The clueless Minister still doesn't seem to understand that citizen and residency benefits of any kind are only for those constitutionally entitled. Illegals immigrants and their offspring (without Bahamian parents) ARE NOT constitutionally entitled to anything except deportation!!

The minister can't rewrite the constitution.

This has been in the constitution since it was written.

How is he to blame?

Because he chooses to interpret it for political expediency instead of the intent and spirit of the law!

This is the craziest thing I ever heard.

To obtain permanent residency without the right to work, an outsider needs to invest $1m minimum and pay $10,000.

But if your parents were criminals and came here illegally, if you schooled yourself at the expense of the Bahamian taxpayer and generally sponged off this state all your life, you get it for free and we throw in the right to work.

This Minister is a cretin.

What taxes do you pay that these people or their 'criminal' parents don't?

Real property tax just for starters!

Most Bahamians don't pay their real property tax. Also if these 'criminals' own property then they pay tax.

newcitizen you need to get you head out of the hole that it is in.

I guess you can only show your xenophobia instead of providing actual information to the conversation.

Lately, whenever Comrade Brent picks up his red colonial citizenship ministerial hammer, certain classifications applicants not applying citizenship by age 19 - they looks like a nail to him.............for to deny citizenship to someone not born on foreign soil but right here among we natives - would be judged by the highest courts to not only be an abuse guiding principals Constitution but cruel and harmful punishment for doing no more than missing a procedural age 19 guideline. Mr. red Imperial minister, have you be it in the Minnis or Papa Hubert administrations as citizenship minister - ever authorized granting citizenship for an applicant over the age 19.... I has asks - because of the blatant red governing games ambiguity hypocrisy this most confusing red administration.

Should it not be " People who are born in the Bahamas to "LEGAL" foreign parents in the Bahamas" are entitled to apply. If ANY Parent entered the Bahamas ILLEGALLY the child is not ELIGABLE to apply. The law should be clear and concise and free of any AMBIGUITY.

Bahamians must demand a referendum to address this immigration issue once and for all!! We simply can't trust the politicians (especially Symonette) to do what is in this country's best interest!

No Bahamian government is ever going to call a referendum for anything ever again. look what happened with ones held in the past once the Godbothers got involved.

The Outspoken QC himself must be coming up with this stuff. If they do not submit an application by age 19 they need to be deported period. Get the information out in the schools and clinics so that they can stop getting away with playing ignorant to the laws and deadlines that apply to them

Goofy Brent Symonette is about as daft as they come and could only wish he had one-tenth of the smarts and common sense that his step brother Bobby had. It is treasonous for Brent and the dimwitted Doc not to accept the basic premise that illegal aliens cannot create legal residents or citizens from their offspring except in those instances where the father was a Bahamian citizen at the time the child was born. In other words, if the root is illegal then all that springs from it must be illegal too.

What goofy Brent Symonette and the dimwitted Doc are proposing here will result in thousands and thousands of illegal aliens being granted amnesty to reside and work in the Bahamas forever more and to produce (by their offspring) many thousands more who would be able to do likewise. The number of individuals of Haitian heritage who would now be able to legally reside in the Bahamas would totally overwhelm the indigenous Bahamian population and would devour our country's very limited financial resources. Such a foolish policy would be the equivalent of turning the keys to the front door of our country over to Haiti, while giving a key to the back door to Jamaica!

half-brother.

I stand corrected on the relationship and Pop (Brent's father) not abiding by his marriage vows. Thank you.

this just creates another problem because, if one cannot apply at 18 for lack of proper documents, one cannot apply at 20 because of the same documents.

as for raising the penalty for harbouring, how about charging an employer for the first time, if only to make history.

and, referendum, do not waste your money, people will continue to vote no.

So now they are proposing to raise work permit fees. The country already has a problem with persons working illegally so now you punish the ones who are complying. Nice!

Ma Comrades, fortunately, there's voters salvation comes every 5-years, all elected MP's seeking election from previous general election - get to stand before entrance gates of judgement to receive destination send off directions of either you're clear so go up this way - if your sins against people tally count is high - go join hell's long lineup over there for elevator head downstairs with your other fellow colleagues. Some MP's so been living unfulfilled promises guilt they become all Satan possessed, they just plain duck-out re contesting for fear voter humiliation rejection... and ya don't have looks hard spot their 666, which brings comfort to political fools.

Why would he propose a "solution" that rewards missing the deadline with something even better? Permanent residency implies they will retain or still have to acquire foreign passports meanwhile benefitting from Bahamas' resources in every way (except voting). What's the incentive for applying for citizenship? His brazen attempt at creating a bi-national country should be rejected.

At most they should be given temporary status and mandated to fulfill certain requirements such as having a trade or degree, no criminal record and show stability before they are allowed to apply for citizenship. And deported if not. Immigration policies should not be developed with a charitable mindset, it should benefit the country as well.

What the hell qualifies them to apply for citizenship?

Not encouraging coming off the stalled Oban bunch crap mess with yet another newly minted red Comrades Minnis, KP and Brent's made up policy unfounded in law way run nation which is in dark times.... and they thinks they're positively encouraging Grand Bahamians accept Oban. Who we as a people gone sinned so badly against - get stuck 5-years these three man's?

Let me get this ......... an illegal immigrant has a child in The Bahamas ........ and evades the Law for 18 years ........... and then that child can be made a permanent resident of our country??????? ............. What am I missing here???????

What you (we) are missing is a sensible government. How much longer can we survive as a country with imbeciles in charge? ... almost 45 years now - downhill.

Seems like "par for the course" as opposed to "game changer". I agree with @OldFort, this is not a sensible solution. Why should anyone apply at all? There must be some cutoff period for any leniency I submit December 2013. Anyone born to an illegal immigrant post that date is not entitled to anything. We will have no Bahamas in 20 years if they continue this nonsensical policy.

More to the point, next time an EU citizen asks me how to get permanent residence, I will not tell him to invest $1m in a property and pay the $10,000 application fee. I will quite simply tell him to go to PMH and bribe someone with $500 and get a birth certificate showing he was born here to illegal immigrants. Problem solved.

You could charge him 9,999.99 for the financial advice

Campaign promises:
1.Oban
2.Haitian citizenship
3.Foreign workers for software companies
4.Close down the Japanese used car market

Comrade ThisIsOurs, what about removing VAT from bread basket items, transparency, locking up any current or former MP's and Senators, if they didn't file financial disclosures. deadline deporting undocumented immigrants, promises by PM reveal all in House about the fake signature Oban deal, close the sale Freeport hotel, sell Baha Mar and grant crown lands to any islander wishing return back they island, sell Bank of Bahamas, not appoint red political lackeys to government posts, boards and plum public purse funded jobs.

"*what about removing VAT from breadbasket items...*"

No, no, no, you're doing that thng where you're listening with your ears as opposed to your eyes again...

you guys might as well get used to it. All those people are here to stay

And the Illegal Immigrants and Foreigners are singing the song to the Bahamian People, " SAY WHAT YOU LIKE, DO WHAT YOU LIKE, WE STILL STILL GOT IT GOING OUR WAY. This use to be your country, NOW NOW IS OUR TIME.

He has, and always will be, an all for me baby politician. He controls the PM and his sick a=s smile is a prominent example of what he thinks about our country,

This guy owns Bahamas Ferries along with his brother and proudly proclaims to be a descendant of the Current Eleuthera. Yet his boat travels to the Current every week to a run down dock with terrible roads, and no toilet facilities for passengers waiting on his boats.
Bahamians and tourists alike must walk through the track road to relieve themselves in the bushes. How many millions is he worth? What a joker. But he always ends up in Parliament. No one can stop him because he is the real Prime Minister.

no he does not, this post is simply lies and not the first from this particular poster, poser???

I hear what you’re saying about Mr. Symonette....however, try to be objective and not racially prejudiced, and not envious of his wealth.
The man works very hard for his country because he believes that he can make a difference... and he has. He does not HAVE to be in government... sure he has an ego and enjoys the “power”, but he genuinely wants to make a difference for all of us. I think that despite the bad rap that you convey, I suggest that you give him a chance, and hopefully we will all be pleasantly suprised by the results of his hard work and dedication.

You must be his lap poodle! Nobody cares about his race or wealth. Brent's sole purpose of "being in politics" is to protect his special interest groupings and natural resources, pirates that have had an economic stranglehold on the entire country since their **UBP parents** governed the Bahamas!

Mr Symonette is in government to protect and expand his family business interests. That is the only reason he is interested in the Immigration portfolio. Can't you appreciate that as Minister of Immigration he has no grasp of Immigration law and this is his second time around in that post. He has no interest in this country or its people, only to the extent that he is personally enriched!

Mr./Mrs. Juju: Ok, I will engage you. Can you please name me one initiative/program that Mr. Symonette himself has enacted/developed/championed that has materially impacted in the development of The Bahamas?

Juju's power must still be off.

We have no need for Brent Symonette! He has to go!!!

I swear this FNM Government is stuck on stupid!! Permanent Residency and you still get to apply for citizenship 10 years later.

Why don't y'all just admit you are looking out for the Haitians and their breed.

All of these laws are in FAVOUR of the foreigners and illegals. Nothing that WE the Bahamian people who voted for you want - which is to stop granting citizenship or any other status to the children of illegals.

Agreed .......... This is DACA Bahamian-style ...... a bullshit strategy to appease illegals??????? ...... Send them and their spawn HOME!!!!!!

When is The Minister of Immigration going to put photo id on the Public Notices for persons or governmemt placingg these notices in the papers requiring a response to persons on citizrndhip???
Knowing fully well you cannot identify someone without a picture, or obscure resodential address, or strange name espevially when most persons are only known by a nickname???

@juju you make the critical mistake of assuming that because people have lots of money they don't want more. Look at Jared Kurshner, the an is meeting with a rep from Citibank IN THE WHITE HIUSE and coming out with over 100 million in loans. People take these positions not for the salary but for the power and access it gives them. Remember Fotzgerald? He told us he didn't need the salary, but in one letter he asked Izmirikian for a contract equal to his year's salary. No wonder he didn't care about 2000 per month.