By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net 

A HOST of irregularities under Immigration Minister Keith Bell have been alleged by FNM leader Michael Pintard - including work permits granted to arrested individuals who had made no application, for businesses that had no licence and interventions that led to concerns being raised by Immigration Director Keturah Ferguson. 

Ms Ferguson expressed deep disapproval when Keith Bell intervened to release Chinese nationals at the British Colonial Hilton in January, writing that such actions demoralised immigration officers and weakened authorities’ ability to prevent human trafficking.

“I find it very disconcerting when directives of this nature are continuously received,” she wrote in a letter to Ministry of Labour & Immigration Permanent Secretary Cecilia Strachan on January 18.

 Mr Pintard disclosed the letter during a press conference yesterday as the FNM amplified its scrutiny and criticism of the immigration minister.

 Mr Pintard revealed new instances of Mr Bell allegedly intervening to provide work permits to people in what he said were questionable circumstances.

 He said in one case, a woman’s work permit application was made when she was at the detention centre; not only was her application approved, but the fees for the years she worked without a permit were also waived.

 He said immigration officials have also disclosed numerous other violations to him, such as people getting approvals without being interviewed when an interview is required and employers getting approval for applications when they cannot financially sustain the employee.

“Approvals are granted to employers who, after investigation, stated that they did not submit the application that was on file, that the information was falsified,” he said.

 “Approvals are granted to individual employers who are listed as facilitators and had more than ten workers or work permits but have no business licence in most cases, or even when they have a business licence, they do not generate income to justify the need that they stated.

 “Approvals are granted to applicants and employers that do not meet the requirement.”

“Detainees are ordered to be released because the minister or some other ordered it to be so, and there are public servants who have been willing to put their reputation and career on the line by making this information and supporting information available.”

 Ms Ferguson’s letter said Mr Bell intervened in the Hilton matter at the request of Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, the acting prime minister at the time.

 Mr Bell said last week that “it was determined” sending the Chinese nationals to the detention centre was unnecessary.

 Ms Ferguson’s letter to Ms Strachan, nonetheless, offers a rare glimpse into a conflict between a senior government official and a minister.

 Ms Ferguson noted an apprehension exercise happened on January 17 around 8pm.

 Immigration officials, according to the letter, were acting on information that a large group of Chinese nationals were being housed at the British Colonial Hotel. Of the 65 people found, only three produced documents proving their identity.

 “Directives were received from Minister Bell at about 2059hrs to have the immigration officers stand down on the operation and that any breach will be remedied on January 18 2023,” the letter said. “Minister Bell indicated that this request was made by Acting PM Cooper.”

 “While I am cognizant of the present economic climate and the lack of jobs for Bahamians, I find it very disconcerting when directives of this nature are continuously received. This type of action is demoralising to the immigration officers in particular, who are trying to do their jobs as mandated by law. Further, this is a security breach as we do not have any idea who the remaining 62 persons are nor how they entered our country. In addition, it begs the question of trafficking in persons may be a factor in this instance. It also appears that the expatriate has more rights in The Bahamas than Bahamians. Moreover, this is also a show of disrespect to the chair of director of immigration.”

 “To this end, I believe that a better outcome would have been realised if the officers were allowed to take the persons into custody on last evening and process the individuals so that we would have known who was in the group and possibly if anyone was being victimised or perhaps trafficked.”

 The Davis administration has taken a tough posture on work permits, with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis saying in June that the government would crack down on granting them.

 However, Mr Pintard’s claims about Mr Bell’s intervention in work permit matters threatens to undermine the administration’s message.

 Mr Pintard said he knows Mr Bell intervened in the matters because the documents indicate “approved by minister”.

 “One case involves a lady who was applying for a work permit,” he said. “The work permit expired in 2019. As a result, that individual was arrested because there was no application for renewal at the time. The application for renewal was submitted after they were arrested and detained at the detention centre. The work permit was allegedly approved during 2022 and would cover the period for 2022 to 2023 and the outstanding fees that were due for the previous period were waived.”

 Mr Pintard said another case involved a woman scheduled to be deported.

 “The work permit was approved while she was at the detention centre,” he said. “The third case, the individual was intercepted on a boat attempting to smuggle its way into the USA. They were charged and convicted and placed on the restricted list, and despite all of these facts, that particular person was approved for a work permit.

 “The next person, whose nationality is not Caribbean, was reportedly approved for a work permit while detained once again in the detention centre. The next individual, who is from the Caribbean, was arrested by immigration officers on October 11, 2022 for overstaying, was deported on October 16, 2022. The application was submitted –– that is for their work permit –– on October 13, 2022, while they were detained in the detention centre. Nobody could access them in order to get their signature on the application or for them to pay any fees. But this is the issue, they were approved for permit on the day of or after they were deported.”

 Neither Mr Bell nor the Davis administration’s communications representatives responded to questions about the matters before press time yesterday.