Regularisation: Residency & Belonger status
As a native of the [British] Virgin Islands, I would like to endorse the wise, intelligent and sensible decision made by our benevolent, kindhearted and humane Premier, the Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) who saw it fit to institute the “Clear Path to Regularisation: Residency and/or ‘Belonger’ Status”.
This is a process whereby our brothers and sisters from the other Caribbean islands, who have been in the Territory for fifteen or more years without any kind of status, can receive status. What a godly thing to do for these people who have called here home for so many years.
It is time for us as BVIslanders to be more decent, civilised, loving and caring to others. Our other Caribbean brothers and sisters are our family. We share a common past and a common destiny. They have laboured with us in building this society-stone upon stone, brick upon brick. They have taught our children; took care of our sick; laugh with us and cried with us. The rough and callous hands proved that they have laboured long and tirelessly to make our society a better and safer place for us all.
Our other Caribbean brothers and sisters are our in-laws, their children are our children and their grandchildren are our grandchildren. We sing together, pray together and take communion together. Yet, yet we fail to come to the realisation that we are one people and God is the Father of us all. Believe it or not, our other brothers and sisters have added value and variety to our small society whose borders are yet to be opened.
Our Premier is right, “a nation without a conscience will soon lose its soul.” To deny status to our other Caribbean brothers and sisters who have been here so long-15, 25, 30 years- is unthinkable. We must correct our wrongs and make our paths straight. This country cannot repay our other Caribbean brothers and sisters for their labour of love. As Premier Fahie rightly said, “We must restore to them dignity and establish a foundation for empowerment and unity”. Again, the Premier was correct when he said, “If we continue to wallow in the filth of disunity, we will not only diminish the potential of the marginalised but also diminish the potential of us all”.
In conclusion, My fellow BVIslanders it is time for us to recognise our brothers and sisters from the other Caribbean countries as part and parcel of our [British] Virgin Islands family. I will never forget that I was reared by live-in housekeepers from other Caribbean islands- St Kitts, Santo Domingo and Antigua- after losing my mother at the young age of seven. What better way to recognise our other Caribbean brothers and sisters who have being living here with us for many years without status but by giving some Residency, others ‘Belonger’ Status, and yet others Residency straight to ‘Belonger’ Status. I think my other Caribbean brothers and sisters are worthy of any honour to be bestowed upon them. My fellow BVIslanders, let us do what is fair and right, and God will truly bless us.
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19 Responses to “Regularisation: Residency & Belonger status”
If you love your island so much, why don't you get your kids here?? Must be a reason. These people are getting their kids here and giving patron to the hospitals. Why are you going away? Continue the generation in your lovely BVI.
God will have his way once we allow him to.
That's one of the problem right there!
I have heard the various comments about us being guests , that we should leave after 7 years, that we should not gain any status and that we are going to overpopulate the place etc etc. These comments are harsh and basically make us wonder about the choice we have made. Some of us would have returned to our homeland if it weren't for some of the following reasons:
1. Getting up and leaving a place that u have lived in for 20+ years is not easy. This is where you are known and where u know many others.
2. This is "home" for your children. Taking them away from their friends, school, church etc is not easy.
3. Returning to your homeland to find work after being away for so many years is not easy especially when you are in your 40s, 50s, and 60s.
I am just putting forward these points because I have heard persons saying all the time " if u don't like what is happening, leave." It's much easier said that done.
All I ask of BVIlanders is to just take a moment and ask yourself the question : "What would I have wanted if I were in the expat shoes?".
As I close, I wish the very best for the BVI. May this place be a shining example of what can be achieved when we ( Locals and expats) work together in unity. Let us look and learn from what's happening elsewhere in the world and try and avoid those pitfalls. I don't want us to have to deal with a Brexit here or a Make America Racist , sorry I mean Great again.
graduate. We here saying once you here living and working for a salary and have not committed and crimes you
should be a belonged kool. And if you disagree our Hon. Priemere will remind us how many of us have U.S green cards.
One of the smallest country in the world will be making hundreds if not thousands belongs in weeks. Any why the term regularize. NON Belongs are not here illegally they just don't have all the right like belongers. THE PREMIERE STARTED A CIVIL WAR FOR NO REASON.
The Constitution did not say that the BVI belong to BV-Islanders or belongers. The Constitution defines and identifies who ["BELONG"] to the BVI. The BVI does not belong to BV-Islanders: The BVI is a [ British Overseas Terrtory-a Dependent territory of Britain,therefore,the BVI belongs to Her Majesty-The Queen of Buckingham Palace/The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Section 2(2) of the VI Constitution states [" For the purpose of this constitution, a person BELONGS to the VI if that person (a) is born in the VI and at the time of the birth his or her father or mother is or was -
(I) a BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORIES CITIZEN (BOTC) by virtue of birth, registration or naturalization in the VI or by virtue of descent from a father or mothwer who was born in the VI, or
(ii) (f)-- is a person to whom a certificate [Belonger certicate] has been granted under section 16 of the Immigration and passport Act 1977 of the VI"] blah blahblah xxx.
The VI Constitution, approved by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace in June 2007, makes provision for persons living in the BVI who are not belongers, to apply for that status, if they are qualified to apply, and to become belongers under section 16 of the Immigration act, but now, in 2019, because the primier, in his wise judgement and constitutioinal directiion, decided to exercise his Constitutional authority to call on his excellency the Governor to approve the belonger status of some qualified applicants, who have been legally resident in the BVI for 15 years and longer, some persons who are already belongers,vex?? Belongers,the BVI is not your personal property.
The Premier is Constitutionally correct. The premier is following the Constitution and the Statutory law!!
Belongers; stop playing politics with the VI Constitution and section 16 of the Immigration act, Cap 130.
You opposing lawyers, "Go and read the DAM LAW" and stop misleading the people..
The Constitution and the statutory Immigration-law did not make provisions for the premier to consult with belongers, before approving the belonger status of an applicant.
If the Premier consult with other belongers, legal team say ,"The Premier will be acting unconstitutionally and unlawfully" amounting to discrimination..
If there is such a law, for the Premier to consult with belongers, show it to me in the Constitution and in the Immigration act: I want to read that law for myself..
We need good people who are invested in the BVI. We need to lock in their expertise and capital and not lose it to other places who are trying to get our business! It’s really simple. Apart from the fact we need to (steadily) grow our population to get better infrastructure and services because the 26000 people is not sufficient to support so many businesses and projects.
We have traveled to other countries especially to the UK, USVI and US mainland and made these countries our home some of us never return now our brothers and sisters from other parts of glob has come to our shores to help build and make here their home we have a problem that’s not fear, they were hear for us why can’t we be there for them.
I remember in the early days bvi lander went to other countries such as St. Kitts, Antigua, Santa Domingo to name a few to look work so they can look after their families and make a better way of life and now these people has come to our country we treat them bad forgetting we first we to them. It is like we have short memory when it comes to us giving a helping hand.
To Mr. Denvil Davies or Davis remember you and one of your brothers wife are Vincentians your brother’s wife is from Trinidad and also have a Trinidadian daughter your late father married to a Jamaican and the list goes on. You all have brothers, sisters, aunties and uncles in law and that’s the way you treat them I see to be nothing but a low down DOG and make it worst you call your self a Christian a Seventh-day Adventist Christian at that who are supposed to be people of the word. God bless us all
Granting of belongers status, is a continuous process from time immemorial, under the Immigration laws by virtue of the VI Constitution.
We as belongers are behaving as though, this is the first time that persons are being granted belongers status in the BVI.
The Premier should not discontinue this rapid process to clear up the backlog of applicants and to proceed with new applicantion as a continuation of a lawful process.
The BVI is a free and democratic society with a Constitution and Statutory laws to guide those in authority.
The Premier is guided by the Constitution and by the Immigration laws.
He is not guided by opposing petition or petitioners. He does not have to get the views of other belongers to make a decision, based on their opinion.
" Law-is law" follow the DAM law..
If so, why is this moral argument only applicable to one race of immigrants and not others?