According to a study recently completed by the College of The Bahamas and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), “employers use migrant labour without respect for the legality of the employment, so enforcement should also be the focus of employers and employees.”
The findings suggest that because of their generally low educational levels and poor English language skills, Haitian migrants largely seek unskilled or semi-skilled jobs and are often able to circumvent labour permit requirements with employer assistance.
One area Haitian nationals work in illegally, according to the study, is construction.
And according to the study, local media portrayals of the migrant population in The Bahamas help to heighten a public perception that migrants threaten the Bahamian way of life.
Those are some of the major findings extrapolated from the study and survey, which also included a finding that “official data support the hypotheses that in some communities Haitian nationals utilize substantial government educational resources.”
A finding that seems to go contrary to public opinion is that, according to the IOM/COB study, “many Haitian nationals do not wish to settle in The Bahamas, which suggests that circular migration continues.”
The IOM/COB report also found that “official data support the hypothesis that Haitian nationals utilize public hospitals disproportionately to the size of (the) population,” but that “official data do not support the hypothesis that Haitian nationals use health clinics out of proportion to the size of (the) population.”
“While Haitian nationals utilize the public health and education systems, they make little use of other social services,” IOM states in a brief on the report.
In its current form, the report quoted is a product of data production, collection and analysis conducted by the College and reflects the COB research teamﾒs considered recommendations, developed in regular consultation with IOM.
According to the brief, the publicﾒs perception of the migrant population is that it is very large.
The research confirms that Haitian nationals migrate to The Bahamas from increasingly varied points in their homeland, in many instances in an irregular manner, primarily in search of work.
These research findings also suggest that Haitian migrants are not well integrated into Bahamian society.ﾠHaitian migrants largely remain a distinct and separate community, generally living in poorer accommodations than other groups; perhaps for that reason, significant numbers of respondents disclaimed any intention to settle permanently in The Bahamas.
The findings and conclusions of the research were part of an extensive study commissioned by IOM in coordination with the Government of the Bahamas, and carried out by COB to help gauge the impact and dimension of the Haitian migrant presence in The Bahamas.ﾠ This research project, part of IOMﾒs ongoing programme of technical assistance to the Government in the field of migration, is contributing more up-to-date information and fresh perspectives on Haitian migration in The Bahamas.ﾠﾠ
Haitian migrants by far constitute the largest migrant community in The Bahamas ﾖ characterized by a distinct linguistic, cultural, and social tradition ﾖ thus posing significant policy and resource implications for the Government and society.
By: Quincy Parker, The Bahama Journal
