20 year policy is to protect Virgin Islanders – Hon. Pickering
This is the first of a number of meetings relating to labour and unemployment that will be hosted by the Ministry to get feedback from residents throughout the Virgin Islands.
“No country in the world has any obligation to give anybody else anything,” Hon. Pickering who is also the Deputy Premier said, in response to a query from a resident, who bemoaned the fact that he has been living here for over 20 years and could not even vote.
And while the resident is a candidate for Belonger’s Status, the Minister pointed out that the indigenous people of any country have a right to be protected. He made reference to Fiji which he said made the fundamental mistake of allowing other persons to come in and outnumber its citizens.
“Fiji allowed the Indians from India to come in and overnight they took over the country, and the indigenous people are almost the poorest in that country. No right thinking leader would allow that,” the Labour Minister told the large gathering.
He added that the 20 year policy that he supported when his Government was first in power 2003-2007 was to ensure that they monitored the amount of exemptions granted each year.
“I cannot and will not ever make an apology for that, I have been the number one advocate of defending the Virgin Islands,” Hon. Pickering emphasised."We made a decision that we can allow a certain amount of citizens each year so that the people who are getting citizenship don’t outweigh the citizenship. I don’t want those who are indigenous to feel outnumbered that will cause an unnecessary tension. After 20 year can get a work permit exemption, and then residency which allows you to live without the confines of going to the immigration department for time, but obtaining a belonger status is a totally different ballgame.”
Meanwhile, another resident asked the Minister when the Labour Department will speed up the process of work permits that have been in for months.
To this end, Hon. Pickering explained that the staff is currently clearing up the backlog that was met, and while not committing a timeline as to when that will be completed, he stated that a policy will be put in place “when the backlog” is up to speed, which will minimise the slow pace.
“So I am asking for your patience,” Hon. Pickering asked residents.
Other Ministry’s officials attending the meeting were the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Ronald Berkley, Acting Labour Commissioner Janice Rymer and Deputy Labour Commissioner Stephanie Williams.
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