It is a pity that Prime Minister Christie dragged the Haitian and race issue into a decision that he has to make about two Cuban refugees, now in the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
But now that he has brought up the subject we agree that Haitians are very badly treated in this country. The only ones who can change that treatment is – not President Bush or his brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush – but members of Mr Christie's own government.
Referring to his meeting with Jeb Bush last week, Mr Christie said: "As I told Governor Bush, this government of a black country is discriminating against Haitians in favour of how we deal with Cuban nationals. I am refusing to do that. You have a different policy in dealing with Haitians than you do when dealing with Cubans.
"It's happened in the US. I told President Bush I am not going to condone it," he said. Brave words, Mr Christie, then do something about it. After all you are now in a position to act rather than talk about what is not being done.
Since we are on the subject of Haitians, let's be frank. The situation in Cuba is political oppression, and human rights abuses. In Haiti people have been ground down by poverty. The policy has always been to give political asylum to persons who fear for their safety, but not to those trying to improve their economic condition.
Many Cubans fleeing communist Cuba are professionals and artisans. If they speak too freely in their homeland, they could land in jail. They have family and powerful connections on the outside. Those who have no skills to offer another country and no connections are usually – like the Haitians – rejected as immigrants.
Although the tradition of America has been to open her arms to the poor and the hungry, today even America cannot absorb all of the world's poor and hungry. And there is no argument that the tiny Bahamas can barely manage its own.
And so today, because of the worldwide disruption of people, wealthier countries have had to close their borders to free-moving immigration.
The Haitians who flee their homeland in overcrowded boats, are those who can barely read or write. Most of them are general labourers, few have skills. They have no powerful lobby looking out for their welfare. Their own black brothers, especially here in the Bahamas, scorn them. So by the very nature of things there is a vast social and educational difference between Cubans and Haitians fleeing their countries – and this, rather than skin colour, is the main root of the problem.
It is of interest to note that Haitians generally don't want to be in the Bahamas. And so if the United States is as bad for Haitians as Mr Christie claims, why is it that so many spend their days trying to visit "my daddy" in the US, and when there, trying to disappear into the fabric of American life?
Haitians seem to feel so at home in the US that the legal and illegal have no compunction in carrying placards in public demonstrations to demand their rights. Can anyone ever see first generation Haitians doing that in the Bahamas?
Americans might have problems, but the Bahamas' problems are far greater. So, Mr Christie, instead of pointing to the moat in Mr Bush's eye, you should take care of your own first.
One is far more aware of the Haitian presence in Florida than in New Providence. In Florida they are the taxi drivers, the hotel waiters, the laundresses, the hotel housekeepers. Wherever one turns there is a Haitian making his way up the ladder. This is true of both Haitians and Cubans.
But in the Bahamas the Haitians are huddled in hovels, grubbing the land, barely holding their heads above subsistence level.
Yes, Mr Christie, Haitians are very badly treated in the Bahamas. No government, be it PLP or FNM, has come to grips with the problem. But, since we have a prime minister who feels so strongly about the inequality, then let's see improvement.
It is because of how badly governments have handled the Haitian "problem" that the door is left wide-open for Bahamians to abuse and take advantage of their black brothers.
Unless they have status in the country they cannot buy land, they can't have a bank account, they are taken advantage of by their landlords, dishonest police officers, and dishonest persons who work the underground visa racket and weekly share in their meagre salaries in exchange for the work permit. We could go on forever, because we have great sympathy for the Haitians.
But the Haitian problem should have absolutely nothing to do with the decision that the Prime Minister has to make about the future of the Cuban dentists. Introducing the Haitian problem is only creating smoke screens, red herrings and an excuse to find an escape hatch.
If Cubans are being better treated than Haitians, then raise the standard for the Haitians.
Bring the Haitians up, don't pull the Cubans down.
We suggest that Mr Christie take care of his own backyard before he goes interfering in Mr Bush's backyard.
In the meantime let's have a decision on the immigration case of Dr Marialys Darias Mesa and Dr David Gonzalez Mejias. Ten months is an unconscionably long time to hold anyone captive.
Editorial from The Tribune – Nassau, Bahamas
