By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

TEMPLE Baptist Church Pastor A Geoffrey Wood yesterday said he was “concerned” about the government’s recent raids of illegal residents in the country and warned the government to “be careful” in its future interdiction exercises.

Speaking at a press conference for advancing mission work in Haiti yesterday, Pastor Wood said while there is “no justification” for persons illegally entering the Bahamas, the government may do “the right thing in the wrong way” in its clamp down on illegal migration.

“If we were to understand what these people are coming from, for some of them death is better than staying in their minds,” he said. “I kind of understand what it’s like to get up in the morning and not have any bread or tea. You might be able to deal with it for a while, but children don’t understand.

“That’s no justification for coming illegally to the Bahamas, but when someone’s in that kind of constraint they’re not thinking ‘legal or illegal,’ they’re trying to survive. As (Minister of Immigration) Fred Mitchell said they’re not interested in politics or getting rich, just putting some bread in their mouth.

“We respect the government in what they are doing because that’s the right thing to do, however we ask that they be careful in the process.”

On Saturday immigration officials scoured New Providence in search of illegal immigrants and workers. The officers searched southern New Providence as well as some areas of the inner city.

At the end of last weekend’s exercises they arrested 77 people – including Chinese, Filipino, Jamaican and Haitian nationals. Public concern arose after images and videos of children being led away by immigration officers spread over social media, prompting observers to question whether officials took Haitian children into custody without parental or guardian supervision.

Observers also suggested that the children might have been mishandled during the process.

In a press conference at the Lynden Pindling International Airport on Sunday, Mr Mitchell refuted the allegations of children being mishandled, and said the “controversy” surrounding Saturday’s exercises were the result of “political operatives trying to make this more than it is.”

He called for “calm and equanimity” and said Bahamians should not incite anger over the “routine” exercise.

Reverend Clinton Minnis, Bahama Islands Baptist Association (BIBA) Missions Director, said while things must be done “legally, decently and in order,” the government must understand that there is “a thin line between securing the borders and being compassionate with those who are here illegally.”

“While we want to continue to encourage the Immigration Department to do what it has to do in order to secure the borders –we believe that everything should be done decently and in order – but keep in mind that you’re uprooting families,” he said. “We have to make sure that there is not a misunderstanding of who we are as Bahamians. Our culture and our heritage speaks to the fact that we are kind, we are peaceful and responsible people. We are kind because we have allowed many persons of immigrant status to come here and help build this country and to help benefit of the blessings of this country.

“The domestic economy in terms of homes, the agriculture economy, the construction economy, even the service station economy, if you take note most of these sectors are influenced and impacted by the Haitian community, and they’ve done a great job.”

According to Pastor Wood, the Bahama Island Baptist Association’s 49th annual session will take place starting today at 7.30pm at the Temple Baptist Church, ending on Sunday.

He said the event “could not have come at a better time” when the “temperature” of hostility of members of the Haitian community is notably high.

He said the public, but “especially Haitian Christians” are invited to attend the nightly meetings.

The group is also organising a mission outreach to Haiti.