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US criticises Bahamas on citizenship measures

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE United States said the Bahamas government has not effectively implemented laws to provide long-term residents the chance to get Bahamian citizenship “in a timely manner and on a non-discriminatory basis.”

The US made the criticism in the latest human rights report for the country, which is released annually.

As usual, the US recognised the stability of various institutions and systems in The Bahamas, but highlighted recurrent problems, including abuse and poor conditions at the prison and detention centre, the absence of campaign finance laws and regulations, and the limited efforts of the government to enforce rules about conflicts of interest in contracts.

On citizenship, the US said: “There was little progress in advancing legislation intended to address the issue of statelessness.

“Under the constitution, Bahamian-born persons of foreign heritage must apply for citizenship during a 12-month period following their 18th birthday, but applicants sometimes waited many years for a government response. The short period for application, difficult documentary requirements, and long waiting times left multiple generations of persons, primarily persons of Haitian descent, without a nationality.

“Government policy allows individuals who missed the 12-month window to gain legal permanent resident status with the right to work, but some Haitian residents lacked the necessary documents.

“There were no reliable estimates of the number of persons without a confirmed nationality. The government asserted a number of ‘stateless’ individuals who had a legitimate claim to Haitian citizenship refused to pursue it due to fear of deportation or loss of future claim to Bahamian citizenship. Such persons often faced waiting periods of several years for the government to decide on their nationality applications and, as a result, in the interim lacked proper documentation to secure employment, housing, and other public services. The lack of a passport also prohibited students from accessing higher education outside the country.”

The US highlighted examples of people born in The Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents who were awaiting the government’s decision on their nationality for a long time. Two people were still waiting for a decision 19 and 21 years after submitting their applications.

“In both situations the individual relied on their employer to sponsor and renew their work permits each year to maintain legal status,” the US report said.

Corruption at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and Carmichael Road Detention Centre are highlighted as long-standing problems.

“There were widespread, credible reports that immigration officials solicited bribes to prevent detention or grant release. Human rights organisations and media reporting alleged that officials demanded payment in exchange for telephone calls and sanitary napkins,” the US said.

 The report noted that last April a correctional officer reported that two prison officers beat a male prisoner, resulting in hospitalisation.

“There were four recorded cases of physical abuse by correctional officers. Two officers in these cases had disciplinary charges levied against them. The evidence in the remaining two cases was deemed insufficient to go to trial, according to the government.”

 The report also said law enforcement investigated four alleged cases of rape at the government’s only safe house for victims of domestic violence, which was also used to hold migrant detainees who are women and children.

 “Two investigations resulted in the discharge of the immigration officers involved. Prosecutors dropped a third case because the alleged victim declined to press charges. Prosecutors dropped a fourth case when the accuser died from COVID-19.”

 According to the report, violence against women worsened during COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions as victims were prevented “from seeking safe havens or other assistance.”

“The government did not implement long-standing civil society recommendations to address gender-based violence,” the report said.

 The US also said the government did not effectively enforce provisions of the Equal Opportunities Act, which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities. Among other things, the US highlighted the lack of accessible transportation for people.

 The report said: “The law affords equal access for students, but only as resources permit, as decided by individual schools. There were several segregated schools for children with disabilities in Nassau; however, on less-populated islands, children with learning disabilities often lacked adequate access. The government tried to facilitate distance learning for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic but faced problems in providing equal access. A mix of government and private residential and nonresidential institutions provided education, training, counselling, and job placement services for adults and children with disabilities.

“Several persons with disabilities submitted complaints concerning the lack of parking spaces available near buildings for persons with disabilities, as persons without disabilities were using the spaces with impunity. The government was unable to enforce the Equal Opportunities Act due to a lack of inspectors to monitor parking availability and to ensure that new building specifications aligned with accessibility requirements.”

The US said there are few safeguards against quid pro quo donations in the campaign finance system, “creating a vulnerability to corruption and foreign influence.”

It added: “The procurement process was susceptible to corruption since it contained no requirement to engage in open public tenders. In February the government passed the Public Procurement Bill (2020) to improve transparency and accountability in the public procurement process.”

Comments

moncurcool 2 years, 7 months ago

There is no such thing as statelessness. These so called "stateless" people can get citizenship in the country of their parents. However, too many foreign persons want the Bahamas to change their laws to accommodate them and grant them citizenship, especially after they come to The Bahamas illegally.

Wonder how DACA is working for the US?

Emilio26 2 years, 6 months ago

I think the reason most of these illegal migrants particularly Haitian migrants want the Bahamian passport so badly is because they know its one of the most powerful passports in the western hemisphere and in the world which offers visa free access to the USA, Canada & Europe.

ohdrap4 2 years, 7 months ago

in a timely manner and on a non-discriminatory basis.

Ah like Biden is doing ftom the southern border?

Bussing and flying them secretly in the middle of the night?

JokeyJack 2 years, 7 months ago

"Such persons often faced waiting periods of several years for the government to decide on their nationality applications and, as a result, in the interim lacked proper documentation to secure employment, housing, and other public services."

Yeah? But it don't stop them from breeding and making more stateless persons. So they themselves don't care about "statelessness" because they inflict it on their own children.

Haitians are masters at fooling people all over the world that they need help, meanwhile white South Africans are being slaughtered and even New Zealand won't offer them amnesty.

How's that Mexico border going, by the way?

sheeprunner12 2 years, 7 months ago

This little country has so many challenges at this time that giving "undocumented residents" their preferred option of a passport is the least of our major problems in 242 right now .............. 95% of those so-called "stateless" people just prefer to not have their proper nationality documents and want us to GIVE them ours that they are not entitled to on DAY ONE.

Our constitutional laws regarding nationality and citizenship are clear, just like that of Haiti, Jamaica, USA etc. ............ these non-Bahamians need to go and read, and get proper advice. And Uncle Sam needs to stop meddling in our affairs while they have a worse situation in the great USA. I trust that Uncle Sam is doing the same for the millions of Hispanics, Africans, Asians etc who live in a similar situation in the great USA.

How many of these undocumented persons truly exist in our country without a passport? .......... If they do not have a 242 passport, then they need to find their country of origin embassy and get their relevant legal documents sorted out before expecting GIFTS from our government.

birdiestrachan 2 years, 7 months ago

The USA criticize Please. BLACK LIVES do matter.

LastManStanding 2 years, 7 months ago

Please go finish shittying up your own country before trying to shitty ours up further. That 8.5% inflation rate is doing a great job at driving your citizens into poverty, so I would recommend you worry about stagflation and the invasion of your country instead of our invasion.

tribanon 2 years, 6 months ago

On citizenship, the U.S. said: “There was little progress in advancing legislation intended to address the issue of statelessness."

The U.S. went on to say, “Under the constitution, Bahamian-born persons of foreign heritage must apply for citizenship during a 12-month period following their 18th birthday, but applicants sometimes waited many years for a government response. The short period for application, difficult documentary requirements, and long waiting times left multiple generations of persons, primarily persons of Haitian descent, without a nationality."

THEN WHY DOESN'T THE U.S., WITH ALL OF ITS LAND AND RESOURCES, OPEN UP ITS BORDERS TO ALL OF THE SO CALLED STATELESS PEOPLE LIVING IN THE BAHAMAS?!! MOST OF THESE STATELESS PEOPLE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO WERE TRYING TO GET TO THE U.S. IN THE FIRST PLACE AND WOULD STILL PREFER LIVING IN THE U.S. WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS IF THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE UNDER THE CURRENT SPENDTHRIFT BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WHICH SEEMS ALL TOO WILLING TO PRINT MONEY LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW TO MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS FLOWING INTO THE U.S. THESE DAYS.

islandgirl 2 years, 6 months ago

Why do pregnant Bahamian women fly to the United States to give birth? To get a US Passport and Social Security Number, which makes life easier for their children with dual citizenship.

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