By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

ONE day after addressing one of the country’s largest Haitian congregations where he pledged immigration reform, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis spoke again about the proposed establishment of an independent commission to oversee immigrant applications.

Although, he did not give a date for the creation of such a commission, he hoped it would be formed as soon as possible.

Dr Minnis, in an interview on the sidelines of a tablet donation at Gambier Primary School, insisted that under the law, there are many people who qualify for either citizenship or residency status who are being passed over daily due to a backlog in the system.

He said to that end, his administration would look to set up an independent commission that would check and approve applications for citizenship, residency, work permits and all other immigration options available to those attempting to legally live in The Bahamas.

He made similar comments on Sunday when speaking at the Metropolitan Church of the Nazarene.

Dr Minnis said yesterday it was his hope the process, which is now being dealt with at the Cabinet level, will ultimately be expedited to an independent body consisting of persons that know all legal requirements for application and are prepared to uphold the law.

“You don’t need a politician to make such a decision, and (this) will remove politics out of the matter altogether,” Dr Minnis told reporters. “As I have said before, I do not see President Obama or any president or prime minister of any first-world country sitting down to decide who should get citizenship when the requirements are A, B, C; and I am not sitting down to do it.

“I am not sitting down (before) thousands of applications to do it. We have sufficient honest, respectable individuals who understand the law and who can deal with it in an expeditious manner, and fairly and adhering to the law. Full stop.”

When asked for a timeline on the commission’s appointment, Dr Minnis said: “I will hope as soon as possible.”

Dr Minnis also yesterday reiterated that his government was not “opening the flood gates” for naturalization of citizens, but rather simply “carrying out the laws of the Bahamas.”

He said his earlier declaration to aggressively pursue illegals in the Bahamas and the later steps to clarify those remarks were all made to drive the core point home: “We will not tolerate anybody breaking the laws, that applies to illegal citizens also.”

Dr Minnis yesterday added: “I’ve said previously that after the end of this year we will aggressively pursue illegals regardless of colour or nationality. The law is the law and if you are breaking the law we will deal with it. But at the same time, individuals who are entitled to citizenship and residency status will be dealt with appropriately, in an orderly fashion.

“We have a very huge backlog ... in the thousands. But, I want the press to get this straight now because I know how you’ll like to report differently and sensationalise things – so quote me.

“I am not opening any flood gates. What I am doing is respecting and carrying out the laws of The Bahamas. And you members of the press would want us to respect just how you respect the laws of The Bahamas. Full stop.”

He continued: “But I also state categorically to each and every Bahamian, that if you harbour or hire illegal, I don’t care black, white or whatever, you will be prosecuted. The law is the law, and we must start enforcing and abiding by our laws. What may have happened in the past will no longer happen as we go forward. Full stop.”

Earlier this month Dr Minnis announced that migrants here illegally must leave by December 31.

“After which period they will be aggressively pursued and deported,” he said at the time. “This applies to all nationalities.”