Immigration Officers cast in a bad light by Cabinet Minister!
Dear BP,
The Government of the Bahamas is playing games with the the Department of Immigration and compromising the Boarders and National Security of the Bahamas!
There are many competent, qualified, knowledgeable officers of integrity within the department, who can fill the post for any of the vacant executive positions within the department. But why is it necessary to parachute outsiders into this agency knowing this is dangerous to the security of the country.
The government is reluctant to appoint trained and certified Immigration Officers those vacant posts because these officers are considered as a threat to the wishes of the Administration. Experience officers those in the Government knows will by all means refuse to act whenever the government wants to do things that are in contravention of the Immigration laws. And they know officers will follow the policies and procedures to the letter of the constitution of the Bahamas.
The government prefers to have persons who do not have the slightest idea of what they should be doing. The government wants someone who can be a puppet regardless to what the Immigration Act, Policies or Constitution of the Bahamas are.
And this administration have already appointed a Director, who waste countless hours in visionless meetings boasting about his past when he served on the Police Force. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!
In fact the current Director does no work and comes to work occasionally, only to take credit for accomplishments that had already been in place before his arrival. He has a habit of dividing senior managers, stirring confusing and war through deceptive gossip.
Some time this year the Assistant Director of Immigration and two Superintendents; the Executive Team for Freeport and the northern Bahamas would be retiring.
It is rumoured that the government wants to appoint another policeman (POLICE STATE) who again, has no knowledge about Immigration.
“Oh foolish Galatians” why do you want to destroy the country’s safe boarders and cause the USA to remove its pre-clearance from the Bahamas? The single protection to such attractions to the Bahamas is the powerful sound leadership within the Department of Immigration. Remove the talent, fill it up with empty knuckleheads and America’s pre-clearance in the Bahamas will be a thing of the past!
It appears that the government do not want persons who have experience anymore at Immigration. AND WHY? For CORRUPTION?!
Why appoint person at the top who do not know the policies, nor the Act, and the Constitution with regard to the Administration of the Immigration Department?
In my opinion it appears that the government wants to redirect corruption on officers while it appears that it is government who appears to have a “corrupt agenda” by constantly appointing persons with no knowledge of Immigration so that its corrupt agendas would succeed! This is our view at Immigration!
The Minister got on national TV and accused officers of being corrupt. If he has evidence of his claims, then why are they still on the job? He should be fired for suggesting such unfounded lies! Obviously there are no evidence of his claims.
Meanwhile, some of the persons who were recently arrested at immigration were not Immigration Officers, but contract workers brought in by The Minister in the Government. So why was that not explained to the public on TV!?
Hence, The Minister owes the many Immigration Officers of integrity an apology by causing the public to look at all Immigration Officers as crooks. This action was reckless, careless, baseless and grossly unprofessional by a Minister.
When the leader makes sweeping general statements like that to the public, every good hard working and honest officer who wears his or her uniform with pride is damage because of the ugly stigma you place on them! This is sad.
I am very disappointed in your irresponsible action Minister. As a retired Immigration Officer, who gave my best in service, I am deeply offended even though I am no longer there.
I can only imagine how the good Officers of integrity are feeling, who have now been cast in a bad light. Everyone looking at them as crooks. And guess what Minister, YOU DID THAT!
May God Help Us as a nation.
Signed,
A retired Immigration Officer
