Perry Christie visited Haitian Flag Day celebrations in New Providence a week ago; so did Dr. Hubert Minnis. That the prime minister and leader of the opposition would publicly show their solidarity with the Haitian-Bahamian community says something positive of The Bahamas at a time when cynicism has set in for so many of us in so many ways.

People from Haiti are the largest national group in The Bahamas after Bahamians. According to the 2010 census, there are 39,144 Haitians in The Bahamas. That's 11 percent of our population. Haitians make up 64.4 percent of the non-Bahamian population.

Bahamians are sensitive about the Haitian presence for several reasons. Years and years of poor border protection and lax enforcement of immigration laws have led to a large number of poor Haitians residing in The Bahamas in squalid conditions.
Shantytowns press next to Bahamian neighborhoods. These illegal communities are a public health threat. Ad hoc electricity hook-ups have led to fires. Improper waste disposal could lead to the spread of disease.

No country is bettered by allowing the uncontrolled flow of poor and uneducated people into its borders. Bahamians have legitimate concerns about shantytowns. Bahamians have legitimate concerns about the government's response to the large number of undocumented Haitians in the country. Bahamians should not, however, respond to these legitimate concerns with racism and hatred toward Haitians.

Every year when Haitian Flag Day occurs, too many of us become uneasy. Haitians wear the country's colors. They put flags on their vehicles. There is nothing wrong with them showing love for their cultural homeland. We should not consider their national pride a threat to our national security. Poor leadership and irresponsible interference from outside powers have made Haiti the poorest country in the hemisphere. Its people flee in makeshift vessels whenever they can to more opportunities in wealthier northern countries such as The Bahamas and the United States.

Haiti's leaders and business elite must learn how to share power without violence. They must invest more in their people and build proper infrastructure. If Haiti rebounds, The Bahamas, with its large Haitian population, would be well placed to take advantage of trade opportunities between our countries.

Christie and Minnis were not pandering to Haitians when they visited Haitian Flag Day, as was suggested by Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney last week. They were bridging the divide between our peoples. Responsible leaders understand that there is too much Bahamian-Haitian tension. Irresponsible rhetoric and hostility would only make things worse.

Haiti was the first black republic. When its people took their freedom more than 200 years ago, it was an inspiration to black people under subjugation everywhere. There are thousands of Haitians and Haitian-Bahamians who live here legally. They have much to add to our multi-cultural community. We should welcome their talents and embrace their skills and knowledge.

It is fine for Greek-Bahamians, Lebanese-Bahamians, Chinese-Bahamians and others to celebrate their ancestral cultures while also being proud to be Bahamians. It is fine too for Haitians and Haitian-Bahamians to incorporate their ways of doing things into our cultural fabric. Great nations use immigration policy to make them stronger. We should welcome those who are here legally who want to contribute to making The Bahamas better.

Brent Dean, Guardian Editor

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