3 Haitians, Estilus Tide, Robenson Guerrier and Sinfilien Remy, holders of a legal work permit to live and work in the Bahamas, were convicted and sentenced for harboring illegal persons under the amended Immigration Act. Their work permit has been revoked and deportation recommended.

This sentence follows the illegal arrival of a boat carrying illegal migrants, in Eleuthera on 2 June. The three Haitians, who pleaded guilty, hid 15 people in their homes to prevent the arrest of their compatriots by immigration officers. Consequently, they were arrested and charged.

Frederick A. Mitchell, Minister for Immigration welcomed the convictions but declared "that in the future, the Department will be asking its prosecutors to seek terms of imprisonment and or fines where people are convicted for these kinds of offences [considered in Bahamas as a crime against the country]. It is important that a signal be sent out to the country at large and the smugglers in particular, that we are serious. I think that jail time is appropriate."

In addition, the Department of Immigration of the Bahamas has indicated that on July 16, 2015, there were 338 migrants at the Carmichael Detention Centre. 242 are of Haitian nationals, whose the repatriation in Port-au-Prince is scheduled for next week.

PI/ HaitiLibre