14277: Schweissing: Nassau Guardian: Gov't can't absorb any more illegal migration (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Daniel Schweissing <dan_schweissing@hotmail.com>

Bahamas
The Nassau Guardian Thursday, January 2, 2003


Mitchell: Govt can't absorb any more illegal migration


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HIGH LEVEL TALKS: The first round of meetings between the Bahamas and Haiti
started with a handshake between Haitian Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph
Philippe Antonio and Bahamian Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell.

Staff Photo by Patrick Hanna

By TAMARA McKENZIE

Guardian Staff Reporter


The Bahamas cannot afford to absorb further illegal migration, or to
regularize those illegally in the country.

This statement came on Thursday from Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fred
Mitchell, as he revealed that the government currently spends more than $1
million dollars each year to repatriate illegal migrants to Haiti.

"The problem seriously impacts government's ability to budget and plan
effectively, because illegal migrants are not appropriately accounted for in
the national census," he said.

Minister Mitchell was delivering remarks at a press conference from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shortly before day one of initial talks began
with the Foreign Minister of Haiti, Philippe Antonio.

The talks were initially planned to be held Nov. 21-22, but due to political
unrest in Haiti, they were rescheduled to this month.

Mr. Antonio and his 11-member delegation arrived in Nassau on Wednesday to
engage in two days of high-level talks to discuss illegal migration issues,
drug trafficking and other matters of mutual concern to both nations.

The bi-lateral talks are a continuation of discussions held in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti in July.

At the press conference, Minister Mitchell said that even though previous
treaties - in 1971, 1985 and 1995 - have not resulted in controlling the
Haitian migration issue, this time, The Bahamas "must not fail."

"We must, in my view, set reasonable and achievable goals for ourselves and
commit ourselves to a process of solving the migration issue so that we can
move on to the grander themes. The Bahamian people and my prime minister
will expect no less from me. It is an imperative," the foreign affairs
minister said.

The Bahamas government fully understands that the current political
circumstances in Haiti have added an additional burden to the government of
Haiti, Mr Mitchell acknowledged.

Accordingly, he said, The Bahamas has consistently resisted any
international initiatives to withhold or reduce much-needed assistance to
Haiti, assistance that should, in part, address some of the difficulties the
island is experiencing.

"We have extended our hand of friendship and support to Haiti as our
neighbour and more recently, as a sister CARICOM state in seeking to resolve
national governance and other challenges. We are confident that
notwithstanding its current grave problems, the government of Haiti remains
committed to controlling and stemming the flow of migration," Mr Mitchell
said.

He also expressed his appreciation to the government of Haiti for the high
level of co-operation The Bahamas now receives in respect to the speedy
repatriation of illegal Haitian migrants.

The Bahamas will, he said, continue to rely on this cooperation, as it
continues to save lives and reduce distress by the immediate return to Haiti
of persons and vessels found illegally in Bahamian territorial waters.

"I also wish to extend our appreciation to the government of Haiti for the
swift action it has taken in accordance with the agreement reached at
Port-au-Prince in July of this year, to implement a public information
campaign aimed at discouraging Haitian nationals from embarking on what are
often perilous voyages to foreign countries, including The Bahamas," he
said.

Mr Mitchell said the Haitian people must "fuel the engine of Haiti's
economic and social progress."

He said that proposals presented at the two-day talks, take cognizance of
co-operative initiatives that might be taken to develop closer
Bahamian-Haitian relations through the expansion of trade, sporting,
cultural and other exchanges.

"We believe that there is an important role for the Haitian/Bahamian
community in these endeavours and will consult leaders of that community in
respect of these issues," he said.

Haiti's Foreign Minister, Mr Antonio, through a translator, expressed his
gratitude to Bahamian authorities for their patience and extending
hospitality to Haitian nationals living in The Bahamas.

The Haitian government is grateful for the interest shown by Bahamian
authorities to continue the talks officially initiated in Port-au-Prince
last July, he said.

Mr Antonio also expressed the gratitude of the Haitian government to the
Commonwealth of The Bahamas, as well as the sister countries of CARICOM for
their support to Haiti during the country's difficulties.

He said that such difficulties are in part responsible for the growth in
emigration of Haitians to other countries of the region, mainly The Bahamas.

"The Haitian delegation has noted with much interest, the new approach
adopted by Bahamian authorities in its research for consulting each other on
problems that affect both countries, especially the illegal immigration
problem," he said.

Haiti favourably welcomes the eventual cooperation between both countries,
in view of participating in the fight against illegal drug trafficking, he
said, and looked forward to continued dialogue between the two countries,
through which both parties may find a common and lasting solution to current
problems.

"We will approach these issues in great depth and hope that we will find a
solution that would be beneficial to both parties," he said.

An official welcome reception was held last night at the British Colonial
Hilton, hosted by Mr Mitchell.

The fourth, fifth and sixth working sessions are expected to continue today,
with a closing ceremony and press conference slated for 4:30 p.m. at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.



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