Categorized | National News

Minister Seeks Public’s Help On Corruption

The government is  seeking the public’s help in weeding out corruption within the Department of  Immigration.

Immigration Minister Brent Symonette claims that he is  going after rogue Immigration Officers – those who accept bribes to release migrants from the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

This comes on the heels of the latest U .S. State Department’s Human Rights Report that found that numerous Haitian migrants reported being detained by Immigration Officials and solicited for bribes – more specifically $3,000 – to gain release.

The Minister says, “If anyone knows of a bribe that is being paid to an Immigration Officer call me up. My home number is in the book, my cell number is 359- 2445, no one calls me. 

“The report that they said did not substantiate in writing to me any proof or allegations of bribery.

“We have a case with the Americans that the FBI is looking at. That’s a concrete case, but we have to be careful,  because people go around saying this one bribe this one and this one bribe that one, I hear it all the time,  but no one is yet to come forward to me with proof that I can take to court,” he said. 

As for “inhumane and overcrowded” conditions at the detention centre, the Minister reiterated ongoing plans to construct a second such site in Inagua. 

“We’ve looked at a detention center in Inagua,  if budgetary funds provide it. At the present moment, we keep a tight eye on it, but we keep within the numbers,” Minister Symonette said.  

No timeline’s been given as for when that Centre will be completed.

Written by Jones Bahamas

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