By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
STATE Minister for Legal Affairs Elsworth Johnson yesterday suggested critics of proposed changes to citizenship laws were “downright evil” as he called for elevated and rational discourse on the issue.
Mr Johnson, former Bar Association president, spoke generally about the need to remove the “emotionalism” surrounding the contentious issue and instead focus on resolutions which will further the upward mobility of the country.
He did not state whether he supported the proposed changes to the Bahamas Nationality Act or whether he felt the move conflicted with the outcome of the 2016 gender equality referendum.
Mr Johnson said: “If we want to see this country grow, if we want to build a country where our daughters, our sons, can thrive - I have a Haitian village just opposite to me and the young boys in there are my godchildren. I don’t like it that the Haitian village is there because it’s built against every code but I love them like my own, I check on them, in my heart of hearts I know they’re Bahamians because we have conversations. What do we do with them?
“We have to take this debate to a higher level, we must see the human dignity in it, the human persons that are suffering and see whether or not at the end of the day we are being just downright evil.”
The government plans to amend the Bahamas Nationality Act to give children of unwed Bahamian fathers with foreign mothers and married Bahamian women living abroad automatic rights to citizenship upon application.
The Minnis administration’s plans touch on two issues which were addressed in last year’s referendum.
The first of four questions involved changing the Constitution to give married Bahamian women with foreign spouses the same right their male counterparts have to confer citizenship to children regardless of the country in which the children are born.
On that question, 32,249 people voted ‘yes’ to the question and 51,022 people voted ‘no.’
The third question involved changing the Constitution to give an unwed Bahamian father the same right that a Bahamian woman has to pass citizenship to a child born in or out of wedlock, providing proof of paternity.
On this issue, 28,246 people voted yes but 54,890 people voted no.
“This whole issue - I know we had a hotly contested [referendum] recently where there was the pros, the cons, the ones who thought they should have been given resources to carry their campaign during the debate, there were those who were adamantly saying there was no need for a referendum, that by simple legislation you could have had things done,” Mr Johnson said to reporters outside the Cabinet Office.
“I’m not going to condescend or speak to whether or not we should or should not make the changes, I want to speak to the Bahamian society and say we must come up to a higher level and accept certain truths as they exist in our society.
“If a lady can have a child under certain circumstances they can be a Bahamian, why can’t a man do the same thing? If it is and I believe in patriotism, I love my country, I would die for the sovereignty and protection of my country. But if there are persons who are here and after you’ve put them to the litmus test, if they pass the litmus test and they know in their heart of hearts they’re Bahamian, then swear them in now.
“For those imposters,” Mr Johnson continued. “I would have no association but we must remove the emotionalism from it. We must come in a rationale way as to how we will resolve these issues, how we will build this country, how we will take this country from Third World status to First World.
“We need citizens who are committed and who are prepared to work, persons who are prepared to make the necessary sacrifice. Now if these persons meet all of the criterion, the Constitution is a living document, the Privy Council has already said that. It makes adjustments as society makes adjustments. It’s for us to see where it’s necessary and do that.”
Comments
mandela 6 years, 5 months ago
I may be wrong but I don't remember these very persons advocating for changes to the citizenship law changes when they should have then, especially when we had two referendum to do so, these very same persons had they on any of these occasions advocated for the changes then we would not be having these discussions now. So I wonder who are the evil ones?????
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 5 months ago
Nothing evil about it. Governing is hard because you have to lead a group of people who have a constitutional right to disagree with you and each other.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 5 months ago
But the Bahamian politicians have staked their claim to an unenlightened citizenry ...... for their own selfish advantages ........ then they regret it every time.
My2cents 6 years, 5 months ago
He wants to debate at a higher level, without emotion, then talks about his love for his Haitian godchildren who he believes are truly Bahamians. He is as serious as all the other pro immigration talkers who have no real concern for the imposition it will cause to the poorest Bahamians.
Populate now, plan later makes absolutely no sense unless planning for failure. Haiti is a prime example of what happens when limited resources meets overpopulation. Hopefully the next time this man or any other pro immigration activist speaks out they can truly leave emotion out of it. Show us "xenophobic" dummies what we can't see and that is how the Bahamas can realistically accommodate their open gate ideals.
Cas0072 6 years, 5 months ago
Initially I was happy to hear about the amendments that would afford automatic citizenship to the foreign born children of Bahamians. I felt it was long overdue. However, in the hands of this FNM administration I can see just how dangerous this would be. It won't be long before the criteria of natural born Bahamian is removed in order to accommodate the thousands of illegal immigrants on whose behalf they constantly advocate.
birdiestrachan 6 years, 5 months ago
It is rather amazing how these FNM MP have become the moral authority of the Bahamas If any one disagrees with them then they are not Christian. they are evil. they have become Judge and jury and they hold the keys to the kingdom. Others sin and short fall . but not them.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 5 months ago
Agreed Birdie ......... NO politician should be judged on their morality. They are elected to competently govern the country, not preach morality and empathy. This always appears as disingenuous to a discerning citizen. There is a difference between preaching morality and being socially upright.
DaGoobs 6 years, 5 months ago
Here we go again, trying to make those of us who voted No in the citizenship referendum as doing something wrong. We keep trying to find ways to give Bahamian citizenship to those who through their parents or their place of birth already have the citizenship of one or more other countries whether they are born in the Bahamas or abroad. As far as I am aware, persons in this situation are not being deprived of their citizenship rights in the other country or countries. However we have persons born in this country whose father is Bahamian but who do not enjoy Bahamian citizenship because their mother came to the Bahamas illegally or their mother's parents came to the Bahamas illegally. The referendum failed to address what was to become of such persons and left it to the will of civil servants and elected politicians as to whether they are Bahamian citizens or not. Also the referendum failed to address the issue of so-called "stateless persons" born in the Bahamas to parents who themselves are not Bahamian citizens and came here illegally, like Mr Johnson's "godchildren". Neither of these classes of persons enjoy any of the rights of Bahamian citizenship and no one has said how the Bahamas Government proposes to address their predicament. I don't see myself as evil minded or being downright evil by saying that these are the persons for whom a solution has to be found urgently, not those who want to add another passport, a Bahamian passport, to their collection. This is where Perry Christie and his crew missed the boat and this is where Mr Johnson and his crew are making the same mistake. Which one of these classes of persons does Mr Johnson and his government consider has the problem that is more important to resolve?
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 5 months ago
Does Ellsworth Johnson himself or a close member of his family have Haitian blood coursing through their veins?
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