By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AS the government defends its decision to mandate work permits for relief volunteers entering The Bahamas, a Haitian-Bahamian advocate has called the policy “sickening”, urging officials to immediately reverse it.

Jetta Baptiste, former president of the Haitian Bahamian Society of The Bahamas, stressed that Bahamians desperately need relief assistance after Hurricane Dorian hit the country, killing many and causing significant devastation in Grand Bahama and Abaco.

The Immigration Department is charging relief volunteers $300 for work permits to enter the country.

Ms Baptiste has complained that it makes no sense and would only deter volunteers.

She noted these volunteers have left families, jobs and businesses elsewhere to help the country in its recovery.

“It makes no sense charging those volunteers coming to help Bahamians in desperate need - to have to pay, that is sickening,” Ms Baptiste said.

She believes Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis should do something about the policy.

“You have your immigration officers charging volunteers to come in and help rebuild the Bahamas, which makes no sense. Why should volunteers pay to come and help you build your country when a lot of Bahamian people talking crap about chase Haitian people and kick down doors so you could get rid of the Haitian people who are the same ones you need to help build your community.”

Ms Baptiste, who was an outspoken advocate in Grand Bahama on matters relating to the treatment of Haitians before relocating overseas, said that homes and schools need to be rebuilt in Grand Bahama and Abaco.

“Here you have people coming, taking time off from their jobs and businesses, wanting to volunteer, and you asking them to pay to volunteer in the Bahamas.

“I know you need the money Mr Prime Minister but, find another way to do it – this is not going to work, reverse that policy immediately,” she said.

On Tuesday, Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson defended the government’s decision to mandate work permits for Hurricane Dorian volunteers entering the Bahamas.

At the time, Mr Johnson said the government still has an obligation to ensure only fit and proper people, who have the country’s best interests at heart, are allowed to enter and leave the country.

He said: “We have not just national obligations to ensure that the right persons are here but an international obligation. Because we are dealing with the OECD and the Financial (Action) Task Force and we are saying to the world that we can account for persons coming and going.

“This is what the government has done post Hurricane Dorian. We issued the exigency order to allow products and services for the purposes of dealing with the devastation from Hurricane Dorian to come. You saw international groups came in and they fed persons, they were allowed in and their staff was allowed in.”

Mr Johnson added: “(This) is still ongoing because the exigency order is for six months. Persons can’t just turn up; you must understand that around the world after devastation you had persons who came, and they did not have proper intentions. Women and children were hurt.”