In case you do do not understand what just happened a couple of weeks ago, let me recap: The Bahamas is one of the costliest place for vacation in the American Continent and the world. Things that the Bahamian people used to brag about as being exclusive are no longer exclusive.
Haiti just brokered a deal between the U.S. and Cuba and the Bahamas is going to be the lose in this deal. The Bahamas is going to suffer real Bad and you know it. Cuba has some advantages. Minutes away from the port of Miami, cheap labor coupled with a low currency and more production, they have lots of beaches, rivers and mountains (Bahamas only beaches), they have a better ecosystem than us and they are also a nation desperate to get the American Tourists which turn into great customer service. (And they are also a beautiful rich in unexplored Culture and tradition more than any other country in the Caribbean) Once Cuba is open in the next few months, you can kiss the Bahamian tourism goodbye! Furthermore, the Bahamas is no longer a financial haven with the IRS and IMF along with other finance regulators having access this people's money in this one Bahamas who stands to benefit from that? Haiti. Haiti has a partenariat with Cuba whereas Cuban Doctors work there and train Haitian doctors also they have a Trade and profit payment partnership going on. Michel Martelly worked hard behind the scene to make this deal happen with on thing in mind: Destabilize the Bahamian Economy along with the Government and he is succeeding.

With such display of hate, the foreign Tourist who sees and hears about this has an easier decision to make when it comes to chose between cheap, virgin and beautiful Cuba and the Bahamas. You and I both know the answer and no matter how many times your government is talking about multidestination tours, it is not going to happen, people will fly to Cuba or will have tours to Cuba only.

Read my post below

Jamaicaproud, Thank you very much. My family received political asylum there in the early 80s because if Baby Doc' dictatorship. My family members were legal immigrants when I was born. Nevertheless, you cannot change other's perceptions if they do not want to, however you can change yourself. I have decided not to blame anyone but change my circumstances.
For example, since I know it is going to be a travesty for my extended family to emigrate to another country, my father, mother, wife and I, we founded a company with several business under such as two restaurants/bars, three laundromats, two car washes and one Electronic Store where most of my family and a few other people are employed. I do not send them money because they are working and making take care of themselves. They do not have to come to the U.S. or the Bahamas for that matter only for vacation. The best way to reduce illegal immigration is to encourage jobs creation. Now I am well aware that most people do not go back to their country and open business, they either keep their money in the bank if they have it or build a few houses or just spend it. I work hard every day of my life so that my kids or any member of my family do not have to go through what I went through. Again, I do not have any ill feeling against any country or people. At work, I represent both the Bahamas and Haiti. I recently went to the Toyota Tundra plant in San Antonio Texas was given an opportunity to talk about my upbringing from the Caribbean I had nothing but praises for both countries. I would rather see the good in the world! By the way, I spent some time in Jamaica, I could not think of a better people when it comes to reception of foreigners. I believe all of the caribbean countries are very polite and welcoming, it is just a matter of economic hardship that has befallen on the people and the only way for them to get closer to a recovery is by controlling the labor market and through immigration reform.

DuppyVat, at any point did I claim not to be Haitian. I am proud of my roots and also proud if where I was born.
Jamaicaproud, I understand that not everyone can achieve what I did. I am 29 year old and I have a beautiful family and financially secure,

And to tell you the truth, I am not sure what may happen next. The Bahamas is a small country and the job market does really satisfy the demands of laborers. And the sentiment that Haitians are taking over jobs from Bahamians is actually legitimate. Therefore while I support the fundamental human rights of every individual, I also support the right of the Bahamian People to demand that the laws of their country be enforced.

My name is J.E. Joseph, born in Bahamas of Haitian Blood and I am an American by heart though my love is also share with the Commonwealth of Bahamas and the Republic of Haiti. I love you all! (Please excuse some mispellings, I used a tablet to write tis)

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2014…

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2014…

When I first got to the US, I took a job as sales associate for a Mattress company, the I went to work for Wells Fargo Bank as a personal and private Banker, I left and move to Boston MA where I am working as a Consultant with Toyota making about $110,000.00 a year. Now I have never completed my college degree but my wife she has and her salary as a Manager is roughly $55,000.00 a year. We live decently, we have a beautiful family. I speak spanish, french, creole and english fluently. I am near fluent in portuguese, my wife speak French fluently as a result of her years in Quebec, our kids speak French and Creole at home. We both have calling in our church where we teach Young Men and Women. We are involved in our community and we certainly are happy despite challenges.
My first job in the Bahamas was at Silvano Restaurant in Freeport as a dishwasher making 3.00 an hour, the to Ruby Swiss making roughly 70 - 100 bucks a week then Solomons Supermarket making 200 a week. I left the Bahamas in January 2007 to live in the Dominican Republic and came back in March 2009. At one point, before I left the Bahamas i work for Tamaco Ltd making just 675 a month, now my salary tops 9000.00 a month and I have everything going on for me. Do I blame the Bahamian people? No, I do not. What happened to me there as a Child with haitian parents just pushed me to be the best of myself. I did not let my circumstances dictate what I could have become in life. The place where one is born has nothing to do with how one decide to live his life. We are not rich but we work hard. I could have stayed in the Bahamas and complain how unfair the system is or I could move on. I chose to move on.

That being said, Haitian people need to understand that these immigration laws are laws of a Sovereign Country that need to be enforced. If you don't like them, you can either unite with the citizens and peacefully petition for change or leave the country. And as someone who grew up in Haiti, I think most Haitians (my dad excluded) don't want to go back. Also the Bahamian Government has also a duty to preserve the fundamental and universal rights of everyone who live of who happen to be within its borders. Failing to do so would put them in direct breach and violation of human rights especially articles 2,3 and 4 and as a result the UN or OAS and even our closest neighbor and ally US can legally inflict santion on the Bahamas thus paraliza our Commerce, Tourism, Financial sector and eventually our economy. And we do not want or need that.

Earlier this year, I was the subject of much insults when my resilient gut pushed me to post my sstory on this site. And after seeing how hypocritical some were, I decided altogether to abandon this site. Nonetheless, because of news and informations addiction, I could not keep off for long.

I do have absolutely no problems of countries enforcing their laws. The job of the Executive branch of any government is to ensure that the laws of the country are enforced and needs to take measures for such to be enforced when they are not. I am not the type of person who is politically correct as to watch what I say in order not to offend certain people. Having said that, let me tell you what I think.

Several years ago, I sat in the office of Mr. Campbell at the Grand Bahama Immigration Offices and I was speaking to one Immigration Senior Officer and she told me something that would change me for the rest of my life. Now, keep in mind that I was born in the Bahamas, did my schooling in Haiti and returned to the Bahamas at the age of 18 and subsequently applied for my Naturalization as a Bahamian Citizen. I ended up becoming a friend to everyone in the office, they help the facilitation of me and the rest of my family obtain some travel documents in a time where we think it was impossible to do so, therefore I had nothing but high esteem for them even for the guy Adam whom everyone said was a brutal beast. We became friends. Now, I was able to establish these relationships with Mr. Cooper, Campbell, Mrs Carter and so on.

But for some reasons, I cannot remember the name of Woman Officer who spoke to me that day that changed my life and this is what she said: "If I think I am not liked in a country, I would not stay and that country." I do not think she was expressing xenophobic sentiment towards those of haitian decent but I think she was trying to tell me that there are other things that I could do to better my situation than continuing on with my application to register as Bahamian Citizen.

However that day I left with the thought that I was not liked in the Bahamas. So I resolved to follow her advice and leave the country. So I left the Bahamas on an adventure. On that adventure, I ended up crossing the path of a Haitian Girl whom I have known for long (first as an ex girlfriend) and she was single and we resumed our relationship and eventually we got married and since she was an US citizen, I was able to get my residency here in the US and within the span of 4 years I had become a US citizen myself.
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