Man stuck in Haiti since March: We’ve got been damaged, neglected and abandoned
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — As the federal government seeks to rearrange for everlasting residents and residents of The Bahamas who remain stuck in Haiti to return home, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell said the federal government is just not minded to retain the present travel ban on Haiti, however the matter stays under review.
Responding to questions from Eyewitness News on whether the ban will remain in place, Mitchell said: “We’ve discussed it, but , there’s just no motion on it in the mean time.
“It’s an actual problem for Bahamians wanting to come back home and we’re sympathetic about that issue, but there may be just no decision on it yet.”
To bringing the Bahamian residents and residents back to The Bahamas, Mitchell said: “Again, we were discussing that this morning because I personally am pushing very hard on this because the problem of discrimination is an important one to me personally, but it surely sits throughout the whole [gamut] of the measures and so, it has to attend [for] the larger government’s decision.”
The unique ban on Haiti in February was explained as a call to dam travelers for 3 weeks because the country celebrated carnival.
On the time, few countries within the region had begun vaccine campaigns.
Prior to the ban, The Bahamas had direct flights to Haiti.
Haiti was left behind in the worldwide and regional campaign effort.
The Bahamas received its first tranche of vaccines in early March.
Haiti didn’t begin its vaccination campaign until July.
The nation, which has been faced with increasing political and economic strife, has yet to vaccinate a couple of percent of its population, in comparison with The Bahamas, which has vaccinated over 30 percent of its population.
But Haiti is just not alone with low vaccination rates within the region.
Jamaica, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines have lower than 20 percent vaccination rates.
When asked if the federal government was minded to introduce restrictions or travel bans on these countries on the idea of their vaccination rates, though none have direct business flights to The Bahamas, Mitchell said: “I can’t say that. Our philosophical [stance] is against bans and all the remaining of that.
“But , I can’t actually say what the position will probably be. We’ve got to be guided by the science.”
Guy Cherubin, together with several other Bahamians and everlasting residents of The Bahamas, has been stuck in Haiti since March 23, along with his business and family in The Bahamas being strained.
He said he and a number of other others are looking for legal advice.
“We’ve got been damaged, neglected and abandoned,” he said.
“My daughter is just not at school at this point because I cannot make payments.
“The bank canceled my card because my card was swiped by a vendor repeatedly in Haiti and was red-flagged.
“Give it some thought. I’ve lost two contracts and missed my daughter’s visit.
“We want to see the federal government. I’m not attempting to make this political, but my family is affected.
“I lost my lease in The Bahamas. I do know the federal government desires to protect its residents; you remove the delegates on the embassy, which was essential after the president’s death, but you removed certain individuals who were essential, but you permit certain people.
“Bring us home.”
