ‘almost spent’

As of Thursday, November 6, 2014

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE government has already spent $1.2 million of its $1.5 million budget for repatriations this year, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said yesterday.

Addressing the Department of Immigration’s A Squad graduating class, Mr Davis said because of the number of repatriations and interdictions, the government has nearly exhausted this year’s budget.

Mr Davis also said when the House of Assembly resumes on November 19, the government will announce new changes to the immigration laws “that will toughen the penalties for smuggling and for employing people without a work permit.”

He said the majority of the people repatriated were Haitians, who accounted for more than 70 per cent of illegal migrants apprehended.

“Between January and November 1 of this year, our government has repatriated a total of 3,419 foreign nationals, the majority being Haitian nationals – 2,852. This year to date, we have interdicted 1,660 Haitian nationals at sea,” he said.

“These figures are meaningless without counting the true cost to all of us. This year alone, to September 12, we have spent more than $1.2 million on repatriations. Remember that the entire budget for the year is now $1.5 million. So you see how we are challenged. Nevertheless, we do what we must. Apart from this being the right thing to do, it is also one of the planks in my party’s Charter for Governance on which we fought the 2012 general election.”

Mr Davis said despite limited resources the government is committed to providing the Department of Immigration with the tools it needs to work effectively and efficiently.

“The government is committed to the Department of Immigration,” he said. “The Ministry of Finance will supply the resources needed for you to do your work. This includes a new border control system which is in the final stages of its acquisition and the acquisition of items like computers and transportation which you have been seeking for some time. You know that our country is resource challenged but this government is committed to finding the resources so that you can do your work effectively and efficiently.

In this regard it is crucial for all to understand the constraints within which we operate. All of us have had to do more with less. We want to help you to do more.”

ChaosObserver 9 years, 5 months ago

Are those numbers correct? Seriously Doubt it! WHAT A CHARADE THIS IS? If the government planned to send droves of illegal migrants back home this year, WHY DID THEY CUT THE BUDGET FOR REPATRIATION THIS YEAR BY $700,000, DOWN TO $500,000 FROM THE $1.2 MILLION THAT WAS BUDGETED THE YEAR BEFORE? ... yet govt cut the budget to do so by over HALF, even though they increased recurrent expenditure in the budget for other things by $49 million? Hmmm....

DEDDIE 9 years, 5 months ago

Like I said in a previous post, Follow the money. All you have to do is check how much money is allocated to Immigration and it will give you an indication if the Government is serious. They treat Bahamians as dummies because we allow them to.

joey 9 years, 5 months ago

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating if this government is serious about sending these people back home.We already see the lack of planning by the decrease in the budget for immigration.We also see that the government just increasing the facilities space to house illegal imiggrants in a humane manner.We see no doubling of the the man power only the random numbers of officers that are hired yearly.This government will have to prove with facts year over year how many illegal imiggrants has been repatriated,starting from when the detention center was first intoduced in the 1990's.Only then will this exersice not be seen as a smoke screen and a deflection from their lack of leadership and bad governance.You can have the best policy in the world,but you also have to put your action where your mouth is for your policy to be effective.

duppyVAT 9 years, 5 months ago

Is a lack of money ever an issue for Fweddy??????????

PastorTroy 9 years, 5 months ago

SIGN THE PETITION: Because we are losing our identity as BAHAMIANS, with our close proximity to the USA, now an influx of undocumented, often uneducated, angry/violent, ungrateful, UNPATRIOTIC, (AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON) IMMIGRANTS. This influx of undocumented immigrants in The Bahamas is out of control immigrants MUST BE STOPPED LIKE THE EBOLA VIRUS. My fellow Bahamians, if, for political reason(s) ANY Governing Party Of The Bahamas, choose to discontinue this 'round up of illegal immigration process' VOTE HIM/HER AND THEIR PARTY OUT OF OFFICE EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!!! Then and only then will they FEEL how serious we as Bahamians take this vexing issue! THIS HAS GONE ON FOR TOO LONG! Sooner than later THEY WILL BE THE MAJORITY VOTERS and will ALWAYS VOTE FOR THEIR OWN INTEREST, This will then cause HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OR EVEN MILLIONS (Haiti's population is10,317,461 people) THIS WILL SINK THE BAHAMAS AS WE KNOW IT! This is Compassion, Its wrong for us to take the REJECTS or the BRIGHTEST Haitians/Jamaicans/D.R's etc from playing a critical part in DEVELOPING THEIR OWN COUNTRY! This is LOOONNNGGG OVERDUE!!!!! 40 years late!! STOP BORROWING ALL THESE PEOPLE MONEY (IMF, WORLD BANK etc) BEFORE WE GET SCREWED LIKE JAMAICA, OR LIKE FRANCE IS DOING TO HAITI... Borrowing 'Those People' Money is a TRICK!!! LETS KEEP TRIMMING THE UNNECESSARY 'FAT'. Immigration, Political Corruption etc before we all start running to Haiti for a better life!

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