By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION rights activist Louby Georges says the continued influx of Haitians entering The Bahamas illegally is driven by local employers and developers who persist in hiring them.

Mr Georges, a private immigration consultant, said he believes there are more legal than illegal migrants in the country. He noted the widespread assumption that all Haitian migrants are undocumented, but acknowledged that many still choose to enter illegally rather than follow proper immigration protocols.

He made the comments in response to questions about public frustration over illegal migration during an interview on Beyond the Headlines with guest host Sancheska Brown on Wednesday.

Mr Georges described migration as being driven by both “push and pull” factors. He said many are fleeing dire conditions in Haiti, while being drawn to The Bahamas by the promise of economic opportunity.

“Why are they not sailing towards Cuba? Why are they not sailing towards Jamaica? They are sailing, but not in the numbers that they’re coming this way, because of economic opportunities,” Mr Georges said, referring to illegal migrants.

“These people are economic migrants looking for jobs. The reality is, though, when they get here, most likely they are finding jobs. They are being hired.”

Haiti’s worsening conditions— marked by political instability, escalating gang violence, widespread poverty, and a lack of effective governance — have forced many of its citizens to seek better lives abroad.

The Davis administration’s Unregulated Communities Task Force has recently resumed efforts to demolish shanty towns, issuing 30-day eviction notices to residents. Media visits to these communities in the past have shown that they are predominantly occupied by Haitians, some of whom are legal residents, undocumented migrants or Bahamian citizens.

These areas are often considered health and safety hazards, lacking basic infrastructure such as running water, electricity and sanitation.

Mr Georges was asked about the resistance from some residents to leave these unregulated communities. He suggested they would not be living there if they were not being hired by local developers and construction companies. While not excusing the issue, he acknowledged that many migrants are employed in construction across the islands.

He cited Abaco as an example of how demand for labour increases economic migration. Before it was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in 2019, The Mudd in Marsh Harbour was one of the largest Haitian shanty towns in The Bahamas.

Mr Georges said most of The Mudd’s residents were employed, though he could not confirm their legal status.

He reiterated that Haitian migrants could choose to flee to countries like the Dominican Republic, Cuba or Barbados, but many still select The Bahamas as they weigh their options in desperate search of economic relief.