By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
THE Official Opposition is planning to make recommendations to the government’s Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill 2018 now out for public consultation.
Philip “Brave” Davis, official opposition leader, noted that following a briefing with Dame Anita Allen, Law Reform and Revision Commission chairwoman, it was confirmed that the version of the bill in the public domain is not set in stone, leaving room for changes.
He said the party will consult and decide on the aspects it believes should be revised. “We were briefed today (yesterday) by Dame Allen who indicated that the proposed document being circulated is being circulated without regard to what the commission would have gathered from conversations reviewing issues that impact the immigration, asylum and nationality, particularly having regard to the constitutional provisions,” Mr Davis said yesterday. “The document that has been produced and is in circulation would have been produced from the law commissioner’s office without any input as yet from the government and it is not carved in stone.
“I would perhaps call it a consultative paper they put out to get the views of all stakeholders including the government, the opposition and the wider public. Then thereafter a final document will be produced that will reflect the views and philosophy of the present government. We have been invited to make some recommendations to it, which we hope to be able to do in due course.”
The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill 2018 features expanded grounds for the refusal of citizenship under the constitution, and registration and naturalisation under the law to include terrorism, human and drug trafficking, as well as gang-related activities.
Activities that are against the interests of national security and public policy are also included as proposed grounds for refusal.
While existing clauses concerning the renunciation and deprivation of citizenship are re-enacted, it is now required to notify people who are being deprived, and mandates an inquiry be held before the decision is carried out. The bill specifies that deprivation of citizenship applies to people who have been naturalised under articles 7, 9 and 10 of the constitution. This includes people who were born in The Bahamas and applied to get citizenship because their parents were non-Bahamians; people who were born outside The Bahamas to a Bahamian woman and applied to get citizenship; and foreigners who marry a Bahamian citizen and got citizenship through application.
The new bill also proposes to establish a new regime of appeals for the Immigration Department.
Comments
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
The major method still lacking is entry REFERENCE CODES for each scenario. It's super simple. All with certain codes apply using X form.
Suggestion: 1. Born anywhere to a Bahamian parent WHO IS NOT A NATURALIZED BAHAMIAN ? Born Bahamian . 2. Born locally or brought with a parent as a minor during their status? Reside during the parent's status. 3. Been here for 15 yrs? Eligible for paths to different statuses. 4. Minor born locally to illegal parents with currently no status ,or is a minor and the parent's status is up? Go home with Ma n Pa unless at a critical point in school.
Do these not cover anyone?
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
Aim to remove birth location as a factor since it's the problem.
You need to stop granting citizenship period. It should only be passed. If you're not born with it from a parent, only permanent residency is your option.
The same way illegals want open borders, they can meet Zero border citizenry where it's not based on state of birth, including local therefore local birth doesn't matter diddly squat. By heritage only, inherited only. It's a transient location, no citizenship for passing through. No one's foreign should ever consume the state anywhere in the world.
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
Economic applicants will be expats. Born to PR will be PR. Born and raised who slipped though the cracks from illegal parents will be irregular/belonged where applicable (for school) until regularized (not inclusive of born her and passed though to the states or elsewhere living illegally over there. Proof of stay required ).
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
Please protect against spouses and naturalized Bahamians bringing their whole adult kitten caboodles from abroad to be naturalized if this is not already done. Whether someone has adult kids abroad should definitely be a factor considered when approving spouses and others for either citizenship or permanent residency. Stop making spouses entitled citizens.
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
If it has to stay, the word may be "eligible".
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
Naturalized parents (hopefully naturalized will be a thing of the past) may apply for minors, others should have until age 24 to claim (was Bahamian offspring living away) or obtain an application (article 7s).
licks2 5 years ago
That's not possible. . .Article 7 is already there and can only be change via a 2/3 majority vote in a referendum! Een no use we bitch and moan. . .the constitution is "the bad mudder" in the room. . .and as constitutions go internationally. . .SHE DON'T CHANGE FOR NOBODY!!
killemwitdakno 5 years ago
Additionally, using a date log enforcement to apply to everyone after the issuance of this bill as opppsed to trying to make one rule fit for the future and the backlog might help.
TheMadHatter 5 years ago
LOL. I really would like to comment - but I just can't stop laughing long enough. This Act will go nowhere. Haitians RULE in this country. We have "Majority Rule" - remember? And they are the majority. Please stop talking nonsense and at least try to fill some potholes.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years ago
That pudgy fella with the short stubby grubby dirty yellow sticky fingers just doesn't realize he has a say on everything, but no sway on anything. LMAO
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