The Department of Immigration. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff
Reader poll
Are you in favour of the dress code at the Department of Immigration?
- Yes, I am in favour of the dress code
- No, I am not in favour of the dress code
285 total votes.
By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
THE Department of Immigration’s dress code has sparked public debate, with people divided over whether the rules are an example of old-fashioned beliefs and institutional misogyny while others see no issue with the standard.
On Thursday, Immigration Minister Brent Symonette said people must be “properly dressed” when they come into the government building, in response to reports that women have been turned away from the site for wearing shorts.
When asked to elaborate on “properly dressed”, Mr Symonette said “respectable clothing” and added the rules are applicable to men and women.
On Friday, The Tribune canvassed the Department of Immigration and witnessed women being denied entry — including this reporter, who was dressed in office wear: a sleeveless blouse and slacks.
“I was coming to tell you can’t come in either,” a security guard told this reporter. When pressed on the matter, the security guard admitted the rules are a matter of the officers’ discretion.
Another woman, wearing a knee-high sleeveless dress, was also turned away at the door.
“When I reach inside, they stopped me. They said I can’t come in there without a jacket on me,” the 24-year-old woman said.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was given no specific reason as to why her attire was not appropriate, but was directed to a sign.
The notice, erected on an exterior wall, reads: “No swearing; no loitering; no short, shorts; no sleeveless tee’s; no hats; no shades; no weapons.”
The officer noted the sign had gone up in the “last month or so” but said the rules had been “verbally communicated” for at least the past five years.
As this conversation occurred, a man walked past in shorts. When The Tribune pointed this out, the officer noted the sign reads “short-shorts”.
The 24-year-old woman eventually had to borrow a jacket from a stranger in order to enter the premises.
Another woman, who wished to be identified as Ms Thompson, supported the rule.
“Once you come into a business place, I think you should have a mindset to dress (appropriately) and not to have on no short sleeve, nothing what’s too short, nothing that’s open and revealing,” the 27-year-old said. “Because this is a business place and you should at least be covered.”
“The sign should not have been there because people should have kept that in they head to know that ‘hey you’re going to a business place’.
When asked her response to those who would say the phrase “properly dressed” is difficult to define, she said: “I don’t think it’s that hard to define. But if you know you wearing a sleeveless shirt, I think you should just have on a lil shawl or a lil sweater, lil jacket, however.”
Ms Thompson herself was wearing a shirt with holes in the design, but she noted that she had brought a sweater.
Mr Symonette defended the rule to The Tribune Thursday. “We’re having people properly dressed to come into immigration, not sloppily dressed. Is that a problem?” he asked.
“If you see what people wear and carry on when they come into (the Department of) Immigration — we’re trying to improve the ambience here. There’s a large sign outside that (speaks) about properly dressed, no swearing, no bunch of other stuff,” he continued.
Mr Symonette elaborated that “properly dressed” refers to “respectable clothing”.
When asked about concerns that such rules perpetuate ‘slut-shaming’, Mr Symonette replied: “Then fine. Then fine. And they’re applying to the government of the Bahamas for a permit from the government of the Bahamas? Please. That’s reflective as well.”
Mr Symonette also noted the rules apply to both men and women.
“That goes for everybody,” he said. “Proper dress at immigration, or don’t come in.”
Comments
The_Oracle 5 years, 4 months ago
That the dress code in the Bahamas has gone down the toilet is not in question, what is in question are these arbitrary rules imposed without notice or rationale that can be outlined on inquiry. This is half the problem, few civil servants can elucidate on the rules, never mind entertain a discussions on the purpose of the rules. Which is exactly why the public is left at the whim of idiocy and the "bad hair day mentality"
joeblow 5 years, 4 months ago
what is truly sad is that someone has to tell others what they should look like when they leave their homes to go in public. Not too long ago people had enough sense and self respect to know what was appropriate!
TalRussell 5 years, 4 months ago
I propose Imperial reds adds one more to their list of NO, NO's. No "Lying" your comrade PeoplePublic!
pingmydling 5 years, 4 months ago
Chile,ya gotta see that so called ratty, decrepit,non discript,ill fitting,moth eaten thing that Brent calls a suit. For such a rich potentate he sure is cheap. I guess when he gets his first rent cheque from Town Centre he will be able to buy something more befitting his exalted position in our poor society. Next time he enters the Immigration building ( which I understand is not too often), I hope security checks on his sartorial splendor.
thomas 5 years, 4 months ago
He owns the Town Centre Mall, you own nice suits.
pingmydling 5 years, 4 months ago
That Thomas (the tank engine????) comment makes no sense. Don't post if you are functionally illiterate.
thomas 5 years, 4 months ago
Lol
Engineer 5 years, 4 months ago
It is a sad commentary that we are now at the point that we must make rules about what is appropriate dress. The three sizes too small is not appropriate anywhere. Especially on the gussiemaes!
John 5 years, 4 months ago
so yall tink dis Walmart ay? Didn't someone in the previous government get red up for trying to enforce a dress code? So when did stretch marks get sexy?
DDK 5 years, 4 months ago
There is a big difference between sloppy attire and a neat, sleeveless summer dress. There is a difference between women dressing like Victorian prudes and tatty slobs. Also think what's good for the goose is good for the gander. No shorts or short sleeves for one, no shorts or short sleeves for all! Fair is fair. I suppose that is implied in the sign, but not sure the security may understand the implications! All we need is more hilarity is our governance!
Clamshell 5 years, 4 months ago
Just a humble suggestion, but perhaps government offices could spend less time worrying about the length of a woman’s sleeves and more time delivering the services they’re paid to deliver.
DDK 5 years, 4 months ago
That too!
bogart 5 years, 4 months ago
ODD........dat wid all going on.....seems a deflection from some other issUe......why does a $100,000. Plus salaried Public Servant Ececutice Cabinet Minister....wid so many importznt tings....wprrying bout ... people dressing....HAVE seen many fancy dressed highfalutin....expensively dressed up wemmens ....slickly bend over...clever moves to strategly ......accuentate.....physical ....ammmmm....assets......HMMMMMMMM...wha yinna gon do....stop wemmen bending over to pick ip someting dey drop....???....LOL...actually wemmen likely dresses dis way to see male immigration public servints to get quick prompt service......an now pressure on........its NOW an issue..... NOW DAT EXECUTIVE CABINET MINISTER WID LEGAL BACKGROUND... HAS MADE GUBBERMINT ...OFFICAL POSITION ON ONE ....GUBBERMINT PUBLIC USE BUILDING...........IT IS....should... FORTHWID EXPECTED THAT......THIS PUBLIC DRESS CLOTHING ......BE PLACED ....AN ...ENFORCED...ON ERRY.....GUBBERMINT....TAXPAYERS SPENDING TAXES TO MAINTAIN FER PUBLIC USE.....STRUCTURE...BUILDING...PUBLIC ROAD....PUBLIC BEACH....PORE CHILLRENS PLAYING IN GHETTO....AREAS...
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 4 months ago
No tiefin No vote buying No minister fornicating with junior staff No sweetheart job giving No under the table bribing No over the table to self contract awarding No crown land to friends or family giving
Since we trying to uphold standards...
bobneville 5 years, 4 months ago
well we can see what Ping,,,,, mastered in at that whiteman college somewhere.'how to hate the hand that taught and feed you'.leave it to that way of thinking and we will look like Bain town sooner than expected.Me and mine agree with mr Symonlette 100% every gov building should have the GUTS and follow suit,that will begin a new mindset in this country again,someone should tell these about the times when you could'nt go to a movie, yea the show over the hill without a coat.and when you came out ,at midnight to walk home,three four miles, NO ONE ROBBED OR KILL YOU. bring those days back, we could you know.but we have to start by dressing properly,every day,at home and on the streets.
TheMadHatter 5 years, 4 months ago
The beginning of a Muslim take-over right here. Women bess yall buy ya burka now.
pingmydling 5 years, 4 months ago
I support the "Dress Police". P.S. I supported Ping too and that did not turn out so well either---born loser!!!! (AKA -- Brent's tailor).
sheeprunner12 5 years, 4 months ago
Agree with Hon. Brent Symonette ........... We Bahamians used to be well dressed until we started copying the "jungalist" Caribbean look ........ and the "ghetto fabulous" look from North America ........... Lord, why can't we copy the best from others????????
There is a Public Service dress code .......... managers just need to enforce it for once.
pingmydling 5 years, 4 months ago
You agree with (Hon - I think not ) Symonette.!!! Reactionary sycophant. Might as well bring back the guillotine for all your "jungalist ghetto criminals" Sheepshearer get in the 21st. century. Bob Dylan----- Your sons and daughters are beyond you command, get out of the way if you can't lend a hand.
bogart 5 years, 4 months ago
NOTICE.......should be No obscene lamguage permitted...stead of no swearing cause dere should be plemty swearing as to testifying as to telling the truth.....should include no hoodies as criminal S usually use dem to quickly cover ups......NNotice seems to have been written by someone who likes to see.......fellas walking about with theeir pants dropping down showing jockey in back....and prison culture whichin is to advertize fellas available showing dere backsides..........sign needs to hav....No Smoking Zone. ...Tipping is Iĺegal.....
Economist 5 years, 4 months ago
NO WEAPONS at the BOTTOM.
Those short shorts and sleeveless Tee's must be something else!
bogart 5 years, 4 months ago
The Minister should know that that .......there can be wemmens all dressed up in the mostest so called proper attire and can be the mostest sexiest alluring senous behaviour in the mostest office settings..........versus.......what he complains of wemmen showing skin who visiting office apparently inapproproate.....zSorry Minister...many men and wemmen are capable of keeping a straight head.....whether looking at wemmen ackking normal dressed in revealing clothing an also doing budiness with wemmen dressed as "proper" but ackking like prostitutes....Employees should be taught bout all these.....otherwise it appoear like profiling pore people ......there is a case on a study done pn coloured girls in a mall being targeted thrown out ...and white ones dressed in same attire who didnt get thrown out.......!!!L
TorontoGal 5 years, 4 months ago
This dress code is making me chuckle. I had the pleasure of visiting the Dept. Of Immigration last year. Although some women had short sleeved outfits on the young men had in ripped or tattered jeans, t-shirts that hadn't seen a washing machine in weeks and some were even barefoot...but let's go after the women who bare their arms!
Off topic but about the building, it is filthy dirty, we were not allowed to use the elevator so had to take the stairs up. There in front of us was a staff member just finishing her lunch out of a take-away container, tossing it in the stairwell instead of taking it to her office and disposing of it properly. I stopped her and told her she dropped something...I don't need to tell you her response. As luck would have it she was looking after my extention and I sat there for 2hrs waiting for a lousy stamp, on a chair that the padding was missing from. 😂😂😂 Maybe the govt. should clean up the building, wash the walls, sweep and wash the floors before telling people what to wear.
OMG 5 years, 4 months ago
I agree with the rule about dressing decently as the implication is that brief or revealing clothing is sexually suggestive. Fine but so hypocritical when we have school dances where the dancing is often vertical sex, Junkanoo which is way suggestive, as is much of the public -adult organized dancing shows put on by schools and other bodies. If you have 5- 10 year olds girating in minimal clothing at public functions how do you expect them to do better when older
birdiestrachan 5 years, 4 months ago
Much ado about nothing. There are more serious issues confronting the Bahamas.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 4 months ago
Indeed ....... Birdie is the moderate now
TalRussell 5 years, 4 months ago
What no crown minister doesn't wants is to invite thousands the flesh bearing woman's open up expose they nipples in island-wide protest against him on his failure acknowledge that it hot inside offices immigration. This particular unconstitutional dress code restrictive action comrade Brent's, must have sometin' do up with minister's strict Methodise upbrungin' by wanting add a fifth allis to four alls how woman's are conduct themselves in he Imperial crown ministry's offices.... likes the minister doesn't take seeing too much exposure female's flesh... so man's be subject stroke after display nipples.
MaryMack53 5 years, 4 months ago
We have bigger issues at hand than to worry about "short shorts".
The_Oracle 5 years, 4 months ago
Sad thing is we do (or did) have public decency laws on the books, which aught to be enforced by the police. Write 'em up, let them pay a fine. Immigration is crossing a line with regards to denial of service. This but one inevitable result of the failure of self governance/personal responsibility, personal pride.
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