A longtime resident of The Bahamas, Jason Pascal and Shanty town Haitian community member, has  expressed his discontent with Prime Minister Minnis’ ultimatum that illegal immigrants must leave the Bahamas by the end of this year. “That’s messed up. Everybody looking for a better life and many Haitians have children here in The Bahamas.

“Even if they are illegal and they have children, it makes no sense for them to go back. What will happen to the future of the children and what will they be going back to?” he asked.

He further stated his parents left Haiti for a better life and the Bahamas made the most sense to them.

When asked how his parents entered the Bahamas, Mr. Pascal offered no details.

Haitians are able to send money back to their relatives in Haiti, which helps them tremendously as work is hard to find there.

Deno Brown, another Haitian-Bahamian clarified that he was born in The Bahamas, but like Mr. Pascal, his parents fled Haiti in search of a better life and the Bahamas was their final destination.

He articulated that although there are illegal migrants in the shanty town where he resides; he feels that the Prime Minister should show more empathy and have more ‘heart’ for Haitians that are born in The Bahamas.

Mr. Brown said emphatically, “I just wish I could tell him, just have a little sympathy and heart for us.”

Exhibiting a more understanding view, Mr. Brown also said, “I know they may have problems with immigrants, don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame them; if they (illegal migrants) are not ‘straight’, yes, they may have to go home.”

Both Jason Pascal and Deno Brown were born in The Bahamas to illegal Haitian parents. Their parents however, have been awaiting their legal status for over twenty years now.

Haiti has been devastated by a series of natural disasters, most recently mudslides. Additionally, the country suffers from political instability, tax hikes and a resurgence of a cholera outbreak.

The Haitian community has the largest group of illegal migrants in The Bahamas.