Prime Minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis yesterday said Bahamians must obey the law  on  the issue of illegal immigrants working here in The Bahamas.

Dr. Minnis told  reporters on the sidelines of The National Skills Symposium at The National Training Agency, that the issue is not that these individuals are coming seeking opportunities, as there is nothing wrong with it, but this he said must be done legally.

“We need employees, yes and we’ll accept them legally, but if you allow illegals to continue to be employed under the radar and establish an underground economy, then that has great effect on your society and they will continue to come here once there are opportunities.

“And therefore as mature citizens, we must respect the law and apply for them properly. 

“You apply properly, there is a system and they will be dealt with fairly,” he said.

Dr. Minnis said Bahamians have a responsibility and if the law is broken, illegal immigrants as well as the Bahamians encouraging it, should be prosecuted, and the immigration department he said has been working to do just that. 

“The immigration department, they have taken Bahamians before the courts to be prosecuted, and they will become even more aggressive. 

“The message must be loud and clear, we cannot have a system of catch and release, catch and release.

“We must become involved, we must become law abiding citizens, we must apply for individuals legally, and they will be dealt with properly and legally.

“But if we continue to break the law, and the message goes out that The Bahamas is an open society, individuals will come from all over the world.”