REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE ON IRREGULAR MOVEMENTS BY SEA
IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION:
Panelist Discussion: “Irregular migration by Sea: A Global Challenge Challenges in the Caribbean and Best Practices”
18-20 March 2013
Jakarta, Indonesia
Mrs. Cleola Hamilton
Parliamentary Secretary
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration
The Bahamas
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THE CARIBBEAN
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Regional Overview
Migration within the Caribbean Sub-Region
The number of migrants in Caribbean countries from other Countries in the
Region has increased
 On average 3% of Caribbean countries populations can be considered
migrants
 Lowest percentage of migrants are found in Jamaica, Guyana, Cuba,
Dominican Republic, and Haiti
 Main push factors are:
 Declining economic and social conditions;
 High unemployment;
 Little hope for improvement in the near future

Source: Migration in the Caribbean, ECLAC, 2006
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Regional Overview Cont’d

Trends in Caribbean Irregular Migration: The pattern of Movement
 Generally irregular movement from the poorest countries to other
Caribbean countries, and the shortest distance from the origin
Country
 Countries
with basic coastguard surveillance are more likely to be
recipients of more illegal migrants
Source: Migration in the Caribbean, ECLAC, 2006
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Regional Overview Cont’d
CASES


Trinidad and Tobago
 Deported more than 750 immigrants over a two year period 2011-2012
 Over 400 were from Guyana
In 2012, there were reportedly 482 persons deported
 283 were from Guyana
 60 were from Jamaica
 16 were from Dominican Republic
 10 from were from St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Source: www.newsday.co.tt/politics
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THE BAHAMAS EXPERIENCE
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THE BAHAMAS EXPERIENCE


Challenged with inability to control the large influx of illegal migrants
by sea because of the large territory of water borders
The Department of Immigration has listed the Haitian Nationals as
the department’s number one challenge
o
o
o


Illegal landings
Recent deaths at sea
Overstaying
Trend in maritime is the smuggling of migrants of different
nationalities from the Caribbean
On Islands with large Haitian migrant populations, residents have
established underground networks
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COSTS TO THE BAHAMAS
$3,500,000.00
$3,000,000.00
$2,500,000.00
$2,000,000.00
$1,500,000.00
$1,000,000.00
$500,000.00
$0.00
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20
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20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
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08
20
09
20
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11
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Bahamian Dollars
Repatriation Costs by Air
Year
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MIGRANTS MODES OF TRANSPORTATION



Vessels have evolved over the years from wooden
sailing sloops, to wooden sloops and steel-hull cargo
vessels
Vessels generally carry between 20 and 250 migrants
The types and conditions of the vessels introduce other
problems
 Health
 Safety
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DETECTION IN THE BAHAMAS


Majority of detections are in the southern Bahama Islands around Inagua, Mayaguana, the
Exuma chain
Most detected illegal immigrants are Haitians and Cubans
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Source: Mappery.com
Royal Bahamas Defence Force Patrol Vessels
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GROUP OF ILLEGAL MIGRANTS
INTERCEPTED IN BAHAMIAN WATERS
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SCREENING

14 persons from relevant agencies trained on UNHCR
standards

In keeping with UNHCR Protocols, migrants are careful
screened by trained Immigration Officers, which includes
interviews

The interviews are then reviewed by a trained non constituted
panel of officers trained on UNHCR standards, for a decision on
whether their cases are seemingly legitimate

Final recommendations are put to the Executive Branch of
Government to ascertain whether The Bahamas will afford the
potential asylum seeker protection in The Bahamas
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TRAFFICKING IN PERSON (TIP)




The Bahamas has become a transit area for persons clandestinely migrating to the
United States, particularly economic immigrants from Haiti and Cuba
In 2011, the Government established Inter-Ministry Committee on Trafficking in
Persons (TIP Committee)
The TIP Committee makes policy recommendations to the Government to
strengthen national initiatives to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in
persons.
The TIP Committee comprises senior Government officials from the Ministries of
National Security, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Social Services, and Health and,
 Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs,
 Royal Bahamas Police Force
 Royal Bahamas Defence Force
 Departments of Immigration and Customs,
 NGOs and faith-based organizations are invited to participate in the work of the
Committee
The Trafficking in Persons Task Force (TIP Task Force) was established in March
2012, as an operational body to address trafficking in persons cases, from the
identification of a victim to the prosecution of an alleged trafficker.
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BEST PRACTICES

The Bahamas found several methods successful in detecting and
capturing illegal migrants at sea
 Anticipation- Bahamian authorities anticipate an influx of irregular
migration during certain times of the year, i.e. Christmas, and
other holidays, and conflict and hardships in the country. During
those times of the year, Immigration authorities increase patrol
vessels;
 Recent placement of Defense Force plane on the southern island
of Inagua;
 The use of “spotter” airplane to determine location of migrate
vessels, prior to deploying patrol vessels to intercept them
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Cooperation and Coordination in the Caribbean

Comprehensive Maritime Agreement

The Bahamas and Cuba Territorial Delimitation Agreement

Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI)

CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS)

Memorandum of Understanding between International Organisation
for Migration (IOM), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
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Bahamas-USA Bilateral Comprehensive Maritime
Agreement


Agreement between The Government of The Bahamas and the
United States which permits, in part, that U.S Coast Guard vessels
to patrol the waters of The Bahamas in an effort to increase maritime
security between the two Countries.
If vessels are captured in Bahamian waters, the U.S. must determine
if the vessels bear any connection to The Bahamas, i.e.
 Bahamians on board
 Boat registered in The Bahamas
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Operation Bahamas Turks and
Caicos (OPBAT)


Joint Cooperation between The Bahamas, Turks
and Caicos, and the United States
The U.S. regularly assist with:
 prosecuting
human smuggling,
 irregular immigration detection and interdiction
 search and rescue cases throughout Bahamian
waters and the surrounding high seas.
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The Bahamas and Cuba Territorial Delimitation
Agreement

October 2011 The Bahamas and the Republic of Cuba signed an
Agreement delimiting their maritime boundaries, after almost 40
years of negotiations.

This Agreement now allows better monitoring and surveillance of The
Bahamas Cuba border.
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The Bahamas and Cuba Territorial
Delimitation Agreement
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Caribbean Basin Security Initiative
(CBSI)

CBSI brings all members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the
Dominican Republic, to collaborate on regional security with the United States as a
partner. The United States is making a significant contribution to CBSI, committing
$203 million in funding for the first three years of the initiative which began in 2010
Objectives to deal with the threats facing the Caribbean:
Substantially Reduce Illicit Trafficking: through programs ranging from counternarcotics
to reducing the flow of illegal arms/light weapons.
 Increase Public Safety and Security: through programs ranging from reducing crime
and violence to improving border security.
 Promote Social Justice: through programs designed to promote justice sector reform,
combat government corruption, and assist vulnerable populations at risk of recruitment
into criminal organizations

Source: U.S . Department of State
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CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and
Security (IMPACS)

The Agency is the centre of the Region’s new multilateral Crime and Security
management architecture, specifically designed to administer a collective response
to the Crime and Security priorities of Member States.

Some of the main functions include:
 Migration data collection, and sharing for security purposes through the
Regional Advance Passenger Information System (APIS);
 The implementation of actions agreed by the Council relating to crime and
security;
 Advising the Council on appropriate regional responses to Crime and Security
arrangements on the basis of research and analysis;
 Mobilizing resources in support of the regional Crime and Security agenda and
negotiation of technical assistance;
 The collaboration and co-ordination with national and international crime
prevention and control agencies to determine trends, methodologies and
strategies for crime prevention and enhancing security for the Community.
Source: http://www.caricomimpacs.org
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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION
FOR MIGRATION (IOM) AND THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM)


The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) pledging closer cooperation in activities related to migration.
The two Organizations agreed to focus on cooperation and joint
efforts, including:
 Technical cooperation and capacity building on migration;
 Mutual assistance in activities related to migration management
best practices, migration, development and human rights of
migrants;
 Dissemination of information; and
 Joint participation in programmes in pursuit of the common
interest of IOM and CARICOM.
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MAJOR CHALLENGES






Insufficient Human Resources in the forms of Immigration, investigation and
Enforcement Officers;
The Border Patrol authorities lack sufficient patrol vessels;
The Bahamas large territory of water;
OPBAT helicopters were removed due to U.S budget constraints.
Local small craft ferry migrants from smuggler’s vessels offshore to land
Mixed Migratory Flows
 Asylum Seekers
 Economic Migrants
 Trafficking in Person victims
The authorities must deal with different types of migrants in different
capacity, which significantly extend the resources of the Country.
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MAJOR CHALLENGES CONT’D

Mixed Migratory Flows
 Asylum Seekers
 Economic Migrants
 Trafficking in Person victims
The authorities must deal with different types of migrants in different
capacity, which significantly extend the resources of the Country.
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The Way Forward

The way forward in decreasing the illegal flow of
migrants by way of the maritime environment will
require:
the continued tightening up of security via sustained air
and sea patrols with the assistance of bases established
along strategic checkpoints to facilitate patrol efforts
 The stemming of migrant smuggling will also require
enhanced cooperation between affected nations through
effective information sharing, effective communication
networks, and joint operations, all of which are being
addressed


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CONCLUSION
Illegal migration is expected to remain at high levels as
long as home countries of undocumented migrants
continue to experience political, economic and social
instability. With the Bahamas lying between the world’s
wealthiest nation and both the Hemisphere’s most
impoverished nation, Haiti, and the Hemisphere’s only
communist nation, Cuba, The Bahamas will continue to
be a natural bridge for the fulfillment of dreams and
aspirations of many migrants, who seek to gain entrance
into the United States.
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