The Bahamas says it has deported 95 Haitians including six children.
The Bahamas Immigration said that the Haitians, including 22 women were deported on Thursday from New Providence to Port-au-Prince.
It said the exercise was undertaken by a joint team of officers from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Immigration Department, assisted by a volunteer from the Bahamas Red Cross Society.
Senior Immigration Officer Wyberg Brown said the Haitians were flown back to their country on board a Bahamasair charter flight with all Ministry of Health coronavirus (COVID-19) protocols strictly enforced, “as the health, welfare, and safety of our officers, law enforcement counterparts, and migrants remain our top priority in this COVID-19 environment”.
The Department of Immigration said it remains committed to carrying out its mandate to combat illegal migration by establishing effective border control management to ensure compliance with the country’s Statute Laws.
Haitians, many of whom live in shantytowns in the Bahamas, have on many occasions braved the treacherous seas to arrive on unseaworthy boats. Many of them have perished during the voyage.
CMC
