By Gerrino J. Saunders/Alex McKenzie
Journal Staff Writers 

Long Island residents say they need proper financial services and are concerned
that too many Haitians are getting work permits to do work Long Islanders can do..
The Member of Parliament for Long Island, Adrian Gibson, while speaking in The
House of Assembly (6th November) during debate on the Domestic Minimum
Top-Up Tax Bill 2024 brought his constituents to light.
He said, “I am deeply concerned that Long Island will become a banking desert. I
have penned a letter to the chief of the Bank of The Bahamas and the Prime
Minister requesting that that bank urgently comes to Long Island.”
Mr. Gibson said the residents are grateful to Scotia bank for the ATM machine but
there are often challenges with the machine.
“And so the most viable option we believe for the people of Long Island would be
the Bank of The Bahamas to be domiciled on the island. At this gesture all we have
left is to rely on this publically owned bank which we believe should be mandated
to provide a certain level of financial services to communities such as Long Island.
Long Island, given our standing as one of the major islands cannot be unbanked;
we are in desperate need of financial inclusion,” said Mr. Gibson.
Gibson noted that BOB has a presence in a number of Family Islands some of
whose economies and population are not as large or as vibrant as that of Long
Island, including Kemps Bay and Mangrove Cay Andros, Bimini, Eleuthera,
Inagua, San Salvador and Cat Island.
“I seek the intervention of the government in assisting in ensuring that some form
of banking is in place for Long Islanders so that they can access their funds and
carry out some basic levels of commerce,” said Gibson.
Gibson also asked the government to provide more airlift to Long Island via
Bahamasair, and not to couple Bahamasair flights to Long Island with those to San
Salvador which reduces the number of seats to Long Island.

Mr. Gibson also noted that the Chief Councillor and other Long Islanders have
raised concerns over of a sudden influx of Haitian Nationals migrating to and
working on the island. 
He said people of his constituency are interested in having Immigration officials
visit the island and conduct a check for proper documents and work permits as well
as a possible sweep of the island.
He said, “we have no shortage of industrial Long Islanders that are willing and able
to work.”
Gibson is asking the government to post at least two immigration officers on the
island to ensure the situation does not get out of hand.