This has escalated into an embarrassing situation for law enforcement authorities.
One Chinese businesswoman told the Bahama Journal today that those arrested were subjected to racial slurs from at least one law enforcement officer.
A police inspector reportedly ordered Friday’s roundup of 20 Chinese, believed to be illegal immigrants.
But police officials were mistaken and they were forced to release the detainees, all of whom had legal status in the country.
Reportedly, 18 of the detainees had work permits issued by the Department of Immigration, one had Bahamian permanent residency status and the other was, in fact, a Bahamian citizen.
Police Commissioner Paul Farquharson was unavailable for comment on the matter today. A senior police official said that he was meeting with the prime minister to brief him on the blunder.
A source in the Department of Immigration told the Bahama Journal yesterday that the hasty action resulted in the closure of at least one popular Chinese restaurant on one of its busiest days and affected 14 other businesses that reportedly suffered financial losses as a result of the error.
The manager of that restaurant, who asked not to be named, said the inspector “carted off” her staff, most of whom were speciality cooks despite her telling him that she had copies of their work permits which she kept in the restaurant.
The manager, who is Chinese-Bahamian, said that the incident occurred around 10:30 Friday morning and that the Chinese workers were not released from the Carmichael Road Detention Centre until 7p.m. that evening.
She said that the workers were unharmed, but they were humiliated.
The businesswoman also said what was most hurtful were the racist remarks made by the inspector who reportedly said, “All you Chinese people need to go back to where you come from.”
She said, “We would like to think that this [racist view] is not the sentiment of the government and people of The Bahamas, but is just the isolated opinion of one idiot.”
The manager added that other members of the Chinese-Bahamian business community were also concerned that the police “treated our people like dogs.”
A group of representatives of the businesses affected is reportedly in discussions with Commissioner Paul Farquharson, who is hoping to pacify the businesspersons.
The matter has also reached the diplomatic level as it has been reported to the newly arrived Chinese Ambassador.
The Police Force recently boasted of its success in assisting the immigration department in rounding up illegal persons in the country as police officers patrol New Providence’s streets.
Official statistics show that the police apprehended 424 people on immigration infractions between January and June this year.
Of that number, 376 were Haitians; 16 were Jamaicans; 13 were Chinese nationals; eight were Cubans; three were Japanese; six were Ecuadorians and two were French Canadian.
Sources within the Department of Immigration said that they appreciated the police force’s assistance, but in this circumstance, they said they believed the police were “a bit too enthusiastic.”
The action reportedly caused administrative setbacks for immigration officials, as they had to pull the files of the persons concerned and prepare release orders for them.
Immigration authorities also said they are concerned about the impact of the error because the Chinese have a good record of abiding by immigration rules.
By Julian Reid, The Bahama Journal
