By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

FOLLOWING private sector shock over a “raid” at Atlantis and subsequent “visit” to Baha Mar by Immigration officials, Minister Fred Mitchell said it is “regrettable” that business spokesmen would berate and “defame” the Department without knowing the facts.

Calling on Immigration officials to “hold their heads up high as they lawfully discharge their duties,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigrations voiced his support of the Department and his disapproval of those “who appeared to have vilified and degraded officers of the Department”.

Last Tuesday, Atlantis visitors and employees were left startled after three Immigration officers disrupted operations at Dolphin Cay to detain and escort away the attraction’s head sea lion trainer.

The following day, Immigration officials approached a number of expatriate staff at the Sheraton during their lunch break and temporarily detained five engineers, on site.

The incidents drew criticism from many in the private sector, with stunned business-leaders calling the actions of the Immigration Department, “simply reprehensible.” Leaders warned Tribune Business such actions could prove counter-productive to economic growth and job creation.

In a statement released yesterday, Mr Mitchell said it is important that “a signal is sent out from the highest levels to the Immigration officers” that they are appreciated by the government for the work they do.

“The Department has the support of the minister and the government in the lawful conduct and exercise of their work. The Department does a good job given the resources and manpower available to them,” Mr Mitchell said.

“I am constrained to issue this statement in light of the statements emanating from certain representatives of the business community who appeared to have vilified and degraded officers of the Department of Immigration in the lawful exercise of their functions and especially the enforcement exercise executed by those officers last week.

“I think it is always wise to utter judicious statements when dealing with the exercise of powers of law enforcement officers in the absence of proof that their behaviour was unlawful.”

The minister then took note of comments from senior vice-president of external and governmental affairs, Robert “Sandy” Sands on Wednesday’s incident at the Sheraton.

Mr Sands confirmed an Immigration “detainment” at the Sheraton to The Tribune, but described the officials’ manner as “respectful” while carry-out their duties.

Mr Mitchell said: “In this regard I wish to draw particular attention to the proper way the behaviour of the Department was described by Robert Sands of Bahamar who said that at all times the Immigration Officers were respectful while doing their jobs.

“This is in stark contradistinction to other spokesmen from the business community who having admitted that they did not know the facts of what transpired with regard to the immigration checks, went on to berate and defame the department, the officers and their actions. This is indeed regrettable. We trust that in the future language will be more appropriate and proximate to the conduct.”

Immigration officials have “a difficult and dangerous job,” Mr Mitchell continued.

“Morale is low in the Department that was neglected over the last five years,” he said. “It is not worthy of us as a people then to reward hard working officers with denunciations without at first knowing the facts of what transpired and even then speaking with discretion and decorum.

“I want the hard working officers of the Department to hold their heads up high as they lawfully discharge their duties, treating people with respect and carrying out their duties with decorum. In this they have the government’s full support.”