The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

FRED Smith, president of the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association, said it is time for the government to decriminalise immigration, contending that successive administrations have vilified an already contentious issue in hopes of using it as a “political football” when need be.

Mr Smith, QC, said migration has aided some countries in their attempts to economically and socially develop.

However, Mr Smith said successive governments, particularly the current Christie administration, has intentionally presented the issue of immigration as the “bogeyman at the base of everything ailing the Bahamian society” in their attempts to misdirect the focus from poor governance.

Mr Smith, a supporter of a liberal immigration policy, also noted that the Bahamas is an under-populated country, suggesting that an influx of skilled labourers can aid the Bahamas in its immediate development.

Additionally, he called on the government to remove the political overtones associated with the issue and end the political games.

“America, Canada, the UK and many other nations have moved this issue away from being a criminal offence concept; they consider it an administrative matter with administrative tribunals and judges addressing it – persons aren’t criminally convicted and vilified, treated as if they have no rights.”

He added: “There needs to be reform of the Immigration Act to recognise the different categories of persons we are now living in The Bahamas. The Immigration Act has hardly been touched since it was passed in 1968. There have been some minor changes here and there at times, only to cater to the lynch mob mentality, as the Act was recently unconstitutionally amended in May 2015 to create an ‘illegal person’. What nonsense. A person cannot be ‘illegal’ and have no rights.”

Mr Smith has been a major advocate for civil rights and the fair treatment of foreigners in the Bahamas. He also staunchly opposed the government’s new immigration policy, which was brought into effect last November.