Caribbean News Desk radio programme for Tue, Dec 16, 2014

Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 December 2014, 21:58 by GxMedia

The Bahamas’ Foreign Minister, Fred Mitchell on Tuesday denied that his country has been sending children born in the Bahamas to Haiti without birth certificates in the company of their Haitian parents who have been living their illegally.

The issue has come to the fore following The Bahamas’ crackdown on migrants who are living and working there illegally.

The claim was made by Haiti’s Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Ambassador Bocchit Edmond after Mr. Mitchell’s presentation to a Special Meeting of the Permanent Council.

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr. Edmond told the Council that children born to Haitian parents in The Bahamas are being denied citizenship.

He also expressed concern that The Bahamas has been refusing work permit requests. He added that Haitians requesting certificates of identity for their children are told to go to the Haitian embassy to acquire passports but there is no guarantee that they will receive residency.

In response, The Bahamas’ Foreign Minister denied that Bahamian-born children are being sent packing to Haiti without Bahamian birth certificates to prove their country-of-birth…

The Bahamas’ Foreign Minister explained to the OAS Permanent Council that children are entitled to birth certificates within 21 days of birth but many parents do not comply.

In cases where parents cannot produce a birth certificate, they can acquire an affidavit of birth supported by documents found at the hospital where their children were born.

LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD THE TUESDAY EDITION OF CARIBBEAN NEWS DESK HERE: {mp3remote}https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/143143643/caribnewsdesk/caribnews_dec_16_2014.MP3{/mp3remote}

IN TODAY’S PROGRAMME, WE BRING YOU REPORTS ON THE FOLLOWING STORIES 

The Bahamas has denied that it has been sending Bahamas-born children to Haiti without birth certificates

Dominica’s new cabinet named but not without expected criticism from the opposition

The ruling St Kitts Nevis Labour Party teams up with a Nevisian party to challenge a three-party opposition coalition

Caribbean Pop Star, Rihanna, gets top creative post at a German firm

New diagnostic test kits for Ebola expected in the coming months

Sugar Association of the Caribbean aims to increase and maintain market share in the United States and Europe.