asked this question yesterday: What makes the Bahamas an exceptional land? What is the Bahamas' legacy? What has the Bahamas contributed in the History of mankind? Your leaders, what have they done to make the world better or to change the course of humanity? Who is a well-respected Bahamian in the World today? I can count on one hand everyone who is a famous Bahamian and everything they have accomplished is just for themselves.

I know you are going to crucify me but just a simple search will reveal you the Haitians deserve more respect from you than what they are getting from you. You do not even have a National identity. Other than Junkanoo, what is the Bahamian culture?

Reply when you have the answer and you can be furious all you want but that does not change the facts that your sens of patriotism and bahamian exceptionalism is baseless, idiotic and laughable at worse.

You will be better off getting some information and facts before saying things that you have absolutely no knowledge about. In the US, as a legal resident, it is after five year unless you are married to a US citizen and been with that same spouse for 3 years then it takes 3 years. Nevertheless, you can put your application in 90 days before you complete your five years or 3 years.

I asked this question yesterday: What makes the Bahamas an exceptional land? What is the Bahamas' legacy? What has the Bahamas contributed in the History of mankind? Your leaders, what have they done to make the world better or to change the course of humanity? Who is a well-respected Bahamian in the World today? I can count on one hand everyone who is a famous Bahamian and everything they have accomplished is just for themselves.

I know you are going to crucify me but just a simple search will reveal you the Haitians deserve more respect from you than what they are getting from you. You do not even have a National identity. Other than Junkanoo, what is the Bahamian culture?

Reply when you have the answer and you can be furious all you want but that does not change the facts that your sens of patriotism and bahamian exceptionalism is baseless, idiotic and laughable at worse.

I asked this question yesterday: What makes the Bahamas an exceptional land? What is the Bahamas' legacy? What has the Bahamas contributed in the History of mankind? Your leaders, what have they done to make the world better or to change the course of humanity? Who is a well-respected Bahamian in the World today? I can count on one hand everyone who is a famous Bahamian and everything they have accomplished is just for themselves.

I know you are going to crucify me but just a simple search will reveal you the Haitians deserve more respect from you than what they are getting from you. You do not even have a National identity. Other than Junkanoo, what is the Bahamian culture?

Reply when you have the answer and you can be furious all you want but that does not change the facts that your sens of patriotism and bahamian exceptionalism is baseless, idiotic and laughable at worse.

The laws in the US are completely different my friend. A child born in the US is an American Citizen no matter who his parents are except the children of foreign diplomats who automatically receive permanent residency by at birth.

And if you think that Birth Certificate and Travel Id are good enough to get anyone way ahead in life, I am asking you one question: Why is it that some of you at fighting over who can be or not be a Bahamian?

And yes, I am thankful to the United States for receiving me and being the Land of opportunity. And yes, I am making over $100,000.00 plus bonuses. I am not boasting, I am just thankful to God for giving me a way out and being able to live happily with my family in the best country of the world

As a young man, I always tried not to limit myself. Nothing was ever handed to me. I worked hard, I refuse to accept anything as sufficient. I always try to change what I could change in myself.

If someone is prejudicial, racist or hypocritical, I believe I can only change myself and not trying to change that "prima donna" but also I will never let that person's own little baseless views affect the way I approach the world.

The world has changed quite a bit and many have realized they are no longer confined in their own little piece of land but they are part of the human family and consequently a citizen of the world. I laugh at the idea of some Bahamians entangled in their narrowed view of Bahamian Exceptional ism and false sense of Patriotism that they can't even describe the reason why the Bahamas is an exceptional nation. What makes the Bahamas exceptional? To what are you attributing your Patriotism? What makes you think the Bahamas is better than elsewhere? Is it the seashore?

Just as a child cannot chose who is mother is and no matter how abusive the mother could be, there remains one fact and it is the Child is that mother's child and will have some degree of love and respect for that mother even if there is a sea of disdain accompanied that unconditional love. I did not choose to be born in the Bahamas and no amount of abuse would change the fact that I live the Land where I was born even if I despise the nasty and inhuman character of some call themselves Bahamians.

I will never forget the advise of that Immigration Officer and her invitation to me to leave the Bahamas and explore the role. I did so and my exploration has taken me to the Dominican Republic where I have lived for two years, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, the Guyanas, Panama and the country of my blood: Haiti. I was befriended and I was a friend in each one of these countries, I never suffer any abuse whether physical, verbal or emotional.

My problem is with the bureaucracy of the Bahamian Government. The citizen of Bahamas can think whatsoever they want to and I am entitled to have my own opinion of them but no amount of hatred towards a group will change the fact that the system gas failed both the Bahamian Citizens and the Haitian Community in the Bahamas.

Again I am a strong proponent of Legal Immigration and I believe those who came here illegally should not be awarded any status for they have broken the law. However denying the children the most basic human rights are undeniably the most inhuman and un-christlike thing to do for a so-called Christian Nation.

It does take 5 years unless you are married to a US citizen. In my case, I married my long time girlfriend who was a citizen and after continuing residency in the US, I applied for naturalization which was granted unto me. Do your research before you call someone an A hole. Please show some civility my friend.

I understand your concern and there is one thing you forgot in my story "I have reunited with my Long time sweetheart". She was a U.S. citizen and yes we got married and through her I gain permanent residence and yes citizenship and yes after 3 years. To where they will deport a US citizen with his wife and children born in the US? I am happy here and Happy to be a productive member of the American Society and help my fellow.

I understand your concern. Sometimes being overzealous can get on the way of True Patriotism. The one who breaks the law clearly needs to face the consequences. I am a Big Supporter of Legal Immigration and a Strong Opponent of Illegal Immigration. When I moved to either the US or Canada and many other I have been to, I have always followed the Law because as a Christian, I know that one must follow the Laws of the Land where they live so long as those laws do not clash with the Laws of God. I guess if I had the opportunity to chose my own place of birth, even though I live the Bamahas, I would choose elsewhere. My parents did not break the law, when he left Haiti in the 70s he was here on political asylum which eventually led him to get a work permit and open a Bodywork Shop where he would fix cars. He was never an Illlegal. My mother was a merchant who had a Valid Visa to enter and re-enter the Bahamas. Eventually she got a work permit also. They were not illegals, but I understand!

Furthermore, when I had the ability to, I told my dad: "I will never live where I am not welcome." He understood me and packed his belongings and moved to Haiti where I build him his new garage and have his own Dealership. For the same reasons, when I was given a Choice by Toyota to provide Logistics Support for a dealership in the Caribbean I chose Hinoso S.A. from Haiti instead of Executive Motors. I know due to the fact my name was Jean Joseph, I would not be welcomed there.

Again I love the Bahamas, and no amount of discrimination and derogatory epithets would change the fact. USA is my new home, Haiti I have chosen for my business.

I am an individual who was born in the Bahamas of Haitian parents. At the time of my birth, my parents were living there legally on a working visas (work permit).

I was born at the Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport, GB. I have my birth certificate from the Registrar Office and subsequently a Certificate of Identity known as travel document.

My siblings and I moved to Haiti and attend schools there and eventually we returned to the Bahamas on my 18th birthday. Now, in Haiti I could not get an Haitian Passport due to the fact I was a Bahamian National without a Haitian birth certificate, I had to wait until I was 18 to decide whether I wanted to be Haitian or being a Bahamian. I loved the Bahamas, it was a sense of pride for me to let everyone know that I was a Bahamian while living in Haiti. But as soon as I returned and applied to be registered a Bahamian Citizen and realized all the bureaucracy I had to go through and the money I had to spend a long with the people I had to lobby, I stated losing my Bahamian Pride.

Even after having all the necessary documents, 5 years went by with interviews upon interviews with absolutely no results. At one point, one Immigration executive said to me it is better for you to leave the Country. I followed her advice and moved to Canada and eventually moved to the US where I found my long time sweetheart and we got married and 3 years later I was already a US citizen working as a Consultant with Toyota making a salary of about $100,000.00 a year. Sometimes at work, I still refer myself as a Bahamian. Every achievement is due to the fact that I was born in the Bahamas.

I have been happily married for 5 years, I live my new home and family. But there is not a day that goes by that I do not lament the fact that prejudice and bureaucracy prevent me from being a citizen of the Land that I so dearly love: My Bahamaland.

Recently my wife said: "Honey, why don't you continue the effort to get your Bahamian Citizenship? I would like to be a Bahamian Citizen." I replied why being a Bahamian while I am an American, then I put my head down and said to myself: "America may be the land that received me and gave me what I needed but I will always love the Bahamas as the land that gave me birth.

My name is Jean Ely Joseph, I am an American Citizen born in the Bahamas of Haitian parents who was forced to abandon the Land of his Birth. (Mr Cooper, Ms Carter, Mr Campbell and many more of the Immigration Office in Grand Bahama know my story.)

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