Noting that large-scale migration has reached an "unprecedented level of complexity and challenge", Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday highlighted The Bahamas' commitment to focus on the possible contributions migration can make to the country.
While speaking at United Nations' (UN) High Level Meeting to address large movements of refugees and immigrants in New York City, New York, the prime minister said although discourse about migration tends to focus mainly on the negative impacts of irregular migration, The Bahamas, because of its own historical experience with the large movement of migrants, is more "acutely mindful" to ways it can benefit the country.
He discussed the need for a general agreement on how to properly manage the matter, as it is of global importance.
"Global consensus on how to deal with this phenomenon has become a matter of the most urgent priority," said Christie.
"The Bahamas therefore welcomes the efforts that are now underway to develop a common understanding and global consensus on how best to effectively address and manage the large movement of refugees and migrants.
"In this regard, I note with satisfaction the heightened sense of priority that is increasingly characterizing the global response to this problem.
"While discourse on migration tends to focus on the negative aspects of irregular migration, we in The Bahamas, because of our own historical experience with the large movement of migrants, are acutely mindful of the positive contributions that can sometimes flow out of this phenomenon.
"Indeed, regular migration yields considerable benefits to both sending and receiving countries.
"Such benefits include economic development, cultural cross-fertilization, and the promotion of state-to-state cooperation in the management of matters of common concern."
The prime minister said those benefits mostly take effect for documented migrants, however, the country is still challenged with a large influx of undocumented migrants.
He said because of this, the country's immigration laws are designed to best protect the national security interests and social welfare of Bahamians, while still respecting the human rights and dignity of migrants and refugees.
"Over the years, successive governments of The Bahamas have enacted legislative and policy measures aimed at providing protection and support to regular and irregular migrants alike, including refugees, entering our territory," he said.
"Of particular note, The Bahamas has historically provided free public healthcare and education to all persons within the country, irrespective of status.
"Moreover, the fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in our constitution extend to all 'persons', not just citizens and regular migrants.
"We also have regulations to facilitate the orderly and expeditious processing of detained migrants and to ensure their protection while in detention.
"The Bahamas also continues its practice of non-custodial arrangements for eligible irregular migrants, including minors and those persons protected under relevant legislation and regulatory guidelines."
Christie said The Bahamas welcomes the outcome of the meeting as it reflects the complex array of issues surrounding refugees and migration, and the equally complex responses that are needed for the regularization of large movements of refugees and migrants.
"We are particularly pleased to see that attention has been given to the need to alleviate some of the burden placed on migrant-recipient countries such as ours," he said.
"We look forward to future bilateral, regional and multilateral engagement based on this principle.
"More generally, The Bahamas welcomes the calls for increased support from international, regional and multinational stakeholders for countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as the commitment to address the root causes of the problem that has brought us all together for this high-level meeting."
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