What is it exactly that the government is doing that is contrary to immigration law? Fred Smith's attempts at pointing toward this point has always been undermined by his intense emotion, lies and exaggerations of isolated incidents in which he implies government complicity. It sounds like you simply took Fred Smith's words as gospel. If not, please shed some light on these illegal acts.

To blame the government for one individual's actions such as the rapist immigration officer shows that this man is not in touch with reality. They did not block officials from entering the dorm of the pregnant woman, her fellow Haitians did that. Harassment of activists? The government does not condone abuse of anyone, and as far as I know did not participate in the KKK like demonstration. If he were truly being harassed he would have sued the government. But of course, like the people he represents, he wants to also be seen as a victim.

Economist: Mr. Smith is a member of Bahamian bar. Why should he not represent Bahamians in legal proceedings? Beside that whatever good he did In the the past is being overshadowed by his personal crusade to ruin the Bahamas' reputation.

Mr. Smith's plan is to place such an unreasonable cost associated with the documentation and repatriation of illegals that the government would do what it has always done: nothing. While he bemoans the potential disenfranchisement of immigrant children over a small permit fee, he has no concern about the thousands of Bahamians who are disenfranchised by overcrowded schools, hospitals and use of taxpayer funds to process and repatriate illegals.

Besides the upgrades at the detention center, I see no need for a costly procedure overhaul. However, if you witness the mistreatment of anyone by authorities, you should intervene or at the very least use your cell phone to record these incidents. I do not agree with abuse and the minister has said many times the government does not condone abuse of anyone.

The GBHRA does lack credibility, like its fearless, not so fond of the truth, leader.

Fred Smith should tackle his real monster - the Haitian government and their mistreatment of Haitians. Haiti is a wonderland of human rights abuses, he could do a lot of good there. But he is too much of a coward to tackle the source. Encouraging illegals to migrate, spreading lies and making exaggerated claims about the Bahamas is much easier. And will not result in a 'Columbian necktie' for him. The Bahamas is, unfortunately, collateral damage as he works out his issues.

Fred Smith and crew are the ones 'enhancing discrimination' in the Bahamas.
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Slippery slope? I think not. As long as the Bahamas continues to defend itself against defamation from these individuals and others, the country's reputation will go unscathed. Most civilized countries and individuals know there is a need to prevent, document and repatriate illegals. And the right to reject squatters' law that illegals try to impose on the country.

Illegal immigrants are opportunists, pure and simple. it has nothing to do with loving the Bahamas, as they have repeatedly demonstrated. Find them another country of close proximity, a better economy and a slack unconcerned government and they will leave the Bahamas in a heartbeat.

Going before the UN, is quite different from going to a US Senate committee. The only thing this organization can do is attempt to dissuade American tourists from visiting. Fred Smith's goal is to impact the Bahamas' number one industry if it doesn't roll out the welcome mat for illegals.

While some might find the indignation of Bahamians toward illegal immigration laughable...most common sense folks realize that it is a real issue. Not the only issue, but one of the more pressing issues that The Bahamas faces.

Fred Smith is clearly using the Bahamas to work out his traumatic childhood experiences of being targeted, terrorized and deported by the Haitian government. We are all pawns in his alternate reality where the Haitian government is the Bahamian government, and his family are the illegal immigrants. In reality however, what happened to them versus what's curently happening in the Bahamas with our attempts to document illegal persons, cannot be compared.

Professional counseling would have been easier. He should have explored that option instead. We should not let him, and his band of idiots, stop progress.

You have got to be kidding. During his tenure, Mr. Symonette brought politics as usual, i.e. nothing. He fit right in with the other "all for me baby" crowd. He is not the modern, pragmatic and enlightened problem solver as you portray him to be and you know it. You introduce this idea that is not Mr. Symonnette's vision, in fact it directly contradicts his repeated stance of doing nothing. Talk about sheeple...look it up, you might see a picture of yourself.

Evolution, Mr. Miller, is something that happens naturally. The invasion of the much larger Haitian population to a much smaller nation, many illegal is not that. It more closely resembles a hostile takeover. Because ultimately, your population through illegal immigration and fast paced reproduction, will ultimately dominate. The Bahamas is way too small, population wise, to absorb another culture without losing its own. But I think you know that. So who are you kidding with that evolution of culture nonsense? Who said the Bahamas was looking to evolve culturally, at the cost of our economy and limited resources?