By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Minister Keith Bell said a special operation in a “high-end gated community” in eastern New Providence found that foreign workers outnumbered Bahamian construction workers three to one, breaking the rules.

He said 56 foreigners were taken into custody, leaving 20 Bahamians working at the site. His comment in the House of Assembly yesterday came as he discussed the actions of immigration officers, which include repatriating almost half the total number of people deported in 2022 in just the first four months of this year. 

Mr Bell said the Department of Immigration had launched operations after numerous complaints from the public about the number of foreign workers on construction sites.

“The finding of the (latest) investigation revealed all of the persons had been issued work permits,” he said. “Secondly, all of the persons were working outside the scope and terms of their work permits.”

 “Thirdly,  a large number of persons were unlawfully paying dramatically lower work permit fees by giving incorrect job descriptions such as farm labourers  which attracts a fee of $500 when they were highly skilled construction professionals, which attracted a fee of $4,000 to $6,000.”

 “Several persons owed renewal and processing fees for permits. Others were pending processing fee payments for the renewal of their permits. Persons were classified as farm labourers and handymen when they were highly skilled construction workers. Investigations into this matter are ongoing.

 Mr Bell warned contractors and other businesses who employ people on work permits to “get your house in order.”

 He also discussed operations in Marsh Harbour, Hope Town, Guana Cay, Treasure Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Ferry Dock, Winding Bay, “The Gully” and “The Farm” communities in Abaco.  

 “Investigations in Abaco have shown that a significant number of persons are working outside the scope of their permits,” he said. “The employers are in New Providence or some other island and the permit holders are working outside New Providence independent of their employer.”

 “From January 2023 to March 31, 2023, some 81 persons were found on Abaco using work permits issued for employers in New Providence alone.  These persons were removed from Abaco and in each case, the permit is liable for revocation.  To date, 65 of the 81 persons have been charged and convicted before the Magistrate’s Court.” 

 Mr Bell said employers are also failing to renew permits on a timely basis, a “vexing issue” for the department. 

 He said over the past three months, an operation has resulted in over $90,000 being collected in back fees for processing and document fees from Bahamian employers of various people taken into custody.