By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION concerns are a long-standing “legacy issue” that predictably rise to the forefront during election season, Bahamas Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander said yesterday.

“It usually comes to attention and to the forefront during election time,” he said. “Maybe these are good times for us as a people to decide what we want to enforce, how we want it enforced, and kind of correct some of the legacy problems we have in our legislation.”

His comments come in the wake of political tension over immigration, spurred by Free National Movement (FNM) leader Michael Pintard’s recent accusations that the Davis administration presides over a “broken, politicised and corrupt” immigration system. Mr Pintard has promised sweeping reforms under a future FNM government, including tighter border controls, stricter enforcement, and increased transparency.

The government has forcefully rejected those claims, labelling them as misleading and politically motivated. Officials have pointed to an alleged record 13,000 repatriations in under four years and the demolition of seven shanty towns as evidence of robust enforcement.

Bishop Fernander, while steering clear of political endorsements, called for national discourse rooted in fairness, compassion, and integrity, not xenophobia.

“From the church perspective, we always err on the side of being firm but fair,” he said. “We want to see our laws informed, but those who are entitled to go through the process must be allowed to do so in a timely and effective manner.”

He added that the Christian Council plans to conduct its own inquiries into the immigration system.

“We will be watching. We will be doing some of our investigations ourselves so that we can get to the bottom of it, because sometimes the information is conflicting, but we have ways of getting the data and understanding what’s going on in every ministry,” he said.

He emphasised the importance of treating migrants with dignity and avoiding discrimination based on race or nationality.

“What I want to say is, as a country, we must embrace all but, as I said, be firm but fair, enforce our laws,” he said. “We have bad examples in the world today. There’s a lot of this going on where certain races and places are being treated in certain manners. I’m saying to us as Bahamians, let’s show the world how to do it right. Let’s take care of our laws, let’s enforce them, but let’s show the kind of care and concern that we should to people who need our help, because one day it might be us.”

Mr Pintard, in a recent press conference, warned that illegal immigration has created a national security crisis, placing pressure on public clinics, schools, and housing. He claimed that more than 10,000 work permit applications remain unresolved, and criticised what he called a lack of oversight and tracking, especially concerning increased commercial flights from Haiti.

As part of his proposed solution, he announced “Operation SHIELD,” a plan that includes an immigration oversight board, tighter border surveillance, comprehensive audits of work permits, and stricter vetting protocols, particularly for Haitian nationals. He also pledged that no one who entered The Bahamas illegally under an FNM government would be granted citizenship.

The government has pushed back strongly, calling Mr Pintard’s allegations “distortion and spin”. In a detailed response, it said that the large number of permit applications cited by the opposition includes decades-old files, duplicates, and expired applications. Officials also clarified that recent increases in National Insurance Board (NIB) registrations reflect efforts to regularise individuals who previously used fraudulent documents.

The Ministry of Immigration noted that the Carmichael Road Detention Centre currently houses just 50 migrants, a historic low, and argued that the administration’s record proves its commitment to enforcing immigration laws.