The Foreign Minister Must Defend The Immigration Officers

Last week, The Tribune carried a remarkable front-page story in which it said that Senior Officers of Immigration past and present were implicated in a scam to smuggle people into the US as alleged in an affidavit sworn by one Edward Saintil.  Mr. Saintil claims to be a Bahamian and has a Bahamian passport and is charged now out on bail with fraud offences in the US. The clear implication of the affidavit is that the two senior officers of immigration engaged in some form of malfeasance.  We have withheld the names of the individuals. This putting their names in this document is reprehensible on the part of the U.S.  The Foreign Minister should demand an explanation formally from the US Embassy in Nassau.  How could their courts allow an untested affidavit by someone who can be singing a song to prevent a criminal charge, end up calling the names of innocent people in the affidavit and they allow that to get into the public domain? The officers now have to prove their innocence which they cannot do since it is proving a negative. It is very irresponsible on the part of US authorities and they should provide an apology to the person involved and the Government of The Bahamas.