Haitian Population Expanding, Pastor Says:
Deandre Williamson -
Nassau, Bahamas:


Some Haitians may be committing crimes in The Bahamas, but the Haitian community is still contributing to the well being of The Bahamas, Rev. Dr. Jean Paul Charles, pastor of Berean Evangelical Baptist Church, said recently.

Rev. Charles, who was a guest on JCN television show, "The Platform", with host Wendall Jones gave an overview of the challenges faced by the Haitian community in The Bahamas.

"The Haitian community is facing many difficult challenges," Rev. Charles said. "The biggest problem is how to integrate in the Bahamian society."

Haitians are the biggest growing population in The Bahamas and it can be difficult for Haitians to obtain the documents required to reside in The Bahamas, he said.

Rev. Charles said the Haitian community faced one of its biggest challenges last year when the former minister of immigration revoked work permits.

"Immigration is a worldwide issue, not just only in The Bahamas," he said.

Some Haitians have been living in The Bahamas for over 20 years and cannot obtain permanent residency, Rev. Charles said.

Allegations have been made that there were some immigrants who voted in the last general election and registered without a passport, but with their driver’s license.

Rev. Charles said he has no knowledge of Haitians registering without a passport.

"I have some in my church who can vote and they have passports," he said. "All I can say about that is, in the last election as you can see Haitians are like Bahamians – they all have different views for whoever is in charge. Some of them are FNM and some are PLP."

Rev. Charles also said some Haitians who are detained at the Detention Centre are mistreated and there is not enough time allocated for visitation.

"As a pastor I’m always down there," Rev. Charles said.

Pastors are doing their job, which is to get more souls for Christ, he added.

Approximately 95 percent of the Haitian population is not Christian and when Haitians come to The Bahamas it is a good opportunity for the pastors to preach and minister to them, Rev. Charles said.

There are two visitation days at The Detention Centre – Tuesdays and Fridays from 10am to 3pm, he said.

Rev. Charles noted that some Haitians at the Detention Centre need people to regularly take personal belongings to them.

Some of the illegal Haitian immigrants who are captured only have one piece of clothing and there are some women who would have their monthly period and would call because they are in need of sanitary napkins, but sometimes you cannot take anything for them on the days that are not scheduled for visitation, he said.

Rev. Charles suggested that more visitation days should be added for persons to visit illegal immigrants at the Detention Centre.

The Haitian community has met with the government on many occasions so that this matter could be looked into, but nothing has happened as yet, he claimed.

Some Haitians who are repatriated to Haiti return home barefoot because no supplies were sent to the Detention Centre for them, Rev. Charles said.

The situation in Haiti isn’t getting any better and the new Haitian government is trying to control the crime in the country, he said.

"It’s not getting better because in Haiti people do whatever they could; they would do whatever it takes to come here," Rev. Charles said.

He said there is a 95 percent possibility that Haitians would be apprehended when they come to The Bahamas, but they still come.

"Some of them die at sea," Rev. Charles said.

Haitians come to The Bahamas because in Haiti there’s a large population of unemployed people, Rev. Charles said.

Some Haitians who leave Haiti are on their way to the United States and there are some Haitians who are apprehended in The Bahamas, repatriated and then return to The Bahamas for a second time, he said.

Since the Haitian community has a growing population, it is a strain on the national resources of The Bahamas, Rev. Charles said.

He said Haitians are using The Bahamas systems because Haitian children are born in the local hospital and attend the local schools.

Bahamians are very nice people who understand the Haitian situation, Rev. Charles said.

"They are trying to help the Haitians."

The middle class Bahamians need Haitians to help take care of their homes, Rev. Charles added.

He assured that Haitian pastors are educating their congregation about abiding by Bahamian laws.

"For instance, if they have any dispute with anyone they shouldn’t take matters into their own hands; they have to call the police to deal with the matter," Rev. Charles said.

"Most of the times they think they have to fight, but we teach them about that. We teach them how to live in The Bahamas. We teach them how to help The Bahamas become better."

17 July 2007