Thursday, June 29, 2023
By LETRE SWEETING
Tribune Staff Reporter
lsweeting@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Immigration Minister Shane Gibson said he always administered citizenship oaths, adding that the ceremony granting the status has sometimes been performed in people’s homes.
His comments came after former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis called for Keith Bell’s dismissal from Cabinet for granting citizenship to three people at a funeral over the weekend.
Mr Bell swore in three people during a funeral for Franck Racine, a man he said came to The Bahamas from Haiti in the 1990s. In granting citizenship to Mr Racine’s relatives, Mr Bell said he was honouring the man’s dying wish. He said Cabinet approved citizenship for the people.
Critics questioned whether Mr Bell was authorized to administer the citizenship oaths.
The Bahamas Nationality Act regulations say the citizenship declarations “shall be of no effect unless they are signed in the presence of or administered by a justice of the peace or notary public or any person authorized to administer oaths”.
Mr Gibson argued that Mr Bell, a lawyer, is a “notary public” and qualified to administer the oath.
“When I was minister, I always did it,” he said.
“What Kieth Bell did was only perform a ceremony. Cabinet approved the citizenships. There have been instances in the past when the ceremony was performed at persons’ residences.”
Mr Gibson’s successor, Brent Symonette, said he never administered a citizenship oath and that the ceremony was always held behind closed doors under more solemn circumstances.
Dr Minnis, meanwhile, said he would remove Mr Bell from Cabinet if he were prime minister.
“The Bahamian people should be outraged that a minister can take your citizenship so lightly and give it out at a funeral,” he said. “If the policy has changed, then the people must know that they can meet the minister in a bar and get their citizenship. Let’s meet Keith Bell on the basketball court and get our citizenship, meet him anywhere. They can meet the minister in a nightclub or restaurant and get their citizenship, if that’s the policy, the prime minister must state that.
“There is a requirement, once they have met the requirement, then by all means, they are entitled to it, but he said he was doing that at the request of the individual who had died. What would have one day difference made, to have done it in the proper setting that we know about, where the policies are followed? One day would not have made a difference. So, I think he was totally out of order.”
“When the actions are done, the prime minister has an obligation to dismiss this independent minister while an investigation goes on. It sends a bad message to the world.
“Keith Bell is behaving as an independent agent and the prime minister must move him. He’s sending the wrong message to the world. He must move him and a proper investigation must be done.
“Citizenship is dear to any nation and it cannot be taken lightly.”
Comments
Sickened says...
Of course you did similar things Shame. That makes everything okay.
Posted 29 June 2023, 9:14 a.m. Suggest removal
ohdrap4 says...
I remember, did not Ana Nicole get her permanent residency delivered at home?
Posted 29 June 2023, 9:29 a.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
Yup, with Mr. Shingles' head resting on her large breast and priceless Rolex adorning his wrist as he delivered the residency certificate. We all remember that gem of a moment. LMAO
Posted 29 June 2023, 2:34 p.m. Suggest removal
mandela says...
These politicians, past and present act as though they work for themselves and must answer and be accountable to no one, including the citizens that hire them for the jobs. Most of them if not all are full of S$$T.
Posted 29 June 2023, 9:39 a.m. Suggest removal
DonAnthony says...
Not surprising, Shane “shingles” Gibson record in office is the complete antithesis of what anyone would consider good governance.
Posted 29 June 2023, 9:55 a.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
....I mean, who else does that in the way the RedParty's two mans' — Minnis and Symonette — Known making-up — 'Phony' front covers.— You'd left with terrible thought that the — Crown's minister Keith Bell — Engaged in swearing an oath to commit — 'Terrorist Acts'.— Against the colony. – 'Aye.' 'Nay?
Posted 29 June 2023, 10:33 a.m. Suggest removal
bahamianson says...
Tal, they all do it. I agree . Politicians use our increased taxed money to have lavish parties and are rushed through traffic. We have to wait in traffic
Posted 29 June 2023, 1:47 p.m. Suggest removal
pablojay says...
We all know that the homes where Shameless Shane administered oaths were not "Over The
Hill" and being away from other ' official prying eyes', i'm sure a generous handshake was
involved.
Posted 29 June 2023, 1:11 p.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
Shameless Shingles and AnnaNicole ROLEX Smith.. Sigh.
Posted 29 June 2023, 1:33 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
Yup, with Mr. Shingles' head resting on her large breast and priceless Rolex adorning his wrist as he delivered the residency certificate. We all remember only too well that gem of a moment. LMAO
Posted 29 June 2023, 2:36 p.m. Suggest removal
bahamianson says...
Yeah, you performed many things, hey. The tribune had you pic up with anna.nicole in her.bed. How does it look for the minister of immigration to be taking a pic with a white , pretty, luscious foreigner while she is still in bed? It looks like a no one can touch me attitude. I do what I want because i am connected. Just saying, that is how it looks.
Posted 29 June 2023, 1:44 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Posted 29 June 2023, 2:40 p.m.
trueBahamian says...
With all of the issues facing the nation should we be concerned about where a citizenship oath is given? If the persons granted citizenship were entitled I say drop the matter and move on. If they were ok with the setting why does anyone else care?
We have the former PM issuing lockdown orders for a week without prior notice during Covid leaving the population to starve if they didn't have food and if you required urgent medication "dog eat ya lunch".
The current administration appears to be playing arithmetricks with the BPL billing blaming fuel prices. I'm going to assume ALL of the FNMs futures contracts were not all used. So, we should have had the benefit of at least a couple months, right? If you check global oil prices they started to come down for awhile now. So, where is this big spike that the PLP needs to catch up on. Can the Minister of Finance along with BPL present to the BPL the numbers behind this story. It's the same story at the pump. Global oil prices dropped and the local dealers went up. I know they argue in the past "the oil in the wells were at the higher price". Guess what the higher price oil was sold at the lower price. So, what is the game going on here?
Posted 29 June 2023, 11:36 p.m. Suggest removal
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