Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis yesterday defended his government’s decision to tighten the grip on illegal immigration.
Dr. Minnis charged that he found some of the recent discussions on the issue very curious.
A few weeks back, he announced on the floor of The House that all illegals of all nationalities must leave the country voluntarily by the end of the year.
While the process will reportedly be carried out humanely and within the law, President Of The Grand Bahama Human Rights Association (GBHRA) Queen’s Counsel, Fred Smith has publicly rebuked the government on the matter.
Smith has charged that he was sickened by the approach and called in a human rights disgrace.
The Prime Minister however said, “ it is disturbing that some who claim to be concerned about human rights and the rule of law seem to want to suspend the rule of law when it pertains to certain immigration matters.
“But let me say here that this government will not back down. All illegals are urged to leave voluntarily, because after December 31st, we will aggressively pursue all illegals.”
The prime minister again stressed that The Bahamas must be a nation of laws, not of personal fancies and extreme positions.
The government is seeking to remove itself from approving citizenship applications.
This will fall on an independent commission, save in the cases of national security.
The commission will be headed by a retired justice.
Still on immigration, Dr. Minnis made another announcement in relation to one of four issues dealt with during the gender equality referendum.
“My government will make changes to the immigration act to make sure that all children born to Bahamian women, single or married out of the Bahamas are automatically Bahamians,” he said
Under the present law, a child born to a Bahamian woman who is married to a non-Bahamian is not a citizen, if that child is born outside The Bahamas.
