15859: Schweissing: Bahamian Religious Xenophobia (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Daniel Schweissing <dan_schweissing@hotmail.com>

http://www.thenassauguardian.com

Send illegals home, bishop advises

Publication Nassau Guardian
Date June 10, 2003
Section(s) National News

By LaKEISHA McSWEENEY Guardian Staff Reporter

Bishop Neil C. Ellis Sunday urged government to send all illegal immigrants
home.

The influx of undocumented immigrants in The Bahamas, particularly that of
Haitians reaching unprecedented numbers in recent times, has become a thorny
issue to many Bahamians and a cause of great national pain, according to the
Senior Pastor of Mt. Tabor Full Gospel Baptist Church.

"They ain't paying BEC, they ain't paying Batelco, they ain't paying taxes
and they here illegally ... how to fix this problem is to send them home,"
he said.

During his message at the 7 a.m. service, Bishop Ellis said the government
must urgently address the illegal immigrant situation to prevent the nation
from becoming "nothing other than a painful society."

He said it is not a political problem, nor an issue where politicians try to
score brownie points. "I hold the view here that the government has an
obligation to us to fix this problem even if it drives them out of office.
At least let their legacy be, we fixed the illegal immigration problem."

Bishop Ellis also took issue with Prime Minister Christie's recent decision
to uphold the government's 1985 Treaty with Haiti that would allow Haitians
to be "regularized."

He said, "If you were here when the Union Jack came down, okay. If you were
here when the Bahamian flag went up okay. But if you came here July 11, 1973
or after, pick up your stuff and go voluntarily and if they don't go, ship
them back, but not on Bahamasair it's too expensive."

He said he realized that Haitians and Jamaicans were entering The Bahamas
for a better way of life. He said he also realized that they bring their
pain and put this pain on Bahamians.

Bishop Ellis said the problem existed not only in the large numbers of
immigrants here, particularly Haitians, but their culture.

"I told you the other day Bahamians will throw rock and if you really get us
mad we might "jook" you. But we don't cut up people and we don't shoot
people at close range, that's not the Bahamian style but Bahamians are doing
this," he said.

Bishop Ellis said this behaviour was directly linked to the immigration
problem in the country.

"Somebody came here and imported their culture through their pain, on our
children," he said, "and we are producing a whole generation of Bahamians
with a different culture."

He said in a couple of years, the children of the illegal immigrants living
here will be adults and if nothing is done will have the right to vote and
to run for office.

"Can you imagine 20-30 per cent of people in Parliament being
Haitian-Bahamian with no appreciation of how we were brought up in Exuma, in
Eleuthera, in Bimini and Abaco?" he asked.

Bishop Ellis admonished the congregants to pray and to verbally address
their concerns to government because it was time for the people of The
Bahamas to "talk."

"If you wanted to hear me while you were campaigning, you gat to hear me
while you reigning," he said.

Bishop Ellis also used the opportunity to comment on the government pledging
to provide homes for Haitians whose homes were destroyed at The Mud and
Pigeon Pea in Abaco.

"We have a whole lot of Bahamians needing some place to live and people who
don't belong here who ain't paying no taxes here are making demands and the
politicians listening," he said.

Turning directly to Shane Gibson, Minister of Housing and National
Insurance, one of his congregants, who was in attendance at the service, he
said, "Let me tell you this, for every house they build in Abaco for them,
they better build one in Farm Road."

Answering those who would argue that Haitians contributed to the workforce
of the country he explained that Bahamians contributed handsomely to the
workforce during the early 40s and 50s in the United States but were sent
for and had the proper documentation.

He reiterated that Haitians needed to go home and that if they were needed
in The Bahamas they would be issued with a work permit to re-enter the
country but when their time was up they would have to return home.

"At least bring a new Haitian here so people are not being ingratiated into
our culture to the point where they think they have rights," he said.

Bishop Ellis said he never takes the popular stance only the right stance
which is often unpopular. As far as exhibiting compassion Bishop Ellis said
that he was full of compassion for the plight of immigrants but that he had
to fight for his children and the future of Bahamians.

"Every generation has an obligation to preserve its nation for the next
generation," he said,

concluding his message with a prayer for the nation.

Posted Tuesday 10 June, 2003

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