HUMANS Rights Bahamas has again criticised the government for its response to calls from United Nation experts to halt demolition works of shanty towns on Abaco, saying recent comments made by Works Minister Desmond Bannister only "emphasises that the government's actions are driven by discrimination and xenophobia."

Mr Bannister is the second Cabinet minister to be chastised by the local human rights watchdog group this week after Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson was criticised for his statements on the matter.

The UN said the planned evictions and demolitions violate human rights to adequate housing and urged the Minnis administration to halt its plans to demolish dozens of homes on the storm impacted island.

However, both Mr Bannister and Mr Johnson have suggested that the government will not be swayed from its plans, arguing that the Bahamas is a country of laws that must be upheld.

On Tuesday, Mr Bannister told reporters Bahamians must decide if they want to live in a country like the Bahamas or a country like Haiti where there is “dirt, garbage, shantytowns all over the place.”

He also said exercises involving shanty towns in New Providence will be conducted soon, as residents have complained about illegal structures springing up.

Responding to his remarks yesterday, Rights Bahamas said: “As for the unfortunate remarks of the Deputy Prime Minister Desmond Bannister, they only emphasise that the government’s actions are driven by discrimination and xenophobia.

“He is now the second Cabinet minister, after Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson, to make flippant public remarks reminiscent of the intolerant utterances a former US President Donald Trump, who called Haiti and African nations ‘shhole countries.’

“Nevertheless, Bannister is correct: the Bahamas should not want to be like what Haiti is today,” the group added.

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