By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

CONSULTANT Louby Georges has called for an end to xenophobia in the country in the wake of criticism about the government’s hiring of Bahamians of Haitian descent as immigration officers.

Photos circulated on social media this week showed the new recruits at a Department of Immigration passing out ceremony at the Royal Bahamas Police Force training college on Wednesday.

There was a strong reaction from some people on social media.

When contacted for comment on Friday, Mr Georges expressed disappointment over what he viewed as an attack against the group and said it demonstrates the growing xenophobia in the country.

He also made the case that those hired by the Immigration Department were Bahamian citizens and, as such, should be given the same opportunities as anyone else.

He said: “We keep talking this stuff about us being a Christian nation and it's all about love and we don’t hate Haitians, but we just have an issue with illegals. Okay, cool. Let’s accept that if that was the issue, then how does that apply to Bahamian citizens going through training and now being graduates and now becoming a part of our armed forces?

“How do you attack them who are Bahamian citizens, but yet would say - you don’t hate Haitians? It’s xenophobia, rank xenophobia.”

Immigration and Labour Minister Keith Bell could not be reached for comment up to press time Friday.

Earlier this year, the country experienced an influx of Haitian migrants due to worsening economic and political conditions in Haiti.

According to immigration officials last month, the department repatriated more than 1,800 Haitian migrants so far for the year.

Yesterday, Mr Georges addressed concerns about officers with Haitian origins potentially helping immigrants under the table as opposed to enforcing the law as they have been mandated to do.

He emphasised that while the concern is a legitimate one as some Bahamians have disregarded the law in the past, it is entirely wrong for people to falsely conclude that all will do so.

“I’m pretty sure that you have probably gone to the bank, you have probably gone to the hospital, or you have gone to some government institution because the community is so small and The Bahamas is so small, and I’m pretty sure that you’ve gone somewhere before and somebody knew you and because that person knew you, they gave you a bye” Mr Georges continued.

“I’m pretty sure that everyone has experienced this so what I’m saying is police do it. How many Bahamians go to the United States and come back with big old duffel bags through the airport and on their declaration forms say they claimed to have spent some $200 and they make up the receipts and the customs officers say ‘cool, it’s okay to go by’?”

He added: “So yes, there is a possibility, but can we throw a blanket statement over the police force? No, we can’t. Can we throw a blanket statement over the RBDF or over Customs? No, we can’t so we cannot generalise and throw a blanket over the Department of Immigration over those persons who are of Haitian descent.

“They are Bahamian citizens. They are swearing to uphold the rules, the laws and the sovereignty of their country so let us judge them by their character.”

He also noted that the discriminatory remarks show that that the Bahamian people “lack confidence in our institutions” and its ability to “instill within its ranks the necessary principles and ideologies to ensure that they operate with integrity.”

Nonetheless, Mr Georges called for an end to the discriminatory attitudes towards Bahamians of Haitian descent, saying “it needs to stop”.

“Overall, the xenophobia is so glaring and it’s so sad and it needs to stop, man,” he said.