MORE than 100 people were arrested for illegally residing at a church in Marsh Harbour, Abaco early on Saturday morning.
Immigration Director Clarence Russell said 109 area residents moved into the A&B Church on Crocket Drive over the past several months without the permission of land owners and the church’s trustees, according to a local daily.
When contacted yesterday, Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson refused to comment on the situation, saying he was not obligated to give details to The Tribune about what transpired.
However, Mr Russell told a local daily that after the pastor of the church died following Hurricane Dorian, the group consisting of mostly foreign nationals took over the church property, turned it into a residence and began selling goods from the building.
Trustees of the church complained to police and asked for the people to be removed. Seven women and 102 men were taken into custody.
Of this number, 35 people were found to be illegally residing in The Bahamas and will all be prosecuted, Mr Russell has said.
Three Bahamians among the group were released with a “stern warning,” he added.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years ago
Total of 106 Haitian nationals found illegally living in a church in Marsh Harbour. 35 of them had no documents evidencing their immigration status in the Bahamas, The remaining 71 likely had fraudulently obtained documents allowing them to reside in the Bahamas. What else is new?!
jamani2 4 years ago
That church needs to be closed down by the state.
stillwaters 4 years ago
I blame the Bahamians on Abaco for this conclave of Haitians in Abaco again. The Bahamian residents are probably using these illegals to work cheaply without any thought to where these workers will live. The Bahamian immigration department still giving work permits to these people knowing they have nowhere to live. And the Bahamian law enforcement officers who see these people every day and turn a blind eye until facts show up in the news. Bahamians are the culprits with the illegal problem in our country.
joeblow 4 years ago
...much interbreeding has occurred in Abaco over the years. Quite a few black creole speaking Sawyers, Lowes etc in Abaco, making it harder to deal with the problem!
TheMadHatter 4 years ago
Im sitting at my keyboard, practicing self discipline. LOL
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years ago
Know what ya mean, but you're clearly better at it than me.
moncurcool 4 years ago
I don't blame the Bahamians there. Right after the storm I was there when the local residents warned the authorities about what was happening and asked them to relate to the matter. What is happening there is all on the authorities.
stillwaters 4 years ago
I stand corrected, but are locals hiring these Haitians?
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