Review pledged in immigration row

details of people from files in a department’s custody.

“As you know, the Opposition raised some questions in Parliament, and the Department of Immigration is releasing a statement to address those questions,” Mr Davis said.

“It is my understanding that, in many instances, the Opposition’s questions were based on wrong and inaccurate information.

“It is fundamentally important that Bahamians have confidence that every immigration matter is handled fairly, in accordance with the law, and in the best interest of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people.

“There has always been a substantial amount of ministerial discretion in the enforcement of immigration laws in our country and in other countries in the Westminster system. There are practical reasons for that, including the need for flexibility to respond to unique or complex situations and the need to respond to new and changing circumstances without requiring constant legislative changes. And, of course, that discretion operates within a system of checks and balances to promote fairness and due process.

“But just because a system has always operated a particular way doesn’t mean it can’t be strengthened or improved. As you have heard me say on many occasions, I didn’t come here to defend the status quo, I came here to change it. When there are ways to improve governance, we

Pintard: i t’s Bell’s joB to show uP and EXPLA IN HIS ACT IONS

For instance, the ministry denied that Mr Bell approved an application for someone who was intercepted on a boat trying to smuggle into the US. The ministry said the person’s application was denied three times and never approved.

The ministry said it is not illegal for applications to be made while an applicant is detained at the Detention Centre, adding that sometimes people are arrested while an application for approval is pending.

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said it is Immigration Minister Keith Bell’s “job to show up and explain” his actions, noting the minister was absent during the evening sitting of the House of Assembly yesterday.

“The minister didn’t even show up today who we’re expecting,” Mr Pintard said. “He promised he would tell us, tell the public. He didn’t show up, possibly on the advice of the minister of the public service. It’s his job to show up and explain, to face the music. It is his responsibility.”

Mr Pintard read from a Nassau Guardian editorial and a headline story featuring former Minister of National Security Loftus Roker, who questioned the circumstances surrounding Chinese nationals released from custody in January.

He said: “It says the justification used by the government was the hotel rooms are critically needed to create opportunities for Bahamians and the article is saying that’s not germane in this case. There is no scenario in which a Bahamian should benefit at the expense of developers being allowed to shirk immigration laws and possibly exploit foreign labourers. Bell was out of order in his initial directive and wildly inappropriate in his public response to the matter.

“There is no longer any reason for the public to have any faith in him as an immigration minister. We should extend as a labor minister either. We should extend as a minister in any capacity because if there’s a problem of judgment, if there’s a problem of behaving in an unlawful and unethical manner, no matter where you place someone, it’s likely to be a behaviour repeated.”

He raised questions about the event.

“Imagine this, the explanation used for causing someone to breach the law by releasing people who should be in custody. Today we don’t even know where they are. We don’t know who they are, where they are, how they came, who facilitated them on the government side, on the private sector side. We don’t even know the company that hired them.” are going to modernise the system instead of maintaining it.”

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said Mr Bell should do the “honourable thing and resign” and if not the prime minister must fire him.

He urged the member to resign by today, saying he will “bury him” if he doesn’t.

“I have had a lot of conversations with Bahamians in recent weeks about immigration –– and I want to let you know that I hear you. I hear your concerns about how things work in this country and intend to address them.

“Every Bahamian deserves to have confidence that the rules promote efficiency, fairness, and accountability to the greatest extent possible.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Immigration responded to numerous allegations Mr Pintard made, disputing the accuracy of some of his claims.

The ministry said: “On a more general note, several concerns were raised about the approval process for permits. It is important to note that current practice at the Department of Immigration does not require employers to submit financial information. Therefore, it is challenging to accurately determine employers’ ability to sustain employment. In respect of the claim that approvals were granted without interviews being conducted, or unsupported by proper documentation, we consider that instances of such cases are highly unlikely, given the stringent checks and balances in place. However, we urge the leader of the Opposition to provide specific instances for further investigation.”

Hotel And Immigrat Ion Statement S Differ From Prev Ious Comment S

from page one

Property Holding, the owner of the British Colonial Hotel, said it “wishes to express its grave concern regarding recent unfounded accusations made concerning the immigration status of our workers”.

“We unequivocally affirm that all our workers at the British Colonial Hotel operate under a Heads of Agreement for the British Colonial Renovation and we are in compliance with all applicable Bahamian law,” the company said. However, when he initially responded to the controversy, Mr Bell acknowledged that immigration officers encountered “a number of irregularities with the status of workers” at the construction site that “required immediate action”.

Furthermore, a January 18 letter from Chief Immigration Officer Chad Adams to Deputy Director of Immigration Fausteen Major-Smith highlighted problems with the status of the workers. Mr Adams wrote that only three of the 65 people produced passports or identification.

“All of the others claimed they had no passports in their possession and were unable to contact the persons who may have them,” he wrote.

Mr Adams noted irregularities involving the three people who did show identification.

In one case, a man initially had a short-term permit as a technician sponsored by someone at Margaretville Beach Resort. But when his permit expired on April 23, no further request was made on his behalf. Mr Adams said the man overstayed nine months.

Another man, he said, had a short-term permit that expired on August 20, 2020. That man left the country and re-entered as a visitor, overstaying for four months.

He said the third person overstayed for 24 days.

Despite this newspaper’s requests, the Davis administration has not provided The Tribune with the Heads of Agreement governing the renovations to the Hilton.

Strategic Property Holding said it anticipates creating 300 permanent jobs for Bahamians after renovations.

Achintya Garikaparthi

13th October, 1999 to 27th July, 2018

Kingsway Academy Elementary Valedictorian and Salutatorian St Augustine’s College Business Award

Princess Margaret Hospital

Distinguished Intern Physician of the Year