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Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis delivers the first national address for 2021 on Tuesday, Jan. 12. (FILE PHOTO)
NASSAU, BAHAMAS Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis underscored Bahamians of Haitian descent living in unregulated communities are entitled to Crown Land opportunities as he foreshadowed an expansion of the government’s land program.
Speaking directly to that community, Minnis urged Bahamians of Haitian descent in the country not to refer to themselves as “Haitian-Bahamian” but simply Bahamians as they are constitutionally entitled.
The prime minister made the comments as he opened the mid-year budget debate in the House of Assembly on Monday.
He explained that the land program will not be confined to New Providence, but also on several Family Islands, including hurricane-hit Grand Bahama and Abaco.
The Office of the Attorney General has appealed the ruling in the “public’s interest”.
Attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, who represented the applicants in the matter, told
Eyewitness News that the hearing was initially set for last Friday; however, the Court of Appeal has determined that the entire court will sit to hear the appeal on March 4 and March 5.
Last year, Supreme Court Justice Ian Winder’s ruling dealt with separate applications for declarations over the true interpretation of Article 6 of the Constitution, which deems that “every person born in The Bahamas after 9th July, 1973 shall become a citizen of The Bahamas at the date of his birth if at that date either of his parents is a citizen of The Bahamas”.