FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

26th January 2009

The country is entitled to the fullest explanation from the Government of The Bahamas about the reported incursion into our country's capital island of illegal migrants from the republic of Haiti. The reports that are circulating say the numbers are larger than what has appeared in the press. The government must say what the full numbers are, how many were interdicted and why they were able to make their way to Coral Harbour without detection. It must say what the security implications of this are.

The only man who did not expect this incursion must have been the Right Honourable Prime Minister. He predicted that since Haitian normally come to the country from the north that the country would not likely suffer these incursions because the earthquake occurred in the south of that country. He has been proven wrong once again.

With the partial destruction of the national prison in Port-Au-Prince and circulated reports that some 4,000 criminals have escaped as a result, Bahamians are increasingly concerned about that criminal element making its way within our borders and the increased public safety and national security risks this could pose. The government has a responsibility to ensure in so far as it can that it takes a responsible attitude toward this issue of illegal immigration even in the midst of a crisis. It must be humane but it must also be firm. It must ensure that the country's borders are secure. It must not drop the ball.

If international help is required to assist then this help must be obtained.