13809: Schweissing: Nassau Guardian Ed. on Haitian Immigration (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Daniel Schweissing <dan_schweissing@hotmail.com>

Bahamas

The Nassau Guardian Tuesday, November 26, 2002

The just cycle continues
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The government has again spoken positively about how it will attempt to curb
the illegal Haitian immigrant situation that has Bahamians concerned.

But sorry to say, such optimism seems to be out of place considering the
present situation both in this country and in Haiti.

The Bahamian public is so concerned because many Haitians have found their
way into the country and settled into squatter settlements. And once here in
a lot of cases, they perform jobs some Bahamians refuse to do.

And the country has the additional problem of spending millions to house
captured illegal migrants and repatriate them to their homelands.

Already this year the Department of Immigration has spent $1 million to
repatriate 5,672 illegal immigrants, including 4,892 Haitians between
January and November.

It also costs the government as much as $30,000 per flight to have
immigrants deported, not factoring in the costs of apprehension, detention,
maintenance, social services, health and educational systems.

In addition to these expenses, the government has committed itself to
building up Matthew Town, Inagua as a bulwark against illegal migrant
incursion from the south. Plans call for a deepened harbour and docking
facilities, a lighted runway, the development of a detention centre and a
properly equipped Defence Force base at Inagua.

But despite the expenditure it will take to upgrade the Defence Force base
at Inagua, it must be done to help stop illegal immigrants from bi-passing
the Bahamian and American officers patrolling our borders. The U.S.
Ambassador has said that the United States will help with the upgrade.
However, as the U.S. has stood between Haiti receiving its designated aid,
the U.S. should really help us with the expenses we incur trying to help and
repatriate Haitians.

The government has promised that it will also be undertaking raids in
Haitian squatter settlements to track down persons living in those
settlements illegally. And this will add to the number of persons that will
be housed in the Detention Centre until it is time for them to be
repatriated home. The cycle just continues, but it will cost more in the
long run to have them stay.

And our problems will continue until the social, economic and political
problems in Haiti is resolved. Therefore, the upcoming trip of Haitian
Foreign Minister, Joseph Philippe Antonio to the capital this Thursday to
continue bilateral talks between the two nations concerning illegal
immigration and other issues, will not be fruitful unless Haiti receives
help from the international community to get its dilemmas resolved.



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