Gibson, who has been on a crusade to rid The Bahamas of illegal immigrants, warned them to exit the country voluntarily or be forced to leave.
Gibson said that a Florida printer had recently been arrested after being found in the possession of over 500 forged Bahamian work permits.
He added that this was one of the main reasons raids have been conducted throughout the country as the government attempted to weed out those illegals who were in possession of false permits. The Minister, who gave one of the fieriest speeches at the convention, said that the government might have to issue new work permits in a bid to make certain that the law is being upheld.
Roars of approval were heard from the crowd as Prime Minister Perry Christie relayed to convention-goers that the PLP government was adhering to the promises it made to the Bahamian people. In addition to Mr Gibson’s tough talk on immigration, Mr Christie added that his administration would follow though with its promise to combat the country’s overwhelming illegal immigration problem.
” We also pledged that however daunting the challenges were and still are, we would resolutely strive to make The Bahamas a safer and more secure place for its people. However long it might take to win that war on freeing our nation from the grip of crime and the crutches of illegal immigration οΎ– so said, so done,” said Mr Christie.
In addition to addressing the country’s immigration problem at the PLP’s victory convention, Mr Christie said his government has begun the process of placing “anchor projects” on the Family Islands, so that all Bahamians could share in the country’s wealth.
“We pledged to institute a more innovative approach to economic development so that Bahamians throughout our archipelago could share more fully in the harvest of economic prosperity, rather than having it confined just to our cities- so said so done,” he said. Moreover, the Prime Minister told convention-goers that the convention was held in a bid to inform the Bahamian people of their progress. In his progress report, Mr Christie listed many of the party’s fulfilled pledges. Some of PLP’s fulfilled promises, according to Mr Christie, included:
– The PLP government was a government for all Bahamians and that no one needed to harbour any fears of being victimised.
– The government has served the Bahamian people with integrity and honesty, unselfishly and tirelessly.
– The government has restored budgetary and fiscal discipline to the management of the nation’s finances.
– They have not inflicted any new taxes on the Bahamian people, since entering into office on May 2, 2002.
– The government has reinvigorated the Bahamian economy by following sound, but imaginative policies that have made the Bahamas a model of investor confidence, and in so doing has attracted to The Bahamas first class developers who are assisting the country with its plan for economic development.
Moreover, Mr Christie said his cabinet is a team who are working hand-in-hand in the best interest of the Bahamian people.
By: LaShonne Outten, The Nassau Guardian
