BAHAMAS REACTS POSITIVELY, SEEKS MORE INFO ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NASSAU 001455

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHAT/CAR A. NORMAN, M. FORTIN; PRM J. YUTACOM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID PHUM SMIG BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS REACTS POSITIVELY, SEEKS MORE INFO ON
DEPORTEE REINTEGRATION PILOT PROJECT

REF: A. STATE 144201

B. STATE 153189


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Bahamian officials reacted positively to
initial briefings on the IOM Deportee Reintegration Pilot
Project, but seek further details regarding its timing,
progress and scope. They would also welcome clarification of
the distinction between governmental and non-governmental
involvement. Officials initially made no reference to
participation of other CARICOM states nor raised objections
to the pursuit of bilateral solutions. Prospects of success
are good given past cooperation with IOM, relatively high
economic development, low number of deportees, and expressed
desire by law enforcement officials for better tracking of
criminal deportees upon arrival. Coordination among
government agencies may be the biggest challenge. Post will
work closely with IOM and GCOB interlocutors to ensure
start-up goes smoothly, and seek to leverage association with
the project to improve cooperation in other areas of
migration management, which is a major policy issue facing
the government. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Following initial working-level contacts at the
Ministry of National Security and Immigration (MNS) and the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on November 6 then Charge
briefed the office of the Permanent Secretary in the MNS on
the Department's signing of the grant agreement with the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) to develop and
implement a pilot program to assist Jamaica, Guyana and The
Bahamas with the reintegration of deportees from the U.S. The
Ministry specifically inquired about who from IOM would
coordinate the program, when the government might hear from
them, and what the division of responsibility between the
government and IOM, to say nothing of local NGO actors, might
be.


3. (SBU) Working-level briefings by PolOff at the MNS and
MFA were greeted with similar expressions of support and
requests for further information. PolOff made clear that IOM,
as the Department's implementing partner, would be following
up with the government directly on specifics. GCOB officials
initially made no reference to participation of other CARICOM
states nor did they voice objections to the pursuit of
bilateral solutions, consistent with the GCOB's low interest
in regional action through CARICOM. In follow-up contacts,
it emerged that there might be reservations about the current
project model in some quarters within the MFA in favor of a
regional approach. However, subsequent contacts with the
Minister provided assurance that the Bahamas was eager to
move forward with the project.


4. (SBU) The IOM Regional Representative for North America
and the Caribbean, Dick Scott, informed Post on November 9
that IOM had sent a letter on November 2 to Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Sheila Carey introducing
the pilot project and asking for GCOB support in arranging
the initial IOM visit. IOM is expected to send a
representative to Nassau imminently to consult with the GCOB.
Post will work closely with IOM and government interlocutors
to ensure that the start-up phase goes as smoothly as
possible. During a September 12-13 visit to Nassau, the IOM
chief previewed the Deportee Reintegration Pilot Project with
Bahamian interlocutors and was advised to coordinate future
activities with the Bahamian MFA. PolOff also met with and
was briefed by the IOM team on migration issues more broadly
and the GCOB's (still undetermined) priorities at that time.


5. (SBU) Prospects for the Deportee Reintegration Pilot
Project's success in The Bahamas are good. Aside from the
positive official reception, the Bahamas has a track record
of good cooperation with IOM, according to both IOM officials
and GCOB immigration officials with whom PolOff is in regular
contact. The Bahamas' relatively high level of economic
development and low levels of unemployment bode particularly
well for planned business skills training and job placement
activities for returnees, and possibly for small enterprise
development. Law enforcement officials have publicly voiced
concern about the continued criminal activities of criminal
deportees "from North America" and elsewhere upon their
return to The Bahamas and the familiar criminal milieu.
Consequently, police officials informed Legat that they are
seeing a better method of tracking or managing criminal
deportees upon return.


6. (SBU) In addition, the GCOB is actively searching for
policies to fight increasing crime domestically, among other
ways by focusing government and societal efforts on
rehabilitation of previous offenders. This initiative
corresponds well with that oft-expressed goal. With low
numbers of deportees (approximately 75 in 2006, according to
IOM),an active NGO sector, and welcoming official climate,
The Bahamas ought to be able to successfully re-integrate
deportees with IOM's assistance despite any shortcomings in
existing government capacity.


7. (SBU) COMMENT: As the MFA is unlikely to play an
operational role in setting up the project, coordination
among government agencies may be the biggest challenge for
the project's successful implementation, certainly in the
early going. Post will assist and seek to leverage
association with the reintegration project to improve
cooperation in other areas of migration management in which
IOM has expertise and Post has a stake, including improved
anti-fraud procedures and methodologies, anti-trafficking
efforts, and respect for human rights of migrants and
asylum-seekers.
HARDT