The Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, the Hon. Kingsley Smith is providing more information about the arrest of approximately 99 migrants detained on the island of Bimini.

According to Smith work permit applications for the group have been submitted to the Department of Immigration and are currently under review.

The Member of Parliament also addressed concerns of residents about illegal immigration on Bimini.  He said, “as issues arise it will be addressed and where Bahamians are qualified obviously they would get first preference on that job.”

Smith offered advised to citizens on the island.  “Apply yourself, put yourself in a position that you are able to do these jobs that some foreigners would want, obviously cheap labour.  But again, The Bahamas, always look out for this type of behaviour. How can we deal with it?  So again, the Prime Minister was very firm in his stance just recently about bringing individuals into the country that obviously doing jobs that Bahamians can do.”

The group of detainees included Mexicans, Dominicans, Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans employed by Opac Limited.