Beyond Fear and Familiarity: Rethinking Immigration in a Defining Election

ABAGAIL CARTWRIGHT FROM DEAN’S BLUE HOLE

Nomination Day has passed, and the national campaign is now in full swing. With it comes a familiar pattern—emotionally charged debates, and in this election cycle, immigration is at the forefront.

I saw a social media video recently which showed a man of Haitian heritage explaining his vote in the Bain and Grants Town race. What followed was not discussion, but outrage. Many questioned how he could vote in The Bahamas at all, focusing on his background and even his accent. It, however, raises a deeper question: are we evaluating policy and leadership, or people’s origins?

Immigration has long been part of the Bahamian story. Families with names like Chea and Wong trace roots to Chinese migrants of the early 1900s. Others, like the Damianos and Maillis families, came from Greece in the 1800s and helped build key industries. Today, their descendants are Bahamian in every sense, and they have Bahamian passports. History reminds us that migration, when managed, has always been part of our growth.

There are practical benefits to immigration in a developing country. First, it fills labor gaps in sectors where there are shortages, helping businesses function and grow. Second, it supports economic expansion—through entrepreneurship, taxes, foreign investment, and increased productivity.

The claim that Haitians are “taking all the jobs” ignores a basic truth: people are hired by employers. Work permits and residency systems exist to regulate this. Frustration about unemployment or strained public services are valid concerns which deserve attention. If there are imbalances, they must be addressed through policy and enforcement—not blame.

This PLP government has done more than any other government in recent history to address the illegal immigration issue. This government has conducted
15,000 repatriations and the interception of nearly 12,000 migrants at sea since over the last for years. Over 300 new immigration officers were hired to strengthen the department’s capacity. New patrol vehicles were commissioned with specialized focus around Inagua and Ragged island. Unregulated “shanty towns” were cleared. Higher fines have been implemented for employers who have illegal immigrants hired, and the Anti-Smuggling legislation was introduced.

Whether one believes it is enough is a fair question—but the conversation should be grounded in fact, not fear.

As voters, especially those with experience and perspective, we must ask ourselves: are we choosing leaders based on solutions, or are we reacting to hate-filled, irrational xenophobic narratives?

The future of The Bahamas will not be shaped by who we exclude, but by how wisely—and fairly—we govern what we include.

-Abigail Cartwright