Bahamian Government Officials Meet With International Organization for Migration
19th June, 2024
NASSAU – Mr. Patrice Quesada, Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean and Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), conducted a Joint Technical Meeting with Bahamian government stakeholders to discuss the Migration Governance Index (MGI) and government initiatives to manage migration in The Bahamas.
The meeting followed an MGI Workshop held in March 2024 at the National Training Institute. The workshop introduced the MGI, a tool used by the IOM in over a hundred countries, including twelve CARICOM Member States. The MGI’s principal mission is to offer governments a comprehensive framework for analysing their migration policies and practices in-depth. By integrating a set of over ninety meticulously designed indicators and fostering a collaborative review process with various governmental bodies, the initiative aims to thoroughly map out the strengths and shortcomings of existing migration governance systems.
Senior government officials discussed recent improvements, current needs, and trends in migration governance. This meeting provided a unique opportunity for The Bahamas to enhance technical cooperation with the IOM, which is crucial for managing migration in the archipelago.
This meeting was part of a weeklong IOM mission to The Bahamas, which included high-level meetings with government officials and technical meetings with other migration stakeholders, such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).
L-R Sitting down -Captain Stephen Russell, Director Disaster Risk Management -Mr. Patrice Quesada, Caribbean Regional Director and Chief of Mission -Jerusa Ali, Director General, Department of Foreign Affairs -Indirah Belle, Madam Chairperson, Trafficking in Persons Task Force -Cherely Kelly, Assistant Director, Department of Social Services -Latoya Graham, Foreign Service Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs -Lavado Duncanson, Under Secretary, Ministry of Health -Sonia Culmer, Under secretaryMinistry of Education Back row -Lt. Commander Edward Fritz, RBDF -Stephan Laroda, Assistant Director, Department of Immigration -Ordette wells-Simms, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Department of Immigration -Janine A. Gibson, SAS, Department of Foreign Affairs -June Collie, Senior Under Secretary ll – Pasha Fernander, Project Administrative Assistant (IOM) – Ms. Zahrah Jibrilu, National Project Officer (Bahamas) Ms. Tinestia Haynes, Protection Officer Sharmaine Sinclair, Deputy Director of Education Telietha Strachan, Executive Assistant, Disaster Risk Managment Authority Aaron Sargaent, Managing Director, Disaster Risk Management Authority Senior Lt. Julian Smith, RBDF