By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Minister Keith Bell admitted yesterday that some Chinese nationals working at the British Colonial Hilton in January were released from custody and returned to the construction site despite the “irregularities” that prompted officers to detain them.

Mr Bell said “it was determined that given all of the circumstances”, taking the people to the detention centre for processing was unnecessary.

He did not say who determined this, and he refused questions from reporters.

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard has claimed senior immigration officials sent a letter to the permanent secretary expressing concern about Mr Bell’s intervention in the January 17 matter.

 Citing information from unnamed officials, Mr Pintard said buses were loaded with Chinese nationals, but Mr Bell intervened to release them.

 “The government was advised that the hotel required extensive renovation works,” Mr Bell told reporters before a Cabinet meeting yesterday. “The work, as with other large projects, necessitated the importation of temporary foreign workers. Given the construction processes, varying workers are required for elements of the project. As specialised workers complete their tasks, they leave the country and new specialists re-enter.

 “In January of this year, the Department of Immigration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with our immigration laws, discovered a number of irregularities with the status of workers at the British Colonial Hilton construction site.

 “Whilst the irregularities required immediate action, it was determined that given all of the circumstances, taking the persons at the detention centre was unnecessary. It is important to note that the employer, as with almost every other major hotel redevelopment, has a heads of agreement with the government of The Bahamas to permit the temporary importation of foreign construction workers.

 “Secondly, the irregularities found at the site could and were expeditiously cured by the employer. And thirdly, the completion of the renovation works at the British Colonial property will address and add critically needed hotel rooms on New Providence and create additional employment and opportunities for Bahamians.”

 Former Immigration Minister Brent Symonette said he would have allowed officials of the Department of Immigration to do their job.

 “A minister,” he said yesterday, “shouldn’t interfere at that level unless it’s a matter of national security or public interest or something way beyond that, but if there are workers working there illegally, they should be arrested and whatever happens happens, especially since his prime minister said he won’t tolerate whatever.

 “You can’t be half pregnant. In other words, if they paid their fees and haven’t got the permit, that’s one thing, but if we haven’t got a permit whatsoever, you deport them. The law must be allowed to take its course. A minister shouldn’t intervene.”

 FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands said there are unanswered questions about the episode.

 “What,” he said, “were the irregularities, and how were they cured so quickly when it takes months sometimes for work permits to be processed?

 “Was the proper procedure and documentation for work permit applications received and processed? Were the proper fees paid before the release of the work permits? How did the workers arrive in The Bahamas? When did they arrive and what was their status upon admission by immigration when landed?

 “Can the good minister show us where in the Heads of Agreement it says that the employer can import whoever they want without reference to and approval from immigration?”