{"id":36519,"date":"2013-06-12T08:35:17","date_gmt":"2013-06-12T12:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/?p=36519"},"modified":"2013-06-12T08:35:17","modified_gmt":"2013-06-12T12:35:17","slug":"robbery-halts-u-s-visa-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/2013\/06\/robbery-halts-u-s-visa-services","title":{"rendered":"Robbery Halts U.S. Visa Services"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The United States Embassy suspended nonimmigrant visa services in The Bahamas on Monday, one day after a U.S. diplomat was assaulted and robbed in Nassau.<\/p>\n

Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell told the House of Assembly yesterday afternoon that the U.S. government had informed him that the suspension was \u201cas a result of the injury to its vice consul at the U.S. Embassy\u201d.<\/p>\n

The 74-year-old diplomat was accosted, robbed and injured on her way to St. Francis Xavier Cathedral on West Street around 11 a.m. Sunday, police said.<\/p>\n

Mitchell noted that the matter was now with police.<\/p>\n

He told Parliament, \u201cUnfortunately, however, the embassy says that the absence from work of that officer means that no visa processing for Bahamians took place today (Monday) and the [Charg\u00e9 d’ Affaires John Dinkelman] thought that this would be for an unspecified period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mitchell added, \u201cI made known our concern at these developments even while understanding the situation. I am happy to report that I have now been informed by the charge that visa processing will begin again tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The embassy said in a statement nonimmigrant visa services provided by the Embassy’s Consular Section will be available on a reduced basis today.<\/p>\n

The embassy said it intends to resume full nonimmigrant visa services tomorrow.<\/p>\n

The Free National Movement (FNM) said in a statement the decision to suspend visa services \u201csent shockwaves throughout The Bahamas\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe FNM urges the government of The Bahamas to ensure that visitors and residents are protected against violence,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

\u201cClearly, it must be possible for a visitor, in broad daylight to attend the Cathedral at West Street without being robbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe FNM found the minister of foreign affairs and immigration\u2019s emergency communication to Parliament woefully inadequate.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a conversation with the U.S. Embassy the FNM was given assurances that every effort will be taken to return visa services to Bahamian nationals to normality.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than a dozen people were turned away after waiting outside the embassy for hours yesterday morning.<\/p>\n

Joanna Weinz, acting consular chief of the visa section, told them around noon that the embassy did not have the staff to process them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we\u2019re down officers, we don\u2019t have the staff to process you and it could cause visa appointment delays in future,\u201d Weinz said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not our fault our officer was assaulted and not here to do her job. It\u2019s not our fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Belgium national among the crowd asked how one person could stop the entire visa operation.<\/p>\n

He called the matter a scandal.<\/p>\n

In response, Weinz said, \u201cIt is a scandal for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Superintendent Paul Rolle, who heads the Central Detective Unit, said on Sunday a man approached the diplomat, threw her to the ground and stole her purse, cash and jewelry before escaping on a bicycle.<\/p>\n

In a statement following the incident, the embassy said Sunday the event reaffirmed its serious concern for the safety of United States citizens residing in and visiting The
\nBahamas.<\/p>\n

Outside the embassy yesterday, some people insisted Bahamians should not be made to suffer.<\/p>\n

Regina Johnson, a New Providence resident, said she did not understand why the embassy was \u201cholding a nation of people \u2014 your people, my people \u2014 [responsible] for something that happened\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not holding anyone,\u201d Weinz responded. \u201cWe are sorry too. It is not my decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several other residents told The Nassau Guardian the embassy was not considering the money they had spent in the process of applying for a visa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re saying that because of the lady that got robbed yesterday (Sunday) morning, which I am so sorry and hurt about, [they are closing],\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey (criminals) have to stop doing this foolishness, but I don\u2019t feel that they (embassy officials) should hold us hostage for one person when they can fly in someone from Miami or somewhere else in 20 to 25 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Terry Frank, an Abaco resident, said while there was nothing he could do to change the embassy\u2019s decision, the government must address crime in the country.<\/p>\n

Naqeel and Burnie Russell, who traveled from Freeport yesterday, said they were let down, but the potential financial loss was more difficult to stomach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to pay for my plane ticket, I had to pay for my hotel and I have had to pay for my [appointment], and I don\u2019t see any refunds on that, and I have to do the same thing over again,\u201d Naqeel Russell said.<\/p>\n

The embassy\u2019s statement said that applicants who had interviews scheduled will be contacted to reschedule their appointments. Applicants may also call 1-888-762-3775 to reschedule.<\/p>\n

By Royston Jones, Jr <\/span><\/em>
\nGuardian Staff Reporter<\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The United States Embassy recently suspended nonimmigrant visa services in The Bahamas, one day after a U.S. diplomat was assaulted and robbed in Nassau.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_10223285771444175_51037792744":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[31,283,1769],"class_list":["post-36519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-headlines","tag-crime","tag-robbery","tag-visa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36519"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36519\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}