Commissioner: Efforts being made to minimise visa fraud

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade has said that efforts are being made to minimise possible visa fraud in local and foreign jurisdictions in view of a suspected scandal involving the Bahamian embassy in Haiti.

However, he did not detail the actions taken to prevent fraud as officials remain tight-lipped about their ongoing investigation into the suspected scandal. It is said to involve the possible fraudulent issuance of thousands of Bahamian entry visas to Haitian nationals between late last year and early this year.

Mr Greenslade’s comments, nonetheless, mark the first time since concerns were raised about the matter in March that an official has confirmed the investigation involves Haitians and the Bahamian embassy in Haiti.

“I’m not able to speak for the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the administration of foreign affairs but I believe it is fair to tell you, based on what I know about good governance, that since those breaches, improvements have been made locally and certainly in that foreign jurisdiction to minimise or certainly to reduce occurrences of anything that was perceived to have happened,” he said during a visit last week to Bimini.

“I don’t have any updates today on (the investigations) except to say that is a matter in the public domain. The public is aware that something happened and that we in fact have an open case file on it. We’ve done quite a bit of work. We have spoken to those in authority in that arena in foreign affairs and we’ve done work both locally and internationally but we’re not yet at the point of conclusion to determine that we are charging someone.”

The scale of the alleged scandal remains unconfirmed, but concerns became public in March after reports surfaced that as much as $1,000 was being charged to Haitians for some entry visas.

The Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister has not spoken publicly on the matter. FNM Chairman Darron Cash, nonetheless, urged government officials in March to keep “all stakeholders in the loop” given the seriousness of the claims and the damage they could have on the country’s image and reputation if proven true.

Comments

concernedcitizen says...

WE BEEN SELLING VISAS /WORK PERMITS TO HATIANS SINCE INDEPENDENCE ,,,$10,000 WITHIN 1 MONTH YOU COULD HAVE 3 WORK PERMITS ,ALL THE OLD POLITICAL GENERALS GOT 5 AND 6 PERMITS W/ THOSE HATIANS KICKIN UP TO THEM

Posted 22 September 2014, 1:44 p.m. Suggest removal

SP says...

It is common knowledge with U.S. cash any document, weapons, drugs and human beings could be bought in Haiti at the drop of a hat on any given day.

Why Mitchell and the rest of the PLP Flintstones think they can control document corruption in Haiti when these clowns cannot begin to control document corruption here in the capital is a mystery.

Posted 22 September 2014, 2:13 p.m. Suggest removal

concernedcitizen says...

@sp with cash i can buy anything here ,work permit etc ,they just set up a branch in Haiti for a handpicked few to make some dough ..We been selling work permits since 73 ,,you know all the 'generals " that got 50 farm labor permits w/ no farm ,,lol

Posted 23 September 2014, 7:27 a.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

Mitchell should be strung up by his balls .... Oops! ...... Forgot he does not have a pair!!
Christie, of course, will just remain mum on all of this fraud taking place under his nose in his government. But then again, Christie's equipment is now failing him both upstairs and down stairs!

Posted 22 September 2014, 3:01 p.m. Suggest removal

larry says...

Immigration office broken into now this at the Bahamas Embassy Haiti see the connection. new policy on immigration coming into affect on 1st November 2014. WE must be on High Alert and why isn't there armed Defence or Police Force officers on 24 hours watch at the Immigration main office

Posted 22 September 2014, 3:40 p.m. Suggest removal

sansoucireader says...

Stupid headline. How about "Efforts Being Made To STOP Visa Fraud" instead of "Efforts Being Made To MINIIMISE Visa Fraud"?

Posted 23 September 2014, 9:38 a.m. Suggest removal

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