The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday pushed back against what he called “scaremongering” on immigration, clashing again with Opposition Leader Michael Pintard over claims of widespread fraud involving national documents.

The exchange follows last week’s dispute, after Mr Pintard tabled a list of fraud investigations and said more than 250 cases were under review. Government officials later said 98 suspected passport fraud cases were being probed, adding the list reflected an earlier subset of referrals from the Passport Office.

Speaking during debate on borrowing resolutions in the House of Assembly, Mr Davis accused Mr Pintard of hypocrisy, saying he was part of an administration that weakened passport renewal requirements.

“You do not get to weaken the system in Cabinet, sit silent while the checks are stripped away, and then come to Parliament pretending to be guardian of the process,” the prime minister said.

He argued the documents tabled by Mr Pintard show enforcement action, not systemic failure.

“What they show is serious enforcement, a serious crackdown on a serious problem,” Mr Davis said. “The FNM’s conduct on this issue has been very reckless and misleading.”

Mr Pintard rejected that characterisation, saying the changes under the FNM applied to e-passport renewals, not new applications.

“What he should point out is that under the e-passport renewal was the area we did not feel that all of the documents you submitted in the beginning ought to be resubmitted and that is what the member of cat island refused to say to the public,” he said.

FNM MP Kwasi Thompson said the issue demands a more serious response.

“The public wants the government to act seriously with respect to a very serious problem,” Mr Thompson said.

Mr Davis defended his administration’s immigration record, saying more than 15,000 repatriations have been carried out, additional officers have been hired and efforts continue to remove unregulated communities.

“Yes, we do it all with compassion and within the law which we’re required to do and employing our Christian principles to which we all belong, but our record speaks for itself,” he said. “I invite the Bahamian people just look at what that is and forget the scaremongering.”