Petition seeks to remove Immigration & Passport Act amendment from Order Paper
The petition led by Rosemary R. Rosan-Jones aka ‘Cindy’ and supported by several others, including Attorney-at-Law Jamal S. Smith, cites a "rush" factor by Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) to regularise an unknown number of persons living in good standing in the Territory for fifteen and more years.
Public consultation needed- Petition
According to the petition, which has so garnered 82 signatures, Premier Fahie should not go forward with the process until he discusses the issues with the “indigenous” and already regularised population of the Territory.
"Additionally, we ask for: (A) the Amendment to the Immigration and Passport Act (Cap. 130) to allow for the regularisation of residency and belonger status be removed from the Order Paper for 17 May 2019; and (B) confirmation that a process of public consultation on the way forward will take place before any further action is taken."
In an attempt to justify concerns, the petition stated, "The proper ventilation of the issues involved by full and frank discussion with Virgin Islanders would reveal that not only Virgin Islanders would be affected by this, but also persons who have acquired their Belonger status through a legitimate process."
According to the petition, the Virgin Islands already adds hundreds of Residents and Belongers to its numbers every year. "The strategy cannot be about increasing those numbers, but must be about ensuring that the right people with the best interest of our people and society at heart are awarded this privilege."
The “rush” the process is “immoral”
The makers of the petition cited Bermuda, noting that it is a country that has only awarded 17 Belonger status in 50 years, "while we continue to provide many more and so to question our moral turpitude in this regard would be unreasonable. There is a great need to review our immigration policies, including Residency and Belonger status, but to rush this process that will cause irreparable harm to our society is immoral."
The document also pointed to the Virgin Islands Party's Manifesto for the recent general election. "The VIP Manifesto can be said to be a contract between the people and the Government with an overwhelming majority in the House of Assembly. In it, at page 23, your government promised to establish an Immigration and Labour Reform Committee to ensure that our systems are fair but always putting BVIslanders and Belongers first. Again, at page 85, your government recognises the challenge of immigration and promised a new comprehensive immigration policy, by conducting a comprehensive study on immigration, as well as review and revise the current immigration policy in relation to Permanent Residence and Belonger Status."
The petition further stated that on page 86 of the VIP Manifesto, there was a proposal to regularise the status of long-term residents without status, including persons reared in the Virgin Islands.
“However, while your government has started the regularisation process, you have strategically left BVIslanders and Belongers out of the equation, and have failed to put us first in your priorities by starting this process without a comprehensive study on immigration, or an Immigration and Labour Reform Committee, as you promised, nor have you consulted with Virgin Islanders."
The petition has a goal of 1000 signatures.
36 Responses to “Petition seeks to remove Immigration & Passport Act amendment from Order Paper”
Please re-think the matter and approach it in a far less hasty manner
Simple Maths (16/05/2019, 13:07)
I have drawn from both sides of the argument and can sympathise with all involved. What I don't understand is why talking and reasoning about this matter isn't the argument for both sides. The Expats are saying BVI people are unfair, etc. I don't think that they are. I think they are uninformed and would like to know exactly how this will play out, after having time to make suggestions for how the process should be implemented. That's democracy. Its their country. Why cant they have a say? Can they have a say in how other countries are run? The short answer is no. The further argument that BVI people have dual status - US/British. Why is that even an argument though? It's mere geography, and a maintained relationship with the UK that cultivates that. Most countries in the Caribbean had a similar opportunity to be British, and all the advantages that that affords but chose independence. How could that be an argument here now? By voting for self-determination, these countries made it harder to position themselves to be able to travel to the USA and the UK and by default, their children are not born there. How is this the BVI fault? As it relates to regularization. Should persons in the territory be regularized? Yes, I think so, but it should be done in a manner which compliments many factors including the economy, size of country, impact on social welfare and culture, etc. Time lived in BVI is also an important consideration, but not a right. Valuable contribution to society is a better yardstick to measure by and any status conferred is a privilege. For clarification, a right cannot be revoked. Immigration status conferred can be revoked if certain factors are present and is therefore a privilege. I have seen so many derogatory comments towards BVI people because they have spoken out about this matter. I am not from BVI and I think its interesting that expats say BVI people are prejudiced, wicked, etc but still live among and have children with them. If you are feeling disadvantaged, why stay? Why argue for what is not yours? I came here to experience something different and happen to love the place and the people I have met here. The day I feel anything like what is expressed in the blogs, is the day I decide to leave. I don't understand why persons would complain, berate, curse a place and its people but be fighting to remain there. Something is very wrong with that. I will end with I hope the government AND the people of the territory can find a happy medium. I also hope that expats and BVI people alike come together and TALK about this matter. Spewing negativity and beating each other up virtually makes no sense. At the end of the day, its their country and we, having decided to come here, have to understand and respect that. If we cannot, then its time to leave. Simple.
The wrath of God will follow again
Let’s lead like eagle, not careen off the cliff like buffaloes.
Check you all history.. all yuh family dem from Guadeloupe, St Vincent, Anguilla, St Kitts just name out the Caribbean. You all have roots there. Tortola is a mixing pot of beautiful caring Caribbean people. I hate the racism we have in our hearts against expatriates. Where yuh husband from? where your wife from. I wish the US could impose a law on all Tolians who get their children in the US to be revoked like what Trump do to some in the US
Let's live and dwell together in peace man.. Shox!!! Tortola is an Island. Its not a dam continent.
The people living here for over 15 years giving back to our country and we have a problem. Send them back where they are from our economy will hutt. Hutt because our apartments are empty cause we local people don't like to pay all yuh high rental fees. The banks will bankrupt cause all the loans will be left unpaid. Let's appreciate and welcome the people dem and stop the noise.
Fed up!
I think the wrong person is stirring the pot
nothing to say in relation to such social issues but the Caribbean people bears the brunt of our frustration. Most of the Caribbean folks making minimum wages and is a problem to some of us: while the white folk up in here raping our country Just keeping the lowdown real!!! Talk that
You say we don’t mix - when you insult us at every opportunity and remind us that we have no rights to speak openly? To go back to where we come from?
You say you feel threatened? Why? You ask what we have done to deserve this privilege? How have we contributed to the growth of the BVI?
Shame on you. We pay taxes, do what we have to as honest law abiding citizens, build homes and have families with BVIslanders. Pray with you at church. Socialise with you at gatherings. Toiled with you to rebuild after Irma. Pay your mortgages with our rent. Yet we are not good enough to be considered for some kind of status. Just tolerated with an annual immigration stamp and wait patiently for another 15 years for consideration.
LAWYER, show me the law, so I can go and read it for myself.. If these residents in the BVI are no threat to the National Security of Her Majesty's Territories, what is the problem in regularizing their status?
HON. MINISTER, four more years after this term, from 2023-2027 for the VIP.
I was extremely taken aback at how they went on about people from the eastern Caribbean! The islands that are closest to you to lend a helping hand in your time of need!!! BVI is part of the Caribbean why are we tearing down and treating our fellow Caribbean brothers and sister in this manner?
Nothing was said of the huge number of philipinos, Americans, brits who are here, and those are the people the planes were sent to evacuate from her after Irma.
Caribbean people, black people we have to unite. Premiere Fahie was right when he said this. Are we not seeing what Is happening on a daily basis in the US UK EU?
The hypocrisy of some of this people who are speaking on this topic is ridiculous. They are not even true BVI Islanders because they were not born on this soil. They are holders of dual citizenship. Their children are born on US soil and so they are able to go to the US and enjoy and take advantage of all the benefits that comes with US citizenship. Why can’t someone who has made the BVI their home for 20 plus years, pay taxes and be good peaceful persons in this country not get the opportunity to get their status regularized!!! STOP FIGHT WHAT ALLU YOU WOULD WANT FOR ALLU SELF AND ALLU CHILDREN If ALLU was in another mans country!!!!!!!!’