Mitchell: Activists defamed country

As of Monday, March 23, 2015

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Minister Fred Mitchell called on the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association to explain why it is attempting to “defame” this country’s name through “irresponsible” efforts that undermine the government’s ability to clamp down on illegal immigration.

Mr Mitchell’s statement came days after the GBHRA and others testified before an Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IACHR) hearing in Washington, DC, outlining alleged human rights abuses brought on by the government’s immigration policies.

The minister’s reaction was a far cry from the tone the GBHRA struck in a statement yesterday, which thanked the government for participating in the hearing and for “sharing the view” that the Immigration Bill, currently before Parliament, should be reviewed.

“These people who went to Washington – Bahamians – making these exaggerated claims about abuse of migrants to this country must answer the question to the Bahamian public,” he said at a press conference yesterday. “What they are doing will aid and comfort people who are trying to sabotage this country through a criminal enterprise. They have to answer that question. Their actions are irresponsible.”

He added: “You can disagree with policy. There are domestic remedies for people to take if you have a difficulty with the policy. If there are specific abuses, there are domestic remedies but to actually go and defame the country in another country, I want to describe that as a particular thing, but I’ll just stay my hand for the moment. But they do have to account to the Bahamian public for their conduct, knowing what we know.”

Mr Mitchell also stressed that illegal immigration is part of a highly organised criminal scheme meant to overwhelm the country with undocumented persons.

“In the face of exercises going on with the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Royal Bahamas Defence Force and immigration officers in Abaco, people have the temerity to be smuggling people into Abaco in the face of that,” he said.

“So obviously these are some people who are determined to breach the law, who are determined to invade this country at any cost. It is a story which has to be told to the public, the seriousness of the nature of this and that it is a matter we need to get on top of. It calls for all hands on deck.

“Whoever the people are that are driving this, their calculation is by overwhelming us with numbers, they can sabotage any effort to stop this. This is a criminal enterprise, which is designed to get money and we are interrupting this enterprise . . .”

State Minister for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez, who represented the Bahamas during last Friday’s hearing, noted that the IAHRC has accepted the government’s invitation to conduct an on-site visit to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

“The ICHAR court does not have the ability or jurisdiction to levy sanctions against us at this stage,” he added. “We have invited them to do an onsite visit. They have indicated a willingness to accept that invitation and act on it and the ball is within their court with respect to indicating to us when they wish to come. They’ve also given us some questions at the hearing which will be answered in the course of things within the next fortnight or so, though we have no deadline within which to answer them.”

The four-member IACHR panel of human rights experts sought answers on matters concerning raids, deportations and the related due process; overcrowding at the detention facility; access to the facility for consular support, legal aid, and human rights monitoring; allegations of physical and verbal abuse; identification of non-nationals by officials; the detention of migrant children; and the issue of statelessness.

Over the weekend, the GBHRA said it hoped Friday’s hearing would foster closer working ties with human rights groups and the government.

“The hearings before the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IACHR) convened at the request of the GBHRA and its international partners, we hope will serve as an opportunity for government and human rights defenders to work together closely on reforming current immigration policy and law, specifically the proposed amendments to the Immigration Act, currently before the Senate,” the GBHRA’s statement said.

Economist 9 years, 1 month ago

Politics and posturing and more politics and more posturing.

Look at the video of the hearing from beginning to end. It was all handled in a mature and orderly manner. The Commission did not seem outraged or anything.

No one was defamed, the country was not defamed.

DonAnthony 9 years, 1 month ago

Does Mr. Mitchell ever learn?, when wil he stop playing politics with this sensitive national issue? perhaps he should review the last five minutes of the hearing when the govt was warned by the commission to refrain from in any way from intimidating or seeking retribution against these human rights activists. He is shamefully creating an atmosphere of needless hostility against these people. If only we could have Mr. Gomez as our point person on immigration, his tone was measured, reasonable and fair, I for one was proud of his discourse and his pledge not to harass or intimidate these human rights activist, in short he was and is everything Mr. Mitchell is not. It is past time for Mr. Mitchell to stop personalizing this issue, stick to the facts, let us debate them and compromise in a genuine way and we will all be the better off for it.

birdiestrachan 9 years, 1 month ago

Don Anthony there was never any retribution towards the activist, it is all in their head. the same as they meet with the senate and they were going to meet with the congress. Fred Smith is making up stories as he goes ,He even attacked the clothes the immigration officers wore , They having been wearing these same clothes for years. why is he finding something wrong with their clothes now.?? He Sure works that QC Title to death. Has Fred Smith and his followers including you ever visited the Mud or the Pigeon Pea or any shanty Town? and what do you all say about the boat loads of illegals who come ever day to the Bahamas with out the proper documents. Now we have been informed that Georges and Fred would like to start a Haitian Party in the Bahamas, so the more illegals come the stronger their party will be are you planning to join their party?

DonAnthony 9 years, 1 month ago

Birdie, Mr. Mitchell is a very intelligent man who knows exactly the ramifications of his comments. It is a deliberate and calculated move to create hostility against these human rights activists and to intimidate them for what seems purely political gain and that is shameful. I do not fear the retribution from the govt against these persons, I do believe we are beyond that but I do fear for the safety of these persons while in their own country. If anything happens to these persons it will be in no small part because of this antagonistic, flamboyant rhetoric and those persons making such comments and attempting to demonize those who oppose them will bear a great deal of culpability for any violence that may happen.

killemwitdakno 9 years, 1 month ago

You don't live here. There have been no threats to these persons, if you noticed, they had none to mention.

guyfawkes 9 years, 1 month ago

Mr. Mitchell invited this issue to become an International sensation by being unreasonable and telling Mr. Smith and Co. that he would not sit down an talk with them until they withdrew claims that human rights abuses occurred in the Bahamas at the Detention Centre. I think Mr. Mitchell forgets that five marines have been charged with beating Cuban Detainees and an Immigration Officer was charged for rape, all extending from this same detention centre. Mr. Mitchell's refusal to meet and discuss Human rights violations with Mr. Smith can be blamed for the need to escalate this issue to someone outside the country that may actually listen to this Human rights group. To many times we as Bahamians like to sweep things under the mat and act like all is perfect, we need to expose unethical, immoral and corrupt practices, this is the only way for things to change. To all government officials, this is a new day and i hope more Bahamians find ways to fight the system in a non-violent way.

ispeakthetruth 9 years, 1 month ago

Also, this issue is not an international sensation, sorry. Baby North West's camera shopped "blue eyes" will produce a much bigger hit.

Because the government does not provide five star accommodation to detainees, legal representation to all just off boat or not, requires persons within its borders to be documented it is not "unethical, immoral or corrupt". Fred Smith, and you are reaching. He wants only to hold the Bahamas hostage with unfounded claims and exaggeration of isolated incidents to the international press. His actions will get nowhere!

guyfawkes 9 years, 1 month ago

There are International Laws and our own Constitution that speaks to the Rights of both citizens and illegals within our communities. From the very beginning I heard Mr. Smith as that the Immigration Policy be clear, concise and layout a path to citizenship. If this is an unreasonable request, then something has to be either "unethical, immoral or corrupt" within the system. Some of his claims are not unfounded either as there is imperical proof that there is at least the stain of abuse at the centre (allegations of abuse and rape). Then there's the Junkanoo pictures of the black KKK trying to intimidate him, this was the second time he encountered these individuals as reported by the Tirbune itself and confirmed by the Police. Mr. Smith said that the Dentention Centre existed but there were no laws governing it, he was right and the government was forced to table legislation. Mr. Smith said that it was not right for women with children to be held at the Detention Centre, he was right and the women and children were hastily removed from the Centre. If Mr. Smith was right on the first two points, couldn't he be right that there are some things we can do differently with the Immigration Policy. Wake up Bahamas, Politicians do not have our best interest at heart, they want votes at the end of the day and that includes Minister Mitchell.

Cas0072 9 years, 1 month ago

Sometimes the "path to citizenship" will, and should be, no path at all. That is what he and illegal Haitian immigrants, enablers, and other supporters fail to accept. At least the government is making it feasible for some and always have. In Australia, it has been made quite clear that illegal immigrants will not be rewarded with citizenship under any circumstance and I wish the Bahamas would follow suit. You conveniently pick and choose from Mr. Smith's comments, but can you for example, say that he is correct in that people should not be penalized for aiding and abetting those who are in the country illegally? Assisting smugglers? Can you say that he is correct in saying that immigration officers do not have the right to arrest and detain persons that are suspected to be illegal? It is quite possible that he is doing more harm than good.

I am sure the government had nothing to do with that KKK mess and I am sure they denounce it. To present the tasteless actions of private citizens as somehow being supported by the government is just wrong. Are the police not looking into it? That is about all that can be done.

ispeakthetruth 9 years, 1 month ago

Fifth time, in these discussions I will ask, which law(s) is being broken?

Our constitution does not guarantee everyone accused of a crime with legal representation. If that has changed, I am not aware. It does not prohibit raids where illegal activity is suspected. Allegations of abuse are being investigated, and the rapist is being prosecuted. And yes, I do not believe most of the abuse allegations. What else would I expect of individuals who cry foul when forced to face the consequences of their illegal action?

I, and most Bahamians prefer a law that is clear, concise and leads to the repatriation of illegals and their Bahamian born children. Why should anyone who enters the country illegally, and has children, be granted citizenship simply because...? The Bahamas cannot afford such a policy. However, there is a clear path for their children unfortunately, and minister Mitchell seems to be making that attainment even easier. While Mr. Smith is protesting even that, because the only thing he seems to want is to overburden the Bahamas financially, and physically, with unsupportable numbers of immigrants.

Do you have evidence that Fred Mitchell or any government official participated in the KKK demonstration? We cannot hold the government responsible for the heinous actions of individuals. Nor should we as rational persons, imply it without proof. With that logic we can hold Fred Smith accountable for the threats made by Anston Ally.

Also, it's not that Mr. Smith was 'right', we were all aware of deplorable conditions at the detention center, like we do of Fox Hill. Yes, the attention brought to it did result in some changes. However, like I comment in another discussion, even a broken clock is right twice per day. For the other 23.98 hours, it is useless.

guyfawkes 9 years, 1 month ago

I see you like appealing to people's emotions. I have brought you facts, all easily verifiable but emotions are easier to take advantage. When did Mr. smith say that all illegal immigrants should stay? When did anyone accuse anyone in the government of dressing up the KKK? When did anyone say to make a criminal a citizen? Your emotions may be high, lacking integrity is a sin.

ispeakthetruth 9 years, 1 month ago

Funny you should talk about emotion, when you seem full of it. I, on the other hand am making points, giving my opinion and stating facts. Which facts have you brought? Where did I say that he said 'all', but neither did he assert that only 'some', should have a clear path to citizenship. I said it was impractical to provide legal representation for all potential illegals. I asserted that children born here would be given citizenship, and Mitchell was making it easier . If you were not implying the government's complicity in intimidating this group, why even mention an unrelated act by private citizens? That is not intimidation. Like Fred Smith they are exercising their freedom of speech in a shocking and deplorable manner.

killemwitdakno 9 years, 1 month ago

THE CANADIAN BILLIONAIRE PETER NYGARD WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PAID JACKASS JUNKANOO DEMONSTRATION. Just as he launch a street paid protest against Bacon.

killemwitdakno 9 years, 1 month ago

He didn't ask that they withdraw all claims. The handcuffing children which Campbell called a boycott for was a flat out lie. "Caged persons" in the flat bed truck was a lie. As for the girl who said she was beat, the day she went to court and Smith went to get her , he said she was slapped and dragged again after winning the case upon release..

Mitchell: Activists defamed country

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