MITCHELL CALLS FOR IMPRISONMENT FOR SMUGGLERS
viagra buy sildenafil times;”>The following statement was issued by the Department of Immigration on 16th July:
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On 8th July, the Department successfully prosecuted three people for Harbouring Illegal Persons under the Amended Immigration Act. Three (3) Haitians, who held legal work permits to live and work in The Bahamas, Estilus Tide, Robenson Guerrier and Sinfilien Remy were found guilty of the offences as charged. Their permits were set to expire 20th January 2016.
The particulars are that following an illegal boat landing in Eleuthera on 2nd June, the three Haitians work permit holders hid 15 persons in their homes in Eleuthera to avoid them being apprehended by the law enforcement officers. As a result, they were subsequently arrested and later charged in the Magistrate’s Court for Harbouring Illegal Persons.
On the 8th July 2015, they pleaded guilty and were convicted. Their work permits were ordered revoked and deportation recommended.
Fred Mitchell, Minister for Immigration said in welcoming the convictions that in future, the Department will be asking its prosecutors routinely to ask for terms of imprisonment and or fines where people are convicted in these kinds of cases. The Department obtained such a term of imprisonment for a convicted smuggler in December of last year at Exuma. Mr. Mitchell said: “It is important that a signal be sent out to the country at large and the smugglers that we are serious. I think that jail time is appropriate.”
The Department of Immigration wishes to advise citizens, work permit holders and permanent residence holders that the harbouring of illegal persons is a crime against the country and holders of work permits and Permanent Residents who knowingly involved in this smuggling process can suffer the same fate as having their status revoked and be deported.
The Department will continue to remain vigilant regarding the Immigration law and intends to prosecute persons to the fullest extent of the law who contravenes the law.
The Department also wishes to inform the public that as of today 16th July, there are 338 migrants in the Detention Centre, 242 are Haitian. Next week, they will be repatriated to Port Au Prince.