When Shane Gibson ordered illegal immigrants to leave The Bahamas he was probably not seeking to drive them to the United States.
The then newly-appointed Immigration Minister was most probably warning illegals to return to their own homelands before being thrown out under his series of high-profile raids that would follow.
For many hundreds of those in the country’s burgeoning Haitian community, the minister’s message appears to have been heard as loud as a cruise liner’s horn sounded in the still of dawn. But despite the clarion nature of Gibson’s February call, many have heeded only part of his message.
Instead of willfully repatriating to their wretched, war torn and politically unstable home, these migrants have opted for an illegal getaway to Florida from Abaco – the island that has now become the hub for human smuggling to the United States. “You have people who come down from Nassau, Freeport and other islands, but mostly I know Nassau people who come down for these trips,” said a reliable source, familiar with the operation. “Men pay $5,000, ladies pay $3,000 and children pay between $1500 and $1000 dollars depending on their age.”
Children as young as seven are allowed on the voyages, which are made aboard go-fast boats that dock at various private moorings along Florida’s southern coast.
The smuggling ring which for many years has ferried mostly Haitian nationals residing illegally in this country to the Florida shores, has reportedly seen an upsurge in patrons with legal status here. These legal workers would prefer take their chances in Florida than run the risk of being swooped up in one of Minister Gibson’s infamous raids.
At the very top of the operation are Bahamians who employ Haitian recruiters that scout inside their migrant communities. The trips are well organised and always depart from various ports around central Abaco under the cover of darkness.
“The Haitian recruiters don’t even have to go and find these people,” the source revealed. “The people [patrons] actually find them.
“They think that the United States is paved with gold and that their lives will certainly be better,” added the source. “While here they are oppressed, but once they enter the United States they are treated the same as Bahamians.”
The Guardian’s source said similar human smugglingrings existed in Grand Bahama but explained that the Abaco operation was, by far, the most popular, due to its high rate of success. A low incidence of interdiction was said to be proof of that success.
Ambassador Louis Harold Joseph told the Guardian last week that he feared Haitians reportedly traveling from Abaco to Florida as part of these opearations were risking their lives.
“They are taking these trips because they are looking for better lives and they are looking for better opportunities,” said the Haitian envoy. “But each time my people-the Haitian people – take risky boats [on] risky trips to come here or [to] the United States, we are concerned because they their lives are important.”
A United States Embassy spokesman also said last week it was aware of reports of the operation and would continue to help The Bahamas to respond to such practices.
But while Immigration officials on Abaco have received reports of the smuggling-ring, Minister Gibson said last night that he was unaware of the reports.
The Nassau Guardian first reported the illegal ring two weeks ago, after Abaco pastor and Haitian community advocate Rev. Carlton Dorsette revealed its existence.
By RAYMOND KONGWA Guardian Senior Reporter
