Licensees in Freeport could be driven to sue the government because of its “stubborn and capricious” handling of work permit applications. it was claimed last night.
Some businesses are under threat of closure in an already -depressed economy with high unemployment, said attorney Fred Smith.
As a result, Bahamians could find themselves out of work because of the government’s attempts to use work permits for intimidation and victimisation, he added.
Mr Smith told The Tribune: “Licensees are seeing their businesses being crippled by the Immigration Minister, Shane Gibson.
“In an economy that is already depressed, and in particular in the tourism sector, licensees are finding it extremely difficult to get new permits or renewals.
“There is a real legal question as to whether the Immigration Act applies to Freeport, bat more to the point. why would the minister be creating administrative challenges far businesses in Freeport which are struggling to survive in the first place?”
Mr Smith said hundreds of workers in Grand Bahama had now had their -permits refused or were underthreat of not having them renewed.
“The delays are reminiscent of the A D Hanna purges of the 1970s and business is being brought: to a grinding halt.”
In his own case, he said, his loss adjustment firm was suffering because he had been pursuing permit renewals for much-needed expatriate adjusters who were still processing claims from Hurricane Wilma.
“Here we are in the middle of another hurricane season, and there are no public adjusters licensed in Freeport, leaving the people at the mercy of the big insurance companies.”
Mr Smith said he was “a 30-year licensee,” doing business in Freeport, “and the minister is crippling my business.”
He added: “This is not unique to me. There are many businesses suffering the same challenge. I call on the government to stop using immigration as a tool to victimise and intimiate.”
He said the Immigration Act should be depoliticised with provision for appeals and quick review. And it should not be used to “terrorise” government opponents such as himself.
Mr Smith said almost every Bahamian business needed some foreign element. Expertise was required right across the economy.
“We are not an island unto ourselves,” he added, “We promote ourselves as an international investment, tourism and second-home environment.
“If we are to continue to be absorbed in the global village we must make it easy for people to work in the Bahamas. A more generous interpretation of the act will only help development and not hinder us.”
At present, said Mr Smith, licensees who had tried to negotiate sensibly with the minister had met with a stubborn and capricious reaction.
They were, he added, going to be driven to litigate against the government. “The licensees don’t want to sue the government. They want to operate their businesses. But in this depressed economy, this affects the owners’ ability to stay open.
“What the minister might find is that some of these licensees will just close down, throwing many Bahamians out of work.
“If Bahamians want to maintain their jobs, they must tell the government to be flexible in allowing companies to bring in help.”
He added: “Bahamians can’t run every aspect of the Bahamas.”
Mr Smith said if he was not given his permits, he too would take action on constitutional grounds for political discrimination and victimisation.
“I am not about to be terrorised by some political official. I live in a country governed by the rule of law, not by the rule of Shane Gibson, and he is not going to control my life.”
Mr Smith said he set up his own loss adjustment company after Freeport people were found to be suffering from low post-storm appraisals. He said in some cases his firm had been able to increase payments by an average of 500 per cent.
“Now the government has refused permits for two men I employed. My business has been brought to a halt.”
He said refusal of permits was also hitting local rental business. “We are talking about hundreds of people facing this challenge that I know of. Many have had their permits refused, others are under threat of not getting their renewals approved. They have been required in many instances to leave the country.”
By: The Tribune
