What is Economist talking about??? Immigration is the main reason for the stressed financial conditions we are experiencing. I was not stating any opinions either. FACT is Bahamians are not in the mood to hear excuses and the majority support this venture. Did you not read the poll results???????????? Or are you still stuck on trying to get people to see your point. What you and others like you are demanding is that I continue to pay for illegals in this country. My response is a resounding nooooooooooo!
But once again Economist the following is what you wrote as the solution. And I am the one who needs to stay focus? LOL
"*I would consider granting citizenship to those who have been here over twenty years and are making a valuable contribution to our society. Thirdly, I would consider granting residence, with the right to work in the business for which they are trained or skilled to those who had been here for over fifteen years and can show a connection with the country (Bahamian wife or husband with or without children). For those who have lived here for over ten years I would consider granting a work permit. Again they would also have to show a connection with the country (husband* /wife)."

"What the government is doing is keeping education free while creating obstacles for those whose parents may not be here legally, or those who cannot afford the fees charged by (the Department of) Immigration.” This former, ineffective minister of education is spurting doo doo. According to him every child from an illegal parent shouldn't have to pay a fee to attend school in the Bahamas. If that's the premise then there are thousands of Bahamians who cannot afford to pay additional taxes like VAT and should be exempted from from paying them.
While I believe that there is nothing wrong with giving children of illegals free education, I think that the parents of these children should be held accountable. The process introduced by the department of immigration will at least attempt to bring some form of responsibility to Haitian women who can't seem to control their vulva from spitting out children like it is going out of style. So at least when they have children they will know that they and their many f--- mates will be responsible for paying for their education and not the Bahamian people.

Folks, the world is changing. Every country is changing its policies regarding illegal migration. Nothing special here. Bahamians are in no mood to hear about other people's problems when they are struggling with their own. The free ride at five is over. Come to grips with reality or take ya children back to your hometown and blame the Haitian government dem.

Sigh...It is not the article that supports our immigration policy. The people who read the article and responded accordingly are the ones that matters. Journalists should never take side but just report on issue: So of course the person who wrote the article cannot say that they support the Bahamas' immigration policies. The description used by the commenters can be interpreted from many different angles. It depends on which side of the fence you are standing.

So now if the comments from the readers are not worth anything, why are we wasting our time commenting here?????????????

Don't worry about the New York Times. The majority of Americans agree with what we are doing,
http://news.yahoo.com/bahamas-fends-off…

For those who do not read news much outside of the Bahamas, every country in this hemisphere is trying to resolve this illegal immigration problem. Like I always say don't mind the noise in the market. The majority of the citizens of each of these countries support deportation and the route we are taking to resolve this problem. Americans top the list.

http://news.yahoo.com/bahamas-fends-off…

@Economist-Sorry had to take a coffee break. Anyway, according to one of your comments on another article in this paper, you wrote the following. It is safe to say that the following is your solution for the illegal migrant problem we have in the Bahamas:

*" I would consider granting citizenship to those who have been here over twenty years and are making a valuable contribution to our society.
Thirdly, I would consider granting residence, with the right to work in the business for which they are trained or skilled to those who had been here for over fifteen years and can show a connection with the country (Bahamian wife or husband with or without children).
For those who have lived here for over ten years I would consider granting a work permit. Again they would also have to show a connection with the country (husband /wife)."*

I see where your head is. If your suggestions were to be taken seriously, the Bahamas would sink to a new level to that of a run down dirty place we used to call home. Look at Little Haiti in Miami. They were given the opportunity, look at the mess they made over there. You are saying regulate over 160 Haitians, plus other foreigners in the Bahamas. I see you are hooked on stupid. It is like asking someone to dress up the roaches in their home instead of exterminating them. But since even Blind Blake can see where your allegiance lies, I wouldn't even respond to any of your comments relating to this matter again.

Economist, if ya want to fix the problem, then ya gatte to the root or the problem. The root of the problem lies in Haiti, not the Bahamas. I live in fantasy land??? Are you kidding me? I live in an area infested by illegals. You are the one who need to come to grips with reality my friend. One side cannot play by the rules while the other side ignore the rules. You can google all the documents related to the subject that you like, the main focus here is that the bahamas department of immigration is not guilty of any breech of any international laws. We as Bahamians must do what is in the best interest of Bahamians. So stop dabbling in things you really don't understand and start reporting illegals so that we could get this shit under control. And no. I did not read the links. Don't need to. But if you are ready to really face this issue head on I will gladly give you a tour and maybe then you will catch your senses. But then again, you may be one a dem living in disguise. People style of writing don't change. The argument that you bring related to this issue seems very similar to that of another blogger. You ain change ya user name on this site ay? Hmmmm...

Don't mind the noise in the market. This poll will show that the majority of Bahamians agree with the new position this government is taking regarding immigration reform.

By the way deddie dem and economist/volaitaire: One of the other stories in this paper reads, "Canadian Accused Of Working Illegally". This person was taken to court and arraigned before a judge, but ya don't see thousands of Canadian citizens accusing the Bahamas about being unfair. No other country cloaks their people and pat them on the back saying "good job for entering another man's country without being detected. Now go find some work and send it back to our people"

@Economist-You seem to have a lot of energy on this matter. Why don't you be a good Samaritan and travel to Haiti and lecture them about the Convention on the Rights of the Child. They have been getting it wrong for years. They allow adults to take their children on these lil rigged boats across treacherous waters. What have ye to say to that??? Besides, Bahamians have been good to Haitians, we gat this. Your concern and that of the Amnesty people should be directed at the other countries that literally kill illegal Haitians who enter their shores. Do that research and get back to us, OK? Ok then.