12051: Bahamian Gov't renews assault on illegal immigration (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Daniel Schweissing <dan_schweissing@hotmail.com>

National News
Peet vows renewed assault on human trafficking

Released Wednesday, May 15, 2002 by Keva Lightbourne


By KEVA LIGHTBOURNE

Nassau Guardian Staff Reporter

The government will endeavour through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to
renew and improve dialogue with the government of Haiti with a view to
addressing the trafficking of Haitian nationals and the illegal immigration
problem which continue to plague The Bahamas.

Addressing a press conference at his East Street Hill Office, Minister of
Labour and Immigration Vincent Peet also disclosed that the government is
intent on finding a formula to make "smugglers" pay for their deeds.

"We have to find a formula to make smugglers pay for their deeds. The
Immigration Department really have been working long and hard on
initiatives. We have some of the best prepared officers anywhere in the
region committed to the cause, dedicated to protecting our shores, and I
believe if that commitment is shared by the population at large then we will
go a long way in dealing with this problem," Peet said.

"We have to have a national resolve to ensure that we join every Bahamian in
the fight to protect our borders, not only from Haitians but many other
foreign nationals," he said.

Peet assured that a "balanced policy" will be put in place to deal with all
illegal immigrants, not just for one or two nationalities, but for all who
illegally enter the Bahamas' borders, including Nigerians, Chinese,
Jamaicans and all others.

But, he added, to be effective there must be a closer working relationship
between the Immigration Department and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. Thus
far, he said they have had an excellent relationship, which will continue,
and efforts will be made to make that even closer.

"The whole defence of our borders really rests between those two and they
have been doing an excellent job. We have to understand how large our
borders are, and the amount of manpower and money it takes to secure our
borders. There are so many different ports of entries in this country that
it is almost impossible to have all of them secured at the same time," Peet
stressed.

"Those who are smugglers know that, so I believe, based on our resources, we
the Immigration Department and the Defence Forces have done a yeoman's task,
and I am sure they are now more motivated and have the determination to do
even a better job," he said.

Peet promised that the Immigration Department will intensify its efforts to
locate any and all illegal aliens in the country, from South Americans to
the Chinese, to the Africans and those from other European countries.

Additionally, Peet said, his Ministry will undertake to remove as many of
the illegal immigrants who are working in the country, whether in the
construction industry or hired as gardeners.

He warned that persons found employing illegal immigrants will be dealt with
to the fullest extent of the law.

"The laws are on the books to deal with those persons and we have to do a
more vigorous enforcement. These laws apply to any employer of any illegal
immigrants, not just Haitians," Peet said.



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