By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

AFTER repeated delays, Immigration Commission chair Alexandra Hall said yesterday the long-awaited draft report should finally reach Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis by the end of the year.

Ms Hall acknowledged growing public frustration, noting that since the commission was established in 2023, little has been revealed about its progress. She said members have conducted site visits to Immigration Department offices nationwide to review procedures but declined to disclose specific concerns.

The report is expected to guide efforts to modernise the immigration system, streamline protocols, and make the public more comfortable engaging with the department rather than, as Ms Hall put it, “suffering in silence”.

She confirmed the commission has only met with Immigration Minister Alfred Sears once, saying this was deliberate to maintain independence. “I think the general public would have more confidence in what we present with us, having as little interaction with the political directorate at this stage as possible,” she said.

The commission has been reviewing current processes, confidentiality safeguards, and discretionary practices. It has also consulted stakeholders and drafted recommendations for modernisation, stronger checks and balances, and legislative reform.

Ms Hall apologised for the delays, saying officials want the report to be comprehensive. While an initial draft was completed, she said further revisions were required in light of escalating concerns. She added that she hopes the report will have lasting value.

Aware that previous immigration reports have often gathered dust, she said she wants this one to be useful for generations.

The Davis administration has pledged the commission would play a central role in reforming immigration policy, reviewing department operations, and restoring public trust. But since its launch, officials have offered little detail about its work.

In June, press secretary Keishla Adderley said the commission had completed a “comprehensive review” of immigration operations in New Providence and the Family Islands and would soon deliver its findings to the prime minister before public consultations. In July, however, Mr Davis confirmed he had yet to receive the report.

Meanwhile, Free National Movement chairman Dr Duane Sands said Bahamians should not expect the Davis administration to release the report at all.

The commission is chaired by Ms Hall and includes former Education Director Marcellus Taylor and former Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Clifford Scavella.