Brilliant. Government sponsored compassion in action.
Can we also take a dozen Christian Syrian orphaned refugees as well? What a great example to the world and would gets lots of positive world press coverage with the right publicity.

There's no room at the inn for such additional compassion. There would of course be room if you and others like you were more supportive of implementing and enforcing government policies that would deter our illegal immigration problem and at the same time incentivize Haiti to take back the illegal Haitian immigrants in our country, including their 'illegal' children born here in the Bahamas.

Absolutely wonderful, made my day to know that in a meaningful way we can help our neighbors. But for a slight deviation in the hurricane’s path we could have been the ones in need, we should never forget that.

I'm sorry but I think this is quite strange. Like I said in a previous post about the Ministry of Education's policies against allowing Haitians already living here to get an education is a bad idea (idle hands are the devil's workshop). How are you going to allow Dominican's to come to school here but block Haitians? Is one group better than the other? Didn't God make us all equal. (Yea and before all the cut-throats start preaching, I am well aware of one group being illegal - but it still seems like a double standard to me, especially since they Already Live Here!)<br/><br/>
I believe we need to get our finances in order and get out of DEBT before over extending ourselves. Why not organize donations and contributions from all these millionaires lounging around in The Bahamas? For that matter, any private citizen who wants to donate, you can help to organize that. But this is just asking for problems... I can see the backlash coming... (okay, now please express your disagreement if you do, without the immature display of verbal attacks - it's just a suggestion though).

You're wrongfully conflating a temporary controlled situation (the children from Dominica) with a decades old out-of-control Haitian illegal immigrant problem whereby children are being born in the Bahamas to Haitian illegal immigrants at an astonishingly high birth rate.

You're assuming they're just going to automatically return home right?

Well_mudda I always find it hilarious that bloggers think we are the same person. Many of the things you post I don't agree with, but I certainly don't believe in personal attacks. There have been a few times we agree but it doesn't seem to be that often. <br/>Maybe because we both use "underscores" in our blog name. Readers truly lack imagination and that's the truly funny part. Rofl

Ahhh...the difference is that the Dominicans are invited. I, along with most Bahamians do not have an issue with legal Haitians who contribute to our society being here. No hatred for Haitians here, just can't stand people who take advantage of others niceness.

well_mudda you are actually answering yourself in this post. We all know we--_mudda,tell_it are the same person. you aint fooling no one here LOLOLOL Too funny

BOL....I prefer being labelled as Bran McCartney.

I encourage you to READ the policy carefully again before advancing an opinion. I do believe that it says that whether they are here legally or not, they are to obtain a permit first from the Department of Immigration in order to register their child/children in school. The problem lies with the fact that they DO NOT want to obtain the permit because the parents are here ILLEGALLY and do not want to get papers (including a valid passport) for their child. The policy is clearly NOT preventing them from attending school, it just says get a permit first even if you are the child of an illegal.

For too long, the illegals have just been prancing up our schools, anchor baby in tow, and just putting the child in the system with no proper record or accountability. The policy ended that and those who are up on arms about it or refuse to abide by the policy are clearly the ones who support the slackness and secretly support illegal migration.

In my opinion, it has to end.

Dominica, on the other hand, has just been wiped out by a hurricane. I have visited this island and it appeared to be impoverished even before the hurricane, so I can only imagine what it looks like know.

I commend the PM for reaching out. I'm sure these students will be given the proper visas and will not be coming into our country illegally demanding service and benefits, but will come through the proper channels and at our expressed invitation. There is no argument that can be advanced for anyone who does it the opposite way.

Comrades! Which of the two versions of this red regime's 'to reach out to lend help or not help' our Caribbean neighbours is the true face this red shirts government?
Prime Minister Minnis, and his Immigration Minister Brent's extended welcoming arms to the Dominicans is in total contrast to that of the other Minister who uttered that....... “As SAD as it may seem” that the hurricane wreaked havoc on other popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean, Bahamaland's Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said that the storm’s devastation “creates opportunities for the Bahamaland” to attract the tourists that would have opted for those destinations.

This is the right thing to do! Besides from us calling ourselves a Christian nation, it is also incumbent for Caribbean countries to pull together, especially in times of natural disasters!

I would like to see the details of how it is structured before I comment

Most government schools in the Family Islands have half empty classrooms (low student:teacher ratios) ........ Is Minnis planning to fill them up to 35:1 as in Nassau????? ..... smdh

Comrades! The residents of Freeport and Grand Bahama are still waiting for Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette and Minister Finance KP, to announce plans to send some aid to accommodate the economically displaced peoples of Freeport and Grand Bahama - going back from three hurricanes.
The public treasury's sending off $200 million in aid to prop up Freeport's foreigner owners corporation, is not exactly sending aid to the residents of Freeport and Grand Bahama. Now, is it?

Comrades! Hello! I'm not sure how much that Christian thing we have left?
Apparently, we have also lost our 'Bahamalander thing' mind's, and forgotten that the hurricane battered the hell out the Turks and Caicos Islands with winds of up to 125 causing extensive damage?

TAL ...**A squeaking wheel gets the grease!**

I am confident our brothers and sisters in the Turks and Caicos Islands who have always been overwhelmingly welcomed to the Bahamas are more aware than any other country in the region that the Bahamas can be counted on in times of need.

However, your question does raise an interesting question of equal importance. The Bahamas is now also forced to take special note of what happens when a country inundated with illegal immigrants is struck by natural disasters!

What happens with illegal immigrants should a similar disaster strike the Bahamas? Who pays to house, feed, secure and cloth them? Could the Haitian government be counted on to come to the aid of its illegal citizens resident on foreign soil?

My guess is Turks and Caicos would have found the difficult situation it now finds itself in much more manageable WITHOUT the added responsibility of illegal immigrants.

The Bahamas had better wake up and smell the coffee with our illegal immigrant problem before we find ourselves in the very same difficult position Turks and Caicos now find itself!

Extending a helping hand to displaced Dominicans legally invited to our country is one thing. However, being forced to support illegal Haitian migrants after a disaster is anudder ting all together!

PRIME Minister Sheriff Dr. Hubert Minnis announced plans to accommodate students from Dominica displaced by Hurricane Maria as the first step in a series of moves to provide aid to the island nation is unquestionably the right thing to do!

Unlike illegal Haitian migrants that sneak into our country and become unwelcomed parasites and an unmanageable threat to national security, displaced Dominican students and adults are **"legal invited guest with open arms"** to our country.

The vast majority of Bahamians have no problem helping our Commonwealth brothers and sisters in their greatest hour of need to **"lawfully migrate"** to our country for as long as need be and willingly put our hands in our pockets to assist these people as best we could.

Puerto Rico although in a dire fiscal position themselves, set a fine example after hurricane Irma by reaching out with the little they had to assist sister Island nations and the Bahamas should emulate them by doing all we can to assist hurricane-ravaged sister Commonwealth countries.

PM Sheriff Minnis is to be wholeheartedly applauded and supported for this initiative.

We, as a people should be extremely grateful for having being spared the devastation of hurricanes Irma and Maria, and surely must easily appreciate what happened to Dominicans could well have happened to Bahamians and the shoe could have been on the other foot!

I welcome **ALL Dominicans** and hope they find solace in the Bahamas during this very difficult time.

Lol lol I understand Belinda Wilson Head of the TEACHERS union said the main issue her TEACHERS are concerned with is the "language barrier". ROTFL. I say please please bring the Dominican teachers in, at least they'll be up on their Caribbean geography. LOL.

What kind of teachers are these asking Ms Wilson about language barrier from Dominica????

She mussy does not speak English, therefore a barrier.

Dominica grieving: Life after Hurricane Maria....These people need help!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-ame…

PM Sheriff Minnis should also seriously consider a win-win proposition to extend support to displaced Dominican agriculturalist who has been totally wiped out to BAMSI. Dominicans developed a thriving export market.

Dominican major exports include coconuts, bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, and oranges. All of which can be focused on for local consumption and international markets.