Bahamas, April 18, 2017 – Nassau – The Minister of Foreign Affairs & Immigration Fred Mitchell has said an investigation has been launched into employers withholding employee passports following a meeting with the National Congress of Trade Unions (NTUC).
Mitchell said the NTUC brought to his attention claims made by the International Labour Organization (ILO) that passports and work permits of foreign national workers were being withheld in The Bahamas. These actions are illegal according to Bahamian law. These statements were made by Mitchell to the House of Assembly before it was dissolved. NTUC has been asked by the ILO to investigate the issue.
The company in question has been contacted by the ministry and was not found guilty of wrongdoing. However, Mitchell added that spot checks would soon be coming for employers. “The Department of Immigration will be doing spot checks throughout the coming days without notice to employers to ensure that all companies meet their obligations and conform with the accepted practice with regard to this.”
Story by: Zahra Gordon
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