Teamwork deters illegal immigration near Turks and Caicos Islands

THE WATCH STAFF

A Haitian vessel carrying more than 200 undocumented migrants was apprehended in recent weeks in another successful joint effort involving the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and the United States.

The operation, part of a regional partnership called Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT), began when aircraft spotted the Haitian vessel sailing 22 nautical miles southwest of Southwest Point West Caicos on January 5, 2024. The HMBS Nassau, commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Jataro McDonald, intercepted the boat, discovering more than 200 undocumented migrants. This included 175 men, 31 women and eight children, according to a news release from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF).

After providing care and medical attention to the migrants, the HMBS Nassau transported the migrants to the Turks and Caicos Islands where they were to be processed by TCI authorities. “This seamless collaboration between OPBAT and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force supports Commodore Raymond King’s commitment to fostering enhanced collaboration between the RBDF, local and regional partners whose shared expertise and resources play a pivotal role in swift and efficient resolution to matters in the region,” the release stated.

Haitian migration is an increasing concern in the Caribbean region. The outflow of Haitian migrants is a response to political violence and instability, crushing poverty, and criminal gangs. At a recent meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), an intergovernmental organization, Caribbean nations pledged to provide “boots on the ground” to a U.N. peacekeeping mission to be led by Kenya. The Bahamas pledged to send 150 personnel to support the effort.

The August 2023 decision to send military forces to support restoring order and democracy in Haiti was described by the Bahamian Foreign Ministry as an opportunity to cooperate with Western and regional allies, including the U.S. and Canada. “We appreciate that this is, as the Kenyan Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua stated, a decision to ‘[stand] with persons of African descent across the world, including those in the Caribbean, and aligns with the African Union’s diaspora policy and our own commitment to Pan Africanism.”

In 2022, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe pledged Marines from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to Haiti if the U.N. acted. Several successful OPBAT operations have been completed in recent weeks, intercepting large drug shipments and migrants. Both Bahamian and TCI leaders have reiterated their support for regional collaborations, such as OPBAT, at recent CARICOM meetings. The Bahamian ministry added in an August 2022 news release that the government looked “forward to cooperating with the hemispheric partners including the United States and Canada.”