BAHAMAS-Government announces comprehensive review of immigration decisions.

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – The Bahamas government Wednesday said it would be undertaking “a comprehensive review of the checks and balances regarding how immigration decisions are made” even as the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM)maintained its call for the resignation of the incumbent minister, Keith Bell.

In s statement, Prime Minister Phillip Davis said that the review would be done “to strengthen the checks and balances, adding that “every Bahamian deserves to have confidence that the rules promote efficiency, fairness, and accountability to the greatest extent possible.”

Bell has come under criticism since overseeing the swearing-in ceremony of three people at the funeral of Franck Racine, saying that he was fulfilling the dying wishes.

But on Monday, former prime minister Dr. Hubert Minnis questioned whether Bell spoke the truth when he said he had received a call in Switzerland from a dying man who wanted his wife and children to get Bahamian citizenship.

Also on Monday, both FNM and ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters staged counter-proposals outside the Parliament in support and against the Immigration Minister.

Minnis said that Racine died on June 29 before Bell traveled to Switzerland.

“Parliamentary record reflects that Keith Bell was in Parliament on the 31st. According to Cable 12 news, Keith Bell said the man called him in Switzerland. Keith Bell could not have been in Switzerland because the conference didn’t start until the fifth,” Minnis said, adding, “It is quite evident that Keith Bell is not telling the truth.”

But in his statement, Prime Minister Davis acknowledged that the opposition had raised questions in Parliament and that the Department of Immigration would be releasing information to address those questions.

But he told Bahamians, “It is my understanding that, in many instances, the opposition’s questions were based on wrong and inaccurate information.

“As an important aside, I want everyone to understand that when civil servants share the names and personal details of individuals from files in their department’s custody, they violate the law and have breached the public trust.

“People who share their private information with the government of The Bahamas, in departments across our Ministries, should be able to do so with confidence that they will not find their names being shouted at press conferences or thrown around to score political points.

Let’s return, at this moment, to immigration.”

Prime Minister Davis said it is “fundamentally important that Bahamians have confidence that every immigration matter is handled fairly, by the law, and in the best interest of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people.”

He said there has always been substantial discretion in enforcing immigration laws here and in other countries in the Westminster system.

“There are practical reasons for that, including the need for flexibility to respond to unique or complex situations and the need to respond to new and changing circumstances without requiring constant legislative changes. And, of course, that discretion operates within a system of checks and balances to promote fairness and due process.”

But Prime Minister Davis acknowledged that just because a system has continuously operated a particular way doesn’t mean it can’t be strengthened or improved.

“As you have heard me say on many occasions, I didn’t come here to defend the status quo; I came here to change it. When there are ways to improve governance, we will modernize the system instead of maintaining it.”

He told the nation that earlier on Wednesday, his administration introduced historic legislation to make the Parliament an independent branch of government, increasing accountability and strengthening the representation of the people.

“I have had a lot of conversations with Bahamians in recent weeks about immigration – and I want to let you know that I hear you. I hear your concerns about how things work in this country and intend to address them,” Prime Minister Davis added.