By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE the government’s policy change to ensure harsher penalties for breaches of the Immigration Act, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell said there are concerns that the changes have not been reflected in sentencing by the courts.

Mr Mitchell was responding to questions fielded by Free National Movement shadow minister Hubert Chipman over the security of the country’s borders in the face of global terrorist attacks.

“The country should know that the immigration law has been amended to increase the penalties for offences under the Immigration Act,” Mr Mitchell said.

“Another concern is that the penalties that are being imposed in the courts do not seem to reflect the policy change made by the government when the law was amended to provide for more severe penalties.”

Mr Mitchell added that the government has also implemented several other strategies to ensure the country’s safety and security.

“The Bahamas government constantly reviews all matters relating to intelligence and security at the borders from time to time. The country should know that this occurs regularly. All the heads of the law enforcement agencies meet regularly to exchange information and make joint plans. There is a constant exchange of information at both a national and international level.

“The country should know that the immigration law has been amended to increase the penalties for offences under the Immigration Act.

“The country should know that $18m dollars is being invested in a new border management system. This will mean new passports, new electronic procedures for entry into the Bahamas and the ability to exchange information accords various law enforcement databases.

“The country should know that the Bahamas has signed on to the APIS system which allows the exchange of valuable information on passenger traffic into the Bahamas.”

He said legislation will be introduced shortly so that this system can go live and that there have been successful prosecutions under the new laws for harbouring illegal immigrants and for assisting illegal landing.

“Repatriations continue unabated. What concerns the government, however, is that the opposition is unable to restrain its friends in the activist community who seem intent on tying up the courts in frivolous and vexatious litigation, racking up unnecessary court costs to prove points that are not exactly earth shattering in law.

He continued: “This together with the international cries of wolf by their activist friends are cause for concern. Their activist friends spread alarm in this country and abroad and unwittingly – we hope – provide cover for people who are engaged in these criminal enterprises bringing illegals in and through this country.

“It would be appropriate for the opposition spokesman to use his influence to ask their activist friends to cease and desist with this,” Mr Mitchell said.

On Monday, Mr Chipman said while the national security threat of illegal immigration is not something new to Bahamians, the issue raises humanitarian concerns such as the exploitation and deaths of many migrants, often drowned at sea or who die from dehydration and other causes during dangerous sea voyages.

He also said that the global increase in terrorist activity and attacks raise added concerns about border security, especially for a far-flung archipelagic nation such as the Bahamas.