British Colonial Hilton.
NASSAU, The Bahamas--On Tuesday, a Chinese Embassy spokesman declined to speak specifically to the matter involving a large group of Chinese nationals found in January at the British Colonial Hotel in Downtown Nassau without any legal status in The Bahamas, but the official said Chinese companies must follow the law.
Asked whether the embassy has any thoughts or concerns that the migrants were found to be residing at the hotel, which is owned by a Chinese company, Chinese Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Wei Cui told The Nassau Guardian, “The embassy cannot speak to this specific case. As a matter of principle, the Chinese government requires all Chinese companies to abide by local laws and regulations when they invest overseas, and it is beneficial for them to operate in an enabling business climate.”
A report from an immigration official who oversaw the apprehension exercise in January, and who within the hour received a directive to release the Chinese, shows that only three had Chinese passports, and the others had no identification.
Minister of Labour Keith Bell said “irregularities” were discovered.
While the matter involving the apprehension of the Chinese occurred in January, Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard only recently made it public, insisting Bell acted inappropriately in directing the release of the migrants on the same night immigration officers discovered them at the hotel, located in Downtown Nassau and a stone’s throw away from the United States (US) Embassy.
Bell has said it was determined that their transfer to the detention centre – where undocumented migrants are held – was “unnecessary”.
Last week, he said, “In January of this year, the Department of Immigration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with our immigration laws, discovered a number of irregularities with the status of workers at the British Colonial Hilton construction site.
“Whilst the irregularities required immediate action, it was determined that given all of the circumstances, taking the persons to the Detention Centre was unnecessary. It is important to note that the employer, as with almost every other major hotel redevelopment, has a heads of agreement with the government of The Bahamas to permit the temporary importation of foreign construction workers.
“Secondly, the irregularities found at the site could and were expeditiously cured by the employer. And thirdly, the completion of the renovation works at the British Colonial property will address and add critically needed hotel rooms on New Providence and create additional employment and opportunities for Bahamians.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minster of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper revealed earlier this year that the British Colonial could be back in full swing by the end of the year. He said in January, work was ongoing at the property, but said an update was needed from the developers.
“They are pushing to have the hotel fully opened by the end of the year, by the winter season,” he said.
Hilton and China Construction America (CCA) reached a “mutual and amicable” agreement to end the management agreement for the British Colonial hotel, a Hilton spokesperson told Guardian Business last year.
CCA owns the complex of buildings that includes Margaritaville, One Particular Harbour and a parking garage collectively known as The Pointe, as well as the British Colonial Hilton building.
The spokesperson explained last year that the termination of the agreement allows both parties to “explore new opportunities”. The hotel closed as a Hilton-branded hotel on February 15, 2022. ~ The Nassau Guardian ~
