‘WE Had Nothing TO Cover FROM UN’: Johnson responds to factfinding take a look at on immigration issues
ELSWORTH Johnson in Parliament.
Image: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT
Economic Providers, Trade, Industry and Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson explained to The Tribune yesterday he welcomed the United Nations’ the latest inspectorial pay a visit to to The Bahamas as “we have almost nothing to hide”.
Dr Garry Conille, United Nations resident coordinator, and his team toured the Carmichael Road Detention Centre and a shanty city regarded as The Farm in Abaco at the weekend.
Following the stop by, the UN crew introduced a assertion thanking The Bahamas for its hospitality and also promising guidance in immigration likely ahead.
Mr Johnson claimed the federal government was content to have the workforce listed here.
“We were being pleased to have the UN group in The Bahamas as we have unquestionably practically nothing to cover,” he explained.
“As a sovereign and democratic state we celebrate the simple fact that we do all that is essential to preserve and safeguard the essential legal rights and dignity of anybody who finds them selves in The Bahamas.
“We are delighted to have them visit and inspect the Detention Centre. We have been counseled by the Inter-American Commission Rights for the improvement created at the Detention Centre. We will keep on to uphold the legislation of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to be certain the defense of the basic legal rights of anyone.”
Around the past handful of months, the federal government has taken motion versus shanty towns in Abaco and bulldozing unlawful dwelling structures is in development.
Through the UN team’s visit to Abaco, a team of shanty town inhabitants protested from the bulldozing with the hope of receiving the consideration of the UN staff.
“We have been pretty clear and unambiguous in what we are executing in Abaco with the shanty towns,” Mr Johnson reported. “We say that all those houses are irregular. They are constructed in contravention to our making rules and legislation and are not fit for human habitation.
“. . .This has been going on for a long time. The make a difference is right before the courts and we are pursuing the law. We have provided proper discover. In regards to this I will estimate this from a former case the place the Privy Council reported, ‘If a single occupies and/or constructs buildings without having the authority of the proprietor, then they do it to their possess disadvantage.’
“Nobody has the proper inside the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, which includes the govt, to unlawfully choose possession of house and build, whether or not it is personal or community house.”
A statement introduced by the UN immediately after the team’s visit observed: “Dr Garry Conille, United Nations resident coordinator (RC) in the Bahamas, many thanks the people today and federal government of The Bahamas for their warm welcome and hospitality in the course of his consultative mission in the state about the earlier week.
“Discussions all over progress cooperation, the natural environment, migration, disaster preparedness and response, the financial state and recovery from COVID-19 had been favourable.
“The RC recognises the ongoing difficulties involved with irregular migration, and the overall health, sanitation and safety vulnerabilities connected with erecting casual properties – worries not special to The Bahamas. The RC also acknowledges the favourable attempts of the authorities to treat these delicate challenges with thanks treatment and dignity.
“Dr Conille commits the Workplace of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and its state crew to assist and get the job done together with the Govt of the Bahamas, and companions, to enable make sure that all processes to regularize migration as nicely as housing and developing codes, preserve the well being and dignity of all populations, are in keeping with Bahamian regulation, satisfy global best practice, understand the human legal rights of all people and uphold Bahamas’ human legal rights commitments.”
The UN’s assertion also thanked and welcomed “the frank, optimistic, transparent and constructive” dialogues with the authorities and it commended the federal government for its administration of ‘back-to-again crises,’ – Class 5 Hurricane Dorian and the international COVID-19 pandemic.