By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AS top government officials looked on yesterday, Pastor TG Morrison railed against illegal immigration during a Majority Rule Day ceremony, claiming that “something cataclysmic is going to happen” if the issue is not addressed.

He described illegal migration as an “existential threat” to The Bahamas and said unless people are brave enough to stand against it, the country will face a lifetime of regret. 

“While we sympathise with the plight of others, we do not do so at our own peril, for we cannot cut off our nose to spite our face,” he said.

His comments during an ecumenical church service at Zion Baptist Church in honour of Majority Rule Day came weeks after Defence Force Commodore Raymond King said irregular migration from Haiti had declined by 22 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022. Commodore King said there were no reported or detected migrant landings in 2023.

 The United Nations, meanwhile, has urged the country to halt deportations of Haitians because of the unrest in that country.

 Earlier this month, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said migration was needed to maintain the country’s population and meet the labour demand. 

 “The problem we have here is that there’s a lack of understanding or recognition of this, and people are emotionally upset about what they see as a group of people trying to take over the country,” Mr Mitchell said. “I assure you, no one can take this country over unless Bahamians allow it.”

 Yesterday, Rev Morrison acknowledged the need for skilled workers, but claimed, without evidence, that the country faces an era of children who “would lift up a certain flag and dare Bahamian students to pass that way because they declare that is their territory”.

“This is what we are up against, and unless somebody is brave enough to say that something has to be done, we will regret what happens, for after all, we fought for The Bahamas for Bahamians, and after 57 years, there ought to be a Bahamian people who are prepared to take charge,” he said, adding that some people lack “the political will” to stem illegal migration. 

 “One does not have to be a social scientist to see that our country is seething right now,” he said. 

 The religious leader also called for a review of citizenship laws, saying they need “urgent and radical revisiting,” though he did not elaborate.

 Yesterday’s service at Zion Baptist was one of several events held to commemorate the country’s 56th anniversary of Majority Rule. After the service, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the gravesite of Sir Lynden Pindling.