Mr. Speaker,
 

 I rise to make my contributions to the 2006/2007 Budget debate.   Before doing so, I wish, as have all my colleagues on this side as well as certain Honourable Gentlemen on the other side, commend the Right Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie and the Honourable James A. Smith, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, for their able leadership and their competence in bringing to this House, perhaps, the best budget that has ever been presented in recent memory.  At the outset, let me hasten to recognize the wonderful people of the great Golden Gates Constituency; without whose support and confidence, I would not be here in this historic place today.

  This year’s budget is a glowing report on the state of the Bahamian economy.  It is a glowing report also on the fiscal management of the country and all I would wish to add to what has been said is that, any country that can project growth of 6.5% in any fiscal year, as we have for the fiscal year 2006/07, should be a country in the top league of Nations, in terms of world economic performance.
  As Minister of Labour this is good news for the Bahamian workers because it means that more jobs will be created, more opportunities for employment will exist not only here in New Providence, but in Grand Bahama and throughout the entire archipelago.

 It is amazing when one can stand on the floor of this House and say that some 47 new jobs have been created on the island of Mayaguana alone in the last four months.  Here is an island, with a population of slightly under 400 persons and yet the economic expansion which the entire Bahamas is experiencing has reached this remote corner of our country.

 The cynics and critics said that it could not be done; but we have done it in a little over four years in government.  No matter what the naysayers might say, our Government and its performance have out shone them in every respect and thank God the record will bear this out.  It would seem to me that if I were in their position, I would laud the Government for its efforts rather than appearing to be so misleading and dishonest in the face of evidence to the contrary.

 These new opportunities across The Bahamas will present employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamians of the magnitude this country has not seen for many years.  As Minister Responsible for Technical and Vocational Training, through the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute, we will be putting in place every facility necessary to enable Bahamians to avail themselves of these opportunities.   This is the opportunity that every young Bahamian man and woman have been waiting for.

It makes me extremely angry when I hear uninformed persons use the expression, “Bahamians don’t like to look for work” or “Bahamians don’t want to work”.  The subliminal message behind such statements is that we are a lazy people or that we are a people ill equipped to take advantage of employment opportunities.  These same persons would then go on to argue that because of this, we must bring in foreign labour and that inherently, foreign labour is more qualified than Bahamian labour and that they are more skilled and work harder and longer. This is sheer nonsense; for every Bahamian man and woman, young and old that I know of would wish to have secured employment with a decent wage. What prevented many of them has been a lack of opportunity and a lack of preparation and so, we will be making training and educational courses widely available thus ensuring that if we need DH-8 operators, they will be available as has been the case in Mayaguana where women are now operating DH Tractors.  If we need steel fabricators, we will train steel fabricators.  If we need marble cutters, we will train marble cutters.  If we need interior decorators, we will train interior decorators.  My point here is that as Minister responsible for Labour, I am committed to ensuring that employment opportunities are available; as Minister responsible for Immigration, I am committed to ensuring that we regulate the flow of workers skilled and semi-skilled within our borders; and as Minister responsible for Training I am committed to ensuring that we have a trained work force. I wish to give this House and the nation my guarantee and assurance that we will make it possible for Bahamians to take full advantage of all investment opportunities by being properly equipped and trained.

 Mr. Speaker,

 I am collectively responsible for four Heads of expenditure in the 2006/07 Budget.  These are:  the Department of Labour which has an allocation of 2.589 Million Dollars and my Ministry’s Headquarters, which has an allocation of 1.359 Million Dollars, the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute which has an allocation of 5.257 Million Dollars, and the Department of Immigration which has an allocation of 16.301 Million Dollars,    I wish therefore to give this House an overview of the activities of each of these areas.

 The first is to review the activities of the Department of Labour. The Department of Labour is one of the busiest of all of the Government Departments, as it has to continuously deal with a number of conciliation issues, manage employment exchanges and ensure workers’ safety and health. The public, fondly or not so fondly refer to the Department as the “Labour Board”.  The Department has embarked on a new initiative aimed at providing 21st century service to domestic and foreign clients. This initiative involves, inter-alia, the overall performance of the Labour Inspectorate to monitor essential at risk areas with the potential for increased child labour and occupational safety and health concerns.

With immediate effect, we have established the Occupational Safety and Health Council under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Members of this Council have recently been appointed to serve.

And Mr. Speaker, as more and more construction and industrial activities come on stream across The Bahamas, the work of this Council will become even more important in ensuring safety in the workplace.

We have made preparations to hire additional manpower for the Labour Inspectorate and we are currently seeking to have them trained by technical experts from the ILO as well as instructors from the Florida International University’s OSHA program.  Additionally, we are purchasing vehicles and equipment for New Providence, as well as the family Island Offices--all in an effort to increase the level of Labour Inspection coverage.

We have invested significant funds in training for our staff, and as we speak, some seven clerical officers of the department are involved in specific computer courses in an effort to improve their skills. Additionally, for the first time, we have facilitated the involvement and exposure of two of our Assistant Directors at the ILO Conference this year, where they represented The Bahamas on two very important committees namely, the Occupational Safety and Health Committee for the establishment of a new recommendation and convention and the Employment Relationship Committee for the establishment of new recommendations with regard to this subject. Their involvement with social partners from every corner of the globe will increase their knowledge and experience significantly, as they would have gained first hand knowledge on the tripartite system of the creation of ILO instruments, which involves some three thousand delegates and affects some one hundred and thirty five nations of the world.

We have also launched our first Occupational Safety and Health Awareness raising initiative in the family islands, starting with the stakeholders and social partners in Exuma, and we shall be moving on to Abaco as our next stop, in a series of initiatives all designed with the purpose of heightening the awareness of our brothers and sisters in the family islands as to the latest developments in Occupational Safety and Health, generally, and more specifically, within the context of the construction industry.

Job Placements

It should be noted that with the assistance of executives of the Department of Labour, we have successfully placed a considerable number of Bahamians in jobs with Kerzner International, and we expect that in short order we will see the placement of additional apprentices into the joint apprentice program. Additionally, we have successfully placed persons with the new Casino at Emerald Isles, Exuma.

Discussions are ongoing with the Ginn Developers in Grand Bahamas and the BAHMAR developers in New Providence regarding manpower requirements going forward, and we have redoubled our efforts to ensure that we prepare our local workforce for the inevitable demands that are forecasted.

Employment Exchange Statistics

For the period Jan 2005 to May 2006 a total of 5,857 persons were registered with the Department of Labour’s Employment Services section; of this amount, 2,356 were referred and 735 were placed.
Additionally, 7,637, Notification of vacancies were received, and 7,626 Labour Certificates were released.

Labour Disputes conciliation Statistics

For the period January 2005 to May 2006, The Department of Labour recorded 2,159 Disputes.  Of this amount, 1,504 were resolved and 54 were referred to the Industrial Tribunal.

The Department, with the assistance of the ILO, has embarked on an employment forum initiative that will culminate in a regional meeting of all Ministers of Labour in Barbados during October, 2006.  The purpose of this forum will be to discuss National Employment reports and Labour Market Information data that were prepared by ILO appointed experts from within each country and to examine the means by which countries of the region can collectively address a myriad of issues which include Youth Employment, HIV Aids in the Workplace Illegal Migration and the broadening of ILO Technical Assistance.

Research Unit

Ministries of Labour of the 21st century must of necessity have the capacity to deliver a wide range of services including up to date and accurate labour market information. In this regard the department is currently expanding to include a research unit that will be manned by trained analysts and support staff who will work in conjunction with the Department of Statistics to provide accurate and reliable information to all our stakeholders.

 With respect to the Department of Labour, the escalation of economic activity around The Bahamas has made it necessary for new regional offices to be established.  During the 2006/07 fiscal year, we intend to open an office in Deadman’s Cay, Long Island.  The opening of an office in Nicholls Town, Andros, sometime in February, has proven to be very successful.  In the islands where there is no Labour Office, we are committing resources to permit Labour Officers to travel on a frequent basis to carry out inspections and to ensure that health and safety issues, as well as conciliation and employments practices are adhered to.

Human Resource Development Essential for Sustained Economic Growth
 

As Minister of Immigration, Labor and Training, I am mindful that the Ministry has two key but separate roles.  Firstly border control and secondly economic development through human resource development and immigration.

Economic Development

Human resource development is a key tool for economic growth and overall national development.  As a result the government has pursued a multi-pronged approach to growing the economy with keen attention given to increasing the level of employment.

The Bahamas is a service based economy.  This is particularly evident when one considers that tourism, financial and international business services, retail and public or civil services provide the significant majority of the jobs occupied or to be occupied in the foreseeable future.

In a services based economy, human resources is the primary input to the economic engine.  In other words, the degree to which our gross domestic product of $5bn grows is directly impacted by the ability of the Bahamas through skilled, productive and efficient human resources to generate services that are sought in the market place.

As a result of this administration’s aggressive development plans evidenced by the numerous projects throughout the length and breath of The Bahamas, there is a major demand in the country today for skilled workers in all areas of the economy.  In order to meet the demand in areas such as resort development, projects and services designed to meet the needs of the related growth in tourism, and the potential growth in financial services, there is a need to identify manpower shortages in the short, medium and long-term and, in all of these areas.

It is therefore essential for my ministry along with various other government agencies in partnership with the private sector to develop a human resource business plan that identifies the skill sets required and to ensure that we prepare Bahamians to benefit from the unparalleled growth forecasted for the Bahamas over the next 10 years.

This human resource plan is aligned with the IDB grant to assist with technical training, the progress towards university status for COB, and other essential training organizations such as the Bahamas Hotel Training College and the Bahamas Institute of Financial Services.

The adage “strike while the iron is hot” is most relevant to the policy of immigration, labour and training.  Global competition is intense in the primary areas of business in The Bahamas – tourism and financial services.  We must be prepared as a nation to meet this challenge head on to ensure that we are well positioned to benefit from potential growth in these area.

A review of the financial services industry provides a perspective on the impact of globalization and the attendant need for a ministry of immigration, labor and training to work with other ministries of the government, to secure the full economic benefit that can be accrued directly through the employment of Bahamians and indirectly through the overall success of the industry.

The intensity and need to achieve an appropriate policy is particularly great in financial services, the second largest contributor to the nation’s economy.  In The Bahamas, a sustainable financial services industry is particularly important, given the contribution of the sector to the overall economy. Although tagged at some 20% of GDP, financial services contribution when considering the direct, indirect and imputed actually is viewed to be considerably greater. And the spin-off benefits impact a number of other industries including tourism, real estate and construction.

The financial services sector is recognized as being a key driver of growth in developed and emerging economies.  From the major world economies of USA, UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore to smaller economies such as Channel Islands, Bermuda, Cayman, BVI, Barbados and Panama.  The importance of financial services is also reflected in that the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago have all announced within the last 6 months their intention to enter the industry.

The determined pursuit by a growing number of countries of this sector is a result of its suitability to benefit from the dynamics of trade in the 21st century; that is, the sector’s growth  is advanced with developments in telecommunication and transportation.  This unrelenting trend of globalization and the mobility of funds allow not only businesses but the ultimate clients to chose their jurisdiction of choice.

On the other hand, globalization permits institutions to find the best talent at the best price.  Outsourcing is an increasing threat to securing benefits from the sector.  More and more back office activities are being conducted in places such as Mombai India and many of the big name institutions in the Bahamas recognize the cost efficiencies available to them by outsourcing activities to this and similar locations.  There is a need to act quickly to meet the legitimate needs of clients to grow their business.  If we do not respond, the client and unfortunately the business would simply move elsewhere.

Let us be clear.  The trend of globalization will also affect the Bahamian society and domestic financial services providers.  We only need look to our Caribbean brothers who are working assiduously to ensure that their homegrown institutions are able to tap into growing pool of Caribbean people demanding more advanced and efficient services.

In spite of these challenges, the Bahamas continues to be well-positioned to attract sustainable business and meaningful employment to our shores.

Key Factors

The Industry is identified as one where:
1. Clients are demanding more from their institutions.

a. The information society has placed them in a position to be more sophisticated.

b. The new generation of the wealthy demand that their money and as a result their institutions work for them.

c. It is no longer unthinkable to move from one institution to another

2. There is a fierce battle for clients.  The top two means by which institutions - and by extension jurisdictions - seek to grow their business is at the expense of other competitors and through existing clients.

3. These client demands must be matched by the requisite human resources for the effective delivery of client service.  This is particularly important as service quality is measured by international standards and competencies.  This issue is not unique to The Bahamas.

a. As clients are prepared to move from one institution to another, institutions are now prepared to offer what are termed “best in breed products” from a range of service providers.  This brings new complexity to the business of financial services

b. Clients are demanding more than wealth preservation; rather they want demonstrable added value products, leading to a rise in importance of more complex/balanced products

c. The fact that tax expertise is now as crucial as investment expertise for credible wealth management solutions, and often encompasses multiple jurisdictional issues, there is now an increased importance of tax knowledge and the delivery of compliant financial products

4. There is a need for highly skilled professionals.  The key businesses of the financial services industry are banking, wealth management, securities, asset management and insurance services.  Of these business segments, The Bahamas, in the international arena, actively participates and provides services using its global banking, wealth management and asset management capabilities.  A review of research undertaken by one of the big 4 accounting firms, reveal that 2 of the top 10 concerns are common across all three of these business segments.  These two concerns are (i) attracting and keeping top talent and (ii) operational efficiency.  Both of these concerns reveal the focus being given by financial institutions in securing the best persons for the organization.

With the increased sophistication of clients, the aggressive stance taken by all nations to collect revenue due to the state and the need to remain attractive when so many countries are competing for the same business, The Bahamas is required to have a progressive and practical framework for its financial services industry.  It is important to note that “mind and management” trends in the sector could be another avenue for growth.  Realistically, consideration has to be given to targeted cases where a controlled immigration policy will reap maximum benefits to the sector and the overall economy.

Further, the pursuit of growth in the business of financial services and jobs has and continues to be influenced by the perception by the major trading blocks that financial services in The Bahamas survived on the basis of the delivery of unsophisticated services and products.  We must demonstrate for our benefit that our success is based on our capacity to deliver world class services, we must continue to pursue the delivery of higher value added and innovative services.

This world wind review of the financial services sector provides compelling evidence that as The Bahamas competes in the world’s fastest growing industries of tourism and financial services.  Further, as the economic engine turns over the next several years, the $11bn of investment will create unprecedented employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.  These opportunities will occur at the same time as the tourism, financial services and other sectors experience robust growth.  We must make every effort to ensure that the economic spin-off is maximized for the long-term benefit for The Bahamas and Bahamians.

It is recognized that there will be increased pressure in labour market.  As in the past, it is recognized that these jobs will be held by Bahamians and non-Bahamians.  We are in the business of the delivery of services to a global clientele.  Not only do international personnel play an important role in our success due to the use of foreign direct investment, but we must never forget, no one gets a second chance to make a first impression.  We must be sure that we are offering a high quality service comparable to the levels offered in the major cities with whom we compete for tourists and clients.
The Ministry is focused on ensuring that wherever possible  Bahamians are employed who have the requisite skills; and we encourage opportunities for Bahamians to acquire the skills and experience demanded by industry through exposure and experience gained both locally and internationally.  As such the policy and procedures are under careful scrutiny to ensure we meet this objective.

The policy will be shaped by key principles:

1. With the appreciation that employment is a key tool for economic growth and overall national development, the policy of Bahamianisation remains relevant.  In this regard, I wish to confirm that the policy of Bahamianisation serves as the compass for the work of the Ministry.

2. The pursuit of this longstanding tenet is necessary if we are to secure the benefits of economic growth and development.  Firstly, Bahamianisation serves to counteract the forces of brain drain so prevalent in small developing economies.  Secondly, it expedites the trickle down effect of economic growth by directly employing Bahamians who in turn invest in their economy.

3. Bahamians must be afforded opportunities to benefit from the economy at all levels and in all sectors.  In order to achieve this, we are conscious that a number of steps must be accomplished.

a. Education, professional development and exposure opportunities must be afforded Bahamians.

b. Early and regular engagement with organizations to assess their needs, to what extent permits are required, and agree a plan for increased opportunities for Bahamians.

c. Of great importance to Bahamians, and to the Ministry, is that Bahamian workers are respected and given equal opportunity to succeed.  On too many occasions I listen to the concern of workers who perceive that they possess the know how to occupy senior positions within institutions, only to observe a lesser trained person secure the position.  These persons feel particularly frustrated when they believe that they must effectively train the permit holder.  My Ministry will seek to improve its ability to access the qualifications of persons seeking work permits, ensure that persons seeking permits actually occupy the job posts advertised and determine if appropriate steps are being taken to provide Bahamians possessing the skills to occupy agreed positions in the future.  In other words, the Ministry will hold institutions to account for their commitments to train and promote Bahamians.

d. Policies adopted and the framework implemented in the departments of labor and immigration must promote the need of Bahamians to have confidence in the system; steps will be taken to provide assurance that the system is fair and transparent and is aligned with the policy of Bahamianisation.

4. We recognize that the economy is global and the need for international capital and human resources to be deployed within international organizations is critical to our long-term success.  Further, we are cognizant that the ability to attract skilled persons has the benefit of bringing greater exposure and skills to Bahamians (training), increase the size of the organization and contribute to the overall buoyancy to the economy.  In this regard, the Ministry will be taking additional steps to improve its ability to respond to the legitimate need for institutions to hire non-Bahamians.  We commit to respond with enhanced efficiency to the needs of business persons throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas by further streamlining the operations of the Ministry.  All efforts will be made to provide an increasingly responsive service recognizing that business and clients will not wait until the organization has its “act together”.  We will work with organizations to build capacity in our country.

In this regard, The Ministry, in pursuit of the sustained growth of Bahamians employed in the financial services industry, is receptive to granting to providing work permits that facilitate the growth of the industry, subject to the necessary regulatory and due diligence reviews.  In this connection, it is important for institutions receiving work permits to articulate their plans for training Bahamians in their local offices as well as internationally.  We would particularly like to encourage institutions to provide their brightest with opportunities to spend longer time periods working abroad.  This would position them well for higher pursuits within their sectors of choice.

I would only wish to say that I believe a win-win can be achieved as the Ministry seeks economic development through human resource development and immigration.  To the extent that Bahamianisation is appropriately implemented, greater opportunities are afforded to Bahamians to be trained, have fulfilling professional careers and are available to contribute positively to the economy of The Bahamas.  The greater the ability of The Bahamas to source local labour of all skills and experience provides immediate and improved benefits to the employer.
 Finally, our plans for the Labour Department include a Prosecutorial Unit to be established to deal with legal questions and related issues that are often raised involving industrial relations and conciliation matters.  This person, once based in the Department, will acquire a keener awareness of the issues which the labour officers have to deal with and will be able to guide and give legal advice to the Department as a whole.

 Mr. Speaker,

 The Labour Department and the Immigration Department have the greatest need to work hand in hand together, as very often, they have to ensure that Bahamian workers are protected in the work place and that where necessary, skills-training is provided for Bahamians before a request is entertained to bring outside or foreign labour.

Both Departments will more closely review advertising for certain positions which often cite levels of qualifications which are irrelevant to the position at hand.  This is all in an attempt by companies to bring in someone’s friend or an acquaintance to obtain a high paying job in The Bahamas.  The most common of these scams is the language requirement.  A trust company might advertise for an opening for someone having three or four different language backgrounds, but would never state exactly what the job description of the person would be.

 In much the same way, the addition of training to the original portfolio of Labour & Immigration now means that the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute will perform a critical role, in consultation with the Department of Labour and the Department of Immigration, in ensuring that the necessary trained work force is available to meet the skills needs of a burgeoning Bahamian economy.

 I am pleased to inform the House that the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute is poised for restructuring under The Bahamas Support Programme for Transforming Education and Training Project of the International Development Bank.  In addition to strengthening and improving the educational and career opportunities for both young and older Bahamians, existing skills gaps in our economy will be addressed.

 During the past year, an internal review of processes was conducted, and an assessment of human resources, physical resources and needs to affect change was made.  The institution forged closer ties with industry, which helped to sensitize it to the needs of our economy and served as an avenue for creating an environment conducive to a better public private relationship.

 A major achievement for the institution was the partnership with Kerzner and BahaMar in an apprenticeship programme for the construction trades.  Additional apprenticeship programmes are presently being pursued for other trades.  In the past year, the institution continued to provide training in Andros and Exuma.

 The Rt. Honourable Prime Minister has always pointed to the need for intensive and extensive training.  As our economy leaps-frog ahead, the BTVI will have to become even more adaptable. It will have to take the training to the locations where the jobs exist.  We envision a modular type of training, which essentially is training in units of work.  In other words we will take the training to the people rather than relying on the hope that young people will come to us for the training. I am grateful to have as a part of my team a very competent colleague in the person of Ms. Agatha Marcelle, who has been given the mandate to develop and give oversight to this area of my Ministry’s activity in close co-operation with the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute, the Urban Renewal Programmes and other community based groups.  The nation can expect positive results.
 
 

I turn now to another essential area in my Ministry’s portfolio and that is the Department of Immigration, whose activities are currently of great national concern and debate.  As Minister responsible for Immigration, let me be unequivocally clear about a very fundamental principle which guides me and this Government and it is this: The opportunity to reside, work or to be granted Permanent residency or Citizenship in The Bahamas is not a right (in all cases); it is a privilege.

Let  me  say  at  the  outset  that I am ashamed at the way in which
the Leader of the Opposition and some members of the Fourth Estate have seemingly taken the position that the rights of immigrants and foreign workers must take pre-eminence over the Laws and policies of the Government of The Bahamas and that if you are foreign you are right and if you are Bahamian you have no rights.

The Leader of the Opposition, as a man who has been in public life since 1977 and as a former Prime Minister, issued one of the gravest insults to the Government a few weeks ago when he pointedly took the side of illegal immigrants over and above the national security interests of the Government.  We all recall his statement with respect to the illegal immigrants who were detained in order to verify the validity of their status in The Bahamas.  He said that he would encourage these immigrants and their families to sue the Government in order to determine the validity of their claim to be a Bahamian citizen or not.
Many Bahamians were outraged at this statement and in fact some young Bahamians have approached me and have expressed their disappointment, disgust and anger that a former Prime Minister would defend immigrants over them.  Many of these young individuals have said to me that during the FNM administration they had family members and friends who were arrested and detained on suspicion of criminal activities and never compensated, even after it was proven that the police had a case of mistaken identity.  They just could not understand how that administration could extend the time, in certain cases, to hold a person for questioning by the Police up to 96 hours and in drafting a Law which did not allow for compensation, if it were determined that the Police had arrested the wrong person.  But political expediency makes for strange bedfellows and now as Leader of the Opposition, the Member for North Abaco has now voiced his views that illegal immigrants should sue the Government for detaining them for a few hours, after having reasonable grounds to suspect that they were illegal.

 Mr. Speaker,

 Our immigration policy is very transparent and I will outline to you some of the existing plans and procedures for the Department:-

• Migration is a phenomenon that has existed from time immemorial.  It is estimated that approximately 200 million people representing three (3) percent of the world’s population are considered international migrants.

• The Bahamas, as a result of its geographical location, its stable government, sound government economic policies and friendly people, hosts over 5 Million visitors annually; notwithstanding our attractive investment policies that have created employment and investment opportunities for Bahamians and foreigners alike.

• The Department of Immigration, despite its best efforts over the past 50 years to regulate the movement of people who arrive in The Bahamas for a multiplicity of reasons, is constantly challenged by the incessant flow of irregular immigrants from our neighbouring countries, which has had an adverse impact on our country.  However, the migration dynamics will continue to reflect that we remain committed in our resolve to protect the territorial integrity of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and to safeguard employment and business opportunities for our citizens.

• Since my appointment as Minister of Immigration, Labour & Training, the Department of Immigration has intensified its apprehension exercises in New Providence, Grand Bahama as well as on various Family Islands, where for the month of March, April and May, some 941 illegal immigrants of diverse nationalities have been arrested.   I remain committed to this ongoing initiative to curb the illegal immigrant population in The Bahamas.

•     The Department of Immigration will not give consideration to
any application for any individual to engage in gainful   employment, where the prospective employee is in The Bahamas as a visitor, or in The Bahamas without legal immigration status.

• Complete and proper residence and business addresses must    be provided for employers and employees at the time an application is submitted for a work permit (to include post office box number, telephone contact, e-mail address and facsimile number).

• In cases where the applicant proposes to change employers, permission must first be sought from the Department of Immigration to remain in The Bahamas, pending a determination of the application.

• The Immigration Board is minded to refuse requests for the renewal of applications where the work permits were issued to illegal immigrants during the year 2004 and 2005. The applicants will be required to leave The Bahamas and proof of their departure must be provided to the Department.  Sponsors may request, reconsideration of the application while the applicant is outside the country and the Board may consider the grant of renewal of the work permits.

• The government recognizes that the social cost to host children of foreign domestic workers is prohibitive. Consequently, where the sponsor is unable to provide private schooling and adequate health care for children, the application will be refused, and if the child/children are in The Bahamas, they will be required to leave.

• In an effort to maximize training and employment opportunities for Bahamians in the technical field (e.g., air-condition, welding and skilled carpentry), for every five (5) work permits granted, at least one (1) Bahamian must be employed and trained.

• The government will enact legislation for the full payment of processing and work permit fees at the time the application is submitted to the Department. Where an application is refused, the Department will refund the work permit fee forthwith.

• All applications for renewal of work permits must be accompanied by proof of National Insurance payment, along with Labour Certificate and Newspaper Advertisements with the exception of Domestic Workers.
• On May 23, 2006 the Department of Immigration began the issuance of a new work permit with added security features, in an effort to combat the fraudulent use of work permits by unscrupulous individuals.  One of the many features displayed on the work permit is the address of the employer. I wish to admonish employers that it is imperative that their employees be in possession of their original work permits at all times, should they be challenged by law enforcement officers to verify their right to reside in The Bahamas.

• The government has approved the funding of an integrated Border Control Management System, which will allow online connectivity with the databank in the Immigration Department (i.e., work permit issuance system, permanent residence/citizenship), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Passport Office.  This will allow officers to verify the validity of machine readable documents.

• The Department of Immigration is quite liberal in extending the “leave to remain” in The Bahamas of certain categories of visitors who remain in the country upwards of eight (8) months as “visitors”.  Direction will be given to reduce the period to a maximum of one (1) month, but visits cannot exceed three (3) months in any calendar year.  This however, will not affect the regular visitors, winter residents or home owners.
• In cases where a person is deported for infringement of Immigration laws, he or she will remain outside The Bahamas for three (3) years before consideration will be given for permission to return to The Bahamas.

• I am happy to inform you that the Government of The Bahamas has approved the employment of twenty (20) Immigration Guards to strengthen the capacity of the Department’s presence at the Detention Centre.

• In addition, (9) Immigration Officers have been identified and are presently being trained by the Royal Bahamas Police force in the art of finger printing.

• On that same note, a recommendation has been approved by the Attorney General for the implementation of foot-printing of children born to non-Bahamian parents, in an attempt to validate future claims for status in The Bahamas.

• The Ministry of Works has completed architectural drawings for the rebuilding of the Dormitory at the Detention Centre, which was destroyed by fire in 2004. The administration building has been renovated and is ready for occupancy.  The government has also planned for the renovation and expansion of the kitchen and dining hall areas; new quarters for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), doctor’s office, detainees processing reception building, visitors’ shelter and restrooms, and most importantly the enclosure of the compound by the erection of an 8 foot perimeter wall. As an interim measure, guard dogs with handlers now secure the buildings.  Additional lighting and security cameras will be placed at strategic points to provide full surveillance of activities at the Detention Centre.

• In an effort to prevent the smuggling of contraband and lethal weapons into the Detention Centre and at the Immigration Department Headquarters, Hawkins Hill, screening apparatus will be placed at entrances of both facilities.

• Over the past several weeks, there has been much talk regarding the “trafficking in persons” by Bahamians. There is a fundamental difference in the twin scourges of “trafficking in persons” and “smuggling” of immigrants.   The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially, Women and Children defines that “trafficking in persons involve the recruitment, movement, or harbouring of a person by means of deception, coercion, and/or force in order to exploit that person through sexual exploitation, forced labour, servitude, slavery and/or slavery-like conditions.” “Smuggling” often occurs as irregular migrants attempt to cross borders otherwise closed to them.  A number of government officials, including  Mr. Vernon Burrows, Director of Immigration, Dr. Sandra Dean-Patterson, from The Bahamas Crisis Centre and Mrs. Phedra Rahming, from the Bureau of Women’s Affairs, have attended seminars and received training from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to identify and address this phenomenon.

 Mr. Speaker,

 I now wish to share with this House some statistics with respect to the performance of the Immigration Department.

 With regards to repatriation, members would wish to know that from January 2003 up to May 2006, a period of slightly over 3½ years, some 16,412 illegal immigrants have been repatriated, representing countries as diverse as United States of America, Austria, Ecuador, Poland, India and the Cameroon Islands.   The point here is that not only Haitians and Jamaicans are the targets of the Immigration Department, but also persons of other nationalities.

 Mr. Speaker,

 The criticism has constantly been leveled at this Government that, it has not been responding quickly enough to Work Permit applications.  This is patently false, as I will proceed to disclose.  Since January of 2006, we have issued, just for Nassau, alone, some 3,019 Work Permit Renewals while we have refused some 526.  During the same period, we have issued Work Permits with respect to new applications for some 987 persons and have refused 408.

 With respect to the Northern Region, which includes Grand Bahama, Abaco and Bimini, the following has been the situation for the period July 2005 through May 2006.  The total approval for Grand Bahama, in terms of Work and Residence Permit is 3,778; the number of refusals is 557 applications.  In Abaco, 1100 Work and Residence Permits were approved; 181 were turned down.  In Bimini 211 Work Permits were approved and 19 were turned down—for a total of some 5,089 Permits approved and 757  turned down in the Northern Region.

 Mr. Speaker,
 
 Let me just say a word to the Haitian community, as the press seems to be been focusing primarily on this group of persons.  In all of the statistics that I have mentioned, the preponderance of persons approved has been Haitian nationals and this is so because they occupy a unique place in the labour force as maids, housekeepers and caregivers.  During the period January to May of this year, some 414 Haitians were approved for Work Permits, while only 20 were turned down.  In the category handyman/gardener/labourer, some 900 Haitians were approved and 393 refused.  In the category of farm labourers, 451 Haitians were approved and 74 refused. In many cases, the refusals were due to the fact that the supporting documents were not in order or that the employer could not satisfactorily justify the need for assistance.  I have cited these figures in order to put to rest the lies which are circulating in the Haitian community, fed no doubt by agents of the Opposition, that this Government is anti-Haitian.  These figures speak for themselves and should serve to re-enforce my point that if the legal process is followed with respect to persons of any nationality, then you will get a fair treatment from my Government.  But you cannot expect to break or flaunt the laws then scream about human rights.

 Mr. Speaker,

 One last matter relative to Immigration has to do with the granting of Permanent Residence and Citizenship.  From May 2002 to May 2006 the grand total of Permanent Residence approved amounted to 1,045. The total amount of Citizenship granted is 1,188.  In total some 2,233 individuals of all nationalities have been given some form of permanent status in The Bahamas in under four years. This is surely not the actions of an anti-immigration Government.   It is clear, therefore, that we are very deliberate and conscious in the carrying out of our mandate to give Citizenship and Permanent Residence to those individuals who are fully qualified and who meet the criteria.

 Mr. Speaker,

 In concluding, let me re-state what I have always said on previous occasions and it is that it is an honour and a privilege for me to serve the Bahamian people in whatever capacity the Prime Minister wishes me so to do.  In this present portfolio, there are some fundamental challenges for our nation that must be addressed.  I thank the Prime Minister for the confidence reposed in me and for giving me the opportunity to serve my Bahamian people in the Ministry of Labour, Immigration & Training during such an interesting and important time in our country’s development. I am committed to serving him and this Government with all of the dedication and all of the energy that I have been known to offer.

 These are bright days for this country and the future looks brighter still.  I am, therefore, certain that the Bahamian people will readily appreciate that this is the best Government that they could hope to have and would so reward us in the months ahead.

 Thank you.