MARSH HABROUR, Abaco – Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis suggested his administration won’t be pressured from international organizations over its immigration policy.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has called on The Bahamas to suspend its immigration enforcement and deportation exercises in the wake of deadly Hurricane Dorian.
Responding to questions from Eyewitness News Online, Minnis said: “We are a country of law and order. That’s all I would say,” Eyewitness News Online reported on October 21.
When asked about concerns over the UN body applying pressure on the issue, the prime minister repeated: “We are a country of law and order, first, okay.”
The Prime Minister traveled to the island on Friday to assess recovery and reconstruction efforts, including security, the progress of the temporary housing program for Government workers and Abaco residents, and clean-up efforts.
In a weekend press statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision to resume enforcement and deportations was made after “careful analysis, at a time when it was deemed appropriately humane and necessary”.
In the days following the storm, the government announced the temporary suspension of immigration enforcement for the impacted areas. However, the prime minister later advised Parliament the government will enforce the law and undocumented migrants in The Bahamas illegally could leave voluntarily or be forced to leave. https://ewnews.com/pm-to-un-we-are-a-country-of-law-and-order?fbclid=IwAR2u1iMCXtRjtfe9PeRkW1Clwb1by27yNU33z8rEWpZxXuIn4muXrodgavY
