'Formal decision' on visa waiver for Guyanese likely in 2nd quarter of 2024– Hon Smith
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“In terms of the visa waiver, we are continuing to have our discussion with the Premier’s Office and, in fact, it has to be a decision that's to be taken by Cabinet,” Hon Smith told reporters on the sideline of a.press conference on Thursday, November 9, 2023.
The Deputy Premier in August 2023 had announced that she had been authorised to say that the VI is considering lifting the visa requirement for Guyana and that it was expected to happen soon.
She added, “If we are serious about doing business with Guyana and a partnership with Guyana, that is the first thing that has to be lifted.”
Decision to come in 2024
In the interview with the media last week, Hon Smith said even with the visa restriction, there were probably one to two persons from Guyana who were not accepted into the [British] Virgin Islands in terms of getting the requisite waiver.
“So I don't see why it cannot be granted. We are in discussions and we hope that by the beginning of the second quarter, there will be some formal decision taken,” she said,
Hon Smith reminded that the decision is for the local Cabinet to make and it must be led by the Minister for Immigration and the Premier.
Guyanese make up the third largest foreign population in the VI and have been supporting the country’s development since the 1960s.
Hon Smith last led a delegation to Guyana beginning Monday, July 31, 2023, to engage a number of government and business stakeholders on collaboration and investment opportunities between Guyana and the VI.
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43 Responses to “'Formal decision' on visa waiver for Guyanese likely in 2nd quarter of 2024– Hon Smith ”
We have not forgotten who he is NOR how he robbed her breakthrough her hand, killed her and tried to buen her in her House.
Up to now her Daughter is afraid of coming back Home.
Is it of a truth that we need to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars asap? And that we need to only barrow the amount that we will be able to pay back to the lender within our financial ability in this time of rising cost of necessary goods, particular food cost.
If true, Hon. Deputy Premier, Mrs Lorna Smith, can we at this time rush to burden our further our weak, mismanaged economy and further because of Guyana's large population? Guyana has gold, oil, and many other natural resources, many times more than us here in the BVI.
Why not instead fastly consider the large number of both local and other minimum wage employees, especially those that urgently government assistance in the first Quarter of 2024? Who corner are you really in, Hon . Lorna Smith, Deputy Premier, our or theirs? We are here. They are there, and a small number here. Begin by fixing our chronic problems here before attempt to fix others, please.
1. What factor(s) drove the BVI government to impose visa requirements for Guyanese citizens and what changed, if anything?
2. Which other Caricom and other nations nationals require visas to enter the BVI?
3. What are the pros and cons in requiring visas to enter the BVI?
4. Did the UK up to recently require visas for Guyana, a former British colony, citizens to enter the UK?
Did the UK waive, relax its visa requirements on Guyanese citizens because Guyana discover oil and oil is black gold?
5. Does Guyana have full control over oil production or it has to lease out plots to big oil companies?
6. Is the BVI in rush to waive visa requirements for Guyanese because of its oil find?
7. Will Guyana provide oil to the BVI at a deeply discounted rate and does it ( Guyana) have such sale control?
8. What are Guyana’s major exports to and imports from BVI?
9. What are the BVI’s major exports to and imports from Guyana?
10. What is the BVI’s trade balance with Guyana?
11. Given Guyana’s newly discovered oil making it,perhaps, one of the richest countries in the world per capita, will Guyanese be coming to the BVI for economic reasons or for recreational purposes?
12. What type of immigration helps a country to grow, ie, low/non-skilled workers, or high tech, professional,etc, workers?
13. Was Singapore’s booming economic success due to importing the best and brightest, strong rule of law philosophy,,relaxing of some civil liberties, ease of doing business, robust focus on education and training, ie, STEAM, etc?
14. Does the BVI have the social and physical infrastructure to accommodate a large wave of new immigrants, ie, health, education, housing, etc?
15. Does the BVI need to be strategically and deliberately managed its immigration policy? Is there a down side to an open door of haphazard immigration policy?
16. 53% of the Caymsn Island population are expats, what is the current ratio of expats to locals in the BVI?
Does any remember the UK just imposed visa requirements on Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St Vincent, former British colonies, members of Commonwealth of Nations, which Prince Charles heads, and save for Dominica Prince Charles III is head of state?
Do we believe the BVI is now cozying up to Guyana and rolling out the red carpet and proposing lifting the visa requirements for Guyanese citizens because of sudden altruistic reasons or because it ( Guyana) found oil and is now a big player on the oil market?
Do we believe and should believe that the BVI lifting the visa requirements for Guyanese will result in lower prices at the gas pumps, lower or no fuel surcharges, BVIEC paying a lower price per barrel for fuel, etc? If so I got some oil rich land on Fallen Jerusalem to give away to the first first serve.
Shouldn't the new Minister of Labour, who has been around the block many, many times, know where her focus should lie? Isn't fixing the immigration probem that we have more important than introducing new ones?
Well, from someone who will never take a dime for my vote, it must be because they can pass around favours and dollars for your votes that causes this debacle. We are drowning. Our water and disposal systems are presently broken beyond repair, but Hon. Smith, who worked with Hon. H.L. Stoutt for decades, cannot understand where to start? We have persons in this country who came on a two-week vacation in 2015 and are still here and we need this decision about Guyanese visa waiver now?
Well, it seems 'Focus' is our problem and it is not just a shortcoming with the young, but with the not so young as well. Sooo, we pray, for only God can help us.
What the BVI need to implement is a visa restriction on all of those islands which now require a visa to travel to the UK.
THE LORD WORDS.