Dear Editor,
This [past] week Bahamians witnessed what may well have been overt interference by the president of the Republic of Haiti, Michel Joseph Martelly, in the internal politics of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. It has been reported that the president 'encouraged' his country men/women to vote 'as a bloc' for the Bahamian political party that had their 'best interests' at heart.
The recent 'rush' to regularize and to grant citizenship to foreign-born residents of this country by the FNM administration and its retiring minister of immigration has caused grave concerns among many indigenous Bahamians. It is almost as if the prime minister and his colleagues could care less about the concerns of 'real' Bahamians over this bogus exercise.
Brent Symonette (FNM-St. Anne's) has an in-your-face attitude to many of the concerns of the unwashed masses. His smug persona has not served him well during his soon to be concluded, mercifully, foray in frontline politics.
Martelly's alleged remarks are tantamount to direct interference in our political process and are to be condemned. It is a disgrace, in my view, that the leader of the opposition would have actually met with the president just for a photo opportunity. If I were Perry Christie, I would have delegated Frederick Audley Mitchell (PLP-Fox Hill) to receive him.
Are you able to imagine what would have happened if a Bahamian prime minister had gone down to the Republic of Haiti and made such alleged remarks about how Bahamians in Haiti should vote and support a political party, keeping in mind that not a single Bahamian would have been granted Haitian citizenship must less would be eligible to vote in Haitian elections.
Martelly, obviously, came to this country late at night on a private jet to work the local Haitian community on behalf of a certain political party in the few short weeks before The Bahamas goes in to its general election. The recently 'pauperized' Bahamians have now received their marching orders.
While we need foreigners to assist us with nation building and in certain areas of our economic fabric, it is astounding to have witnessed the speed with which the FNM administration 'regularized' many of these people, mostly of Haitian descent, just before a general election is scheduled. Why now? This government has been in place for almost five years and did nothing, apart from a patently bogus exercise, years ago, to regularize them.
Indigenous Bahamians need to wake up and look around. Look around within our educational plant and you will see that over 65 percent of the students in our primary schools are of Haitian descent. Look around at our medical health institutions and you will see that more than 50 percent of the patients who visit these institutions are of Haitian background.
Go over to the clinic at Marsh Harbor, Abaco and you will see that 70 percent of live births are to mothers of a Haitian origin. Scattered throughout our militarized organizations are persons with Haitian surnames. Where will this madness end and who will have the political will to stop it?
I have absolutely nothing against legal migration and the front door entry of any nationalities, inclusive of Haitians. What I do have a serious problem with is the massive and seemingly unchecked migration of illegal nationalities with the complicity of Bahamians.
A few months ago, the leader of the opposition 'admitted' that it was not 'politically' expedient to appear to be targeting persons of Haitian descent, especially during electoral exercises. Christie is a friend, sometimes, but he could not have been serious.
It is of little surprise that Martelly could have entered our nation, in the dark hours, and talked his shaving cream. He may well be the president of the Republic of Haiti and the dependent territory of The Bahamas.
To God then, in all of these things, be the glory.
- Ortland H. Bodie Jr.
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