Dear Sir:

FINALLY! Shane Gibson, a Minister of Immigration who is willing to execute the

mandate of the office to protect the citizens! HALLELUJAH!

So much has been written and said about illegal immigration in this country recently, I wish to offer another view on why illegal immigration requires decisive action now.

1. According to the World Fact Book, the population of The Bahamas is

approximately 304,000.

2. According to published reports, the International Organization for Migration

(IOM) estimates that there are 60,000 illegal Haitian immigrants in the Bahamas (approximately 20 per cent of the [legal] population).

3. In fiscal year 2005/2006 the government allocated approximately $150 million each to the Ministries of Health and Education, about $300 million in total.

Now to put the above information in perspective:

1. What would Canada do if 6.5 million Nigerians (approximately 20 per cent of the Canadian population) illegally migrated to Canada?

2. What would the United Kingdom do if 12 million Chinese (approximately 20 per cent of the UK population) illegally migrated to the UK?

3. What would the United States do if 60 million Iranians (approximately 20 per cent of the US population) illegally migrated to the US? 60 million people is roughly 2 times the entire population of Canada! Look at the problems the US is facing right now dealing with a "mere" 12 million illegal immigrants, one-fifth the proportionate number the Bahamas has to deal with.

Consider the cultural and national identity impact on a country when 20 per cent of the population is inserted from a SINGLE COUNTRY! It is impossible for these people to assimilate into the new country, as the numbers are too great. Effectively, the foreign culture and practices are brought "wholesale" into the country, forever changing that which was intrinsic to the home country. Now a once homogeneous society becomes fractured into "blocs" of distinct and competing cultures, values, morals, and practices, potentially giving rise to conflicts.

Consider the financial impact on the country and economy. Can the Bahamas continue to spend about $60 MILLION EVERY YEAR (20 per cent of the $300 million Health and Education budget) ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS without adversely affecting its citizens? Is this right, or fair to its citizens? Could not this money be better used to enhance the Defence Force, Police Force, to fund the University of The Bahamas, BTVI, scholarships, National Health Insurance, pensions and care for the elderly, hurricane/disaster recovery, to prepare our people to compete in the World Economy

(CSME, WTO)? Why should The Bahamas be responsible for the health care and

education of Haitian citizens, and then to make matters worse, permit these same persons to compete with Bahamians for jobs?

The $60 million spent annually by the Bahamian government on the Healthcare and Education of illegal immigrants doesn't even include the other financial losses the Bahamian economy suffers from the illegal use of electricity and water from BEC and WSC, unpaid National Insurance, unpaid Business Licence fees, etc. Nor does it include the millions of dollars (reportedly $30 million-40 million) that are removed from the economy

each year and sent back to Haiti. A financial impact that exceeds $100 million each year!

Can we afford to continue paying for the healthcare and education of illegal immigrants, then after taking care of them and educating them, allow them to compete with us for jobs, only to send the money that they earn out of our country?

The National Security concern in all of this cannot be overstated - Haiti's population is almost 30 times that of the Bahamas; if left unchecked, the Bahamas can easily be overrun by Haitians, effectively relegating Bahamians to the minority in their own country. Imagine, the wealthiest and (arguably) best run, most stable country in the region, with the longest history of parliamentary democracy (more than 175 years), being overtaken by the region's poorest, worst run, most unstable country; a country with a history of dictatorships. And what is to become of us? What a study in contrasts.

How ironic.

How unfortunate. Will we allow this challenge to go unmet? Will we allow our birthright to be stolen without a fight? I hope not. I will not.

Yours, etc,

Generation Bahamian