Maybe he should take his show to Haiti and see how talk about a revolt against the government plays out there. There is nothing unifying, or inclusive, about that show, it's host, Fred Smith or the Haitian community.

By the way, it was the guardian that shut him down, not the government.
This came prior to Mitchell's complaint on behalf on many Bahamians, over a particularly divisive and inciting (not bridging) episode of his show.

Whether the Christie administration stays on its downhill course or improves, he should stay out of politics. Other than reducing the high crime rate, I doubt the concerns of the average Bahamian is the same as Symonnette and his circle. The fact that his most pressing concern surrounding immigration is the requirement that foreign parents pay a small permit fee...is very telling of his priorities. What would be worse than a Christie led government for the Bahamas, is a government that includes him.

We should really not go there with regard to Dr. Minnis. I am quite sure he had nothing to do with the fire. Neither did Mr. Davis. However, Mr. Davis was responsible for the BAMSI project. And he (or one of his subordinates) did not do their job. Ultimately, the blame lies with him and he deserves the fall out from it.

I think it's chaotic that so many are in the Bahamas without government issued documents. I am fine with frustrated parents, as long as they comply with this simple rule.

If legal, it is not that hard to get a passport for their child. I got my passport renewed within four weeks. These parents have almost ten months to get their children's passports. If not, one of the two parents can use their own birth certificates to prove their child's status, as this is also accepted. If they cannot produce either of these items, then maybe they are illegal. Thus, the policy has achieved its goal. Sounds thought out to me.

Again with the reminders, wow!

This crackdown by the department of immigration is clearly not a serious attempt at curbing illegal immigration.

The immigration director told Bahamians not to sell the Bahamas cheap, but look at what they are doing, $250 for permanent residence? $25 for a belonger's permit? If someone missed applying for citizenship at eighteen, too bad. Change the law and provide a larger window say three to five years, to give them more time. Children born of non Bahamian parents, who are not recognized as citizens of their parents native country, should be given the permit when they are repatriated so that they may return and apply.

The government clearly wants to attract a lower calibre of immigrants to compete with middle and low income Bahamians. Otherwise, why make this cost so low? It's practically free. These are not the folks who will bring investment or jobs into the country. They will be the ones competing with Bahamians for hotel jobs. Think crime is bad now? Let's see what happens when more and more Bahamians are left unemployed or underemployed because of the cheaper, now legitimate labor force. While they make plans to thrust thousands into the economy, there is no major development underway to improve the economy to accommodate this destructive action.

I thought it was Fred Mitchell, but the fact that his department is warning illegal immigrants ahead of raids, and yesterday's presentation of a vague amendment that only made clear that there was an easy path toward citizenship for all anchor babies...I am no longer convinced. It's the wrong message to send if we are truly trying to prevent illegal immigration. Branville McCartney however, has been the only politician that has said anything that resembled concern for the Bahamian interest with regard to illegal immigration. He even sympathized with the minister's outward plight of wanting to do the right thing but having his hands tied by his party. Others, on the other hand, objected to the enforcement of laws that were already in place, and provided useless warnings to be "sensitive". McCartney's immigration plan is worth reading. If he is serious, then he is the most likely candidate at the moment to speak up for, non illegal, non Haitian, Bahamians. But he cannot be the only voice in this, Bahamians who want the Bahamas to continue as such, also need to speak up.

He really does need to explain, in depth, the requirements of the belonger's permit because on the surface, it makes no sense.

Everyone born in the Bahamas, does not "belong" the constitution implies this, so why provide belongers permit to all children of non-nationals and cement the right to apply for citizenship when not all of them will meet that requirement for citizenship? Some are recognized as citizens of their parents homeland; do they get a belonger's permit? It sounds that way. How would a belongers permit work for a minor child who is unemployable, and cannot live independently of their illegal parent(s)? Are they deported along with the illegal parent and expected to return at eighteen? Or do we turn a blind eye to the illegal parent until the child is of age? If the belonger's permits are primarily for kids 0-18, then why is the ability to work tied into it? What does "the discretion of.." mean exactly?

After the minister's proposed pro illegal immigration bill...I am not sure what to think of this so called "feud".

I had my doubts but I wanted to believe, and I had to give him the benefit of the doubt until I knew otherwise. Now I know otherwise. I was expecting something more substantial and protective of (non Haitian) Bahamian interest. This is clearly not that.

Bahamians are once again being duped. Why is the belongers permit the only proposed ammendment? This proposed law clearly favors the illegal immigrant offspring and should be revised to cover other areas of ambiguity as it relates to citizenship, and the immigration department. The proposed ammendment should include:

1. a proposal to clearly state the a person born to non Bahamian parents has the right to apply for citizenship, and make it clear: are not entitled to citizenship. Why would that not be the foremost proposal.

2. a proposal to make the so called belonger's permit valid for six months, or one year maximum. Why would it take up to 3 years to process applications, if there are immigration reservists? One clause in the nationality act is that a person has to prove that they will not be a burden to the public. So now they have fixed that so ALL belongers are employable, and would likely have been employed for up to 3 years and therefore, ALL will be made citizens.

3. a proposal to establish an oversight committee of this department. It would also ensure that 2nd generation Haitians in Bahamas are not established as belongers. And persons who did not apply at the age of eighteen, already forfeited their rights to apply.

I'll admit he had me fooled with all the back and forth, and strong pro Bahamian talk. This proposed law is really of no benefit for the non Haitian Bahamian...it will simply inject more employees in a market with severely limited jobs, and do nothing to help overcrowded classrooms and an overtaxed healthcare system.