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‘Put immigration issue to rest for a while’– Hon Maduro-Caines
![According to Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines, Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) should have called an informal meeting with his cabinet and the Opposition, “let us go through these things step by step and come to some kind of terms and agreement… but we weren’t even [given] that opportunity to speak about it or to have that conversation before it was brought to the House and that to me should have happened,” she said.](https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/cache/images/800x_p_Premier_Fahie_02.JPG)
In the second of a series of Opposition-led meetings, this time at the East End/Long Look Community Centre, Hon Maduro-Caines joined Opposition Leader Marlon A. Penn (R8), as well as Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA and Representative of the Second District, Melvin M. Turnbull aka ‘Mitch’ on Thursday, May 30, 2019, to deliver scolding criticisms to the VIP’s ‘Fast Track’ Initiative, while echoing sentiments that the Opposition should have been consulted and the programme should be put to rest for a while.
Country @ Crossroads - Hon Maduro-Caines
“Our country presently is at a crossroad, and I call it a political storm so to speak and a piece of legislation like this [Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act], you cannot just take this willy-nilly and make amendments without coming to the people first,” she lashed out.
Hon Maduro-Caines implored the VIP administration to “get the people’s views and opinions,” and then bring an amendment to the house, “but you cannot leave out your people,” the HoA representative said.
She said further, “While I don’t have a problem with certain persons becoming citizens of this country, there is a way that we have to do things, it has to be done in order. We have to take a holistic approach of what we’re doing and what we’re asking. It has to benefit the people of these British Virgin Islands and we cannot continue to rush and make decisions like these, these things take time.”
In questioning the ability of the government to execute the project, Ms Maduro-Caines asked rhetorically, “But can we honestly do this in two to three weeks, can we honestly make a comprehensive decision on a piece of legislation like this in a couple of weeks?”
With an affirmative "No!", she replied, “I do not think that the people have heard enough or have gotten to the point where they are satisfied with what is being proposed in this piece of legislation, I am not.”
Understanding the 'rush'
Further, according to Ms Maduro-Caines, “I am still trying to understand the rush in this piece of legislation to the House that we were asked to do the First, Second and Third Readings in one sitting."
Following public backlash over the Bill entitled Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2019, a Motion was moved and passed for the Second and Third Readings to be taken off the Order Paper on May 17, 2019 and then the planned collection of applications from persons seeking Residency or Belonger status was postponed indefinitely on May 23, 2019, to allow the government to seeks public opinion to chart a way forward.
However, as of May 28, 2019, the 2nd & 3rd readings of Immigration (Amendment) Act had returned on the Order Paper for the upcoming HoA sitting of June 3, 2019, leading to more backlash as to whether the Premier is indeed listening to the people.
According to Hon Maduro-Caines, the Premier should have called an informal meeting with his cabinet and the Opposition, “let us go through these things step by step and come to some kind of terms and agreement… but we weren’t even [given] that opportunity to speak about it or to have that conversation before it was brought to the House and that to me should have happened,” she said.
Put Immigration Reform to Rest - Maduro-Caines
Further, Hon Maduro-Caines implored that the issues is pitting expats against expats and VIlansders against VIslanders, “We have persons who were here with applications 20, 30 years waiting. How does it look that someone came here 15 years and have the same… well, not the same because they are still in there waiting on their applications to be approved but 15 years as opposed to 30 years. [It is] not really fair to those who have been here,” she said.
Before the February 25, 2019, VIP elections victory, Hon Maduro-Caines’s political party, the National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration had presided over a huge backlog of immigrants seeking to get regularised in the VI.
“My opinion is that this needs to be put to rest for a while,” the district representative said while noting that the immigration backlog and ‘born here’ children should have been dealt with first.
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28 Responses to “‘Put immigration issue to rest for a while’– Hon Maduro-Caines”
Andrew Fahie does not appear to be a straightforward person. Why doesn’t he COME OUT and fully explain to the people why he still pushing ahead despite hearing their concerns. Why doesn’t he?
Normally, you write good blogs but this one smells foul!
Be objective! Can’t go wrong!
You more sound like you have a personal beef with her. And don’t ever tell me where to stop!
You too full of confusion. Her husband is an island man? Her mother was an island woman from St. Kitts.
All you see was a bunch of disgruntled NDP supporters at the meeting. They don’t know how to accept a loss. Trying to make everybody miserable. Turning the people against each other. Felt like it was the city of ninevah. God soon send a Jonah to warn all You wretchedness. Thank God Fraser, Marlon Mitch and Alvera are not the government. Set of power hungry cr**ks.
Any representative who sit theire and let people disrespect the premier not worth following. What happen to constructive conversation. That dirty gurl talking crap she no go call the Premier honorable. All you troublemakers sit up there enjoying it. Tell the people when they wrong. Look wha following all you. That c hodge lady got authur hodge slave murder mark all over her. She’s like a black form of a white master. $%^^& all you. Resign from office now sick oppositions.
We now know where we stand in the BVI.
Lets continue to pray the will of the lord will be done. God looks at the heart while man looks at the faces,
God will fight for his people!!
Listen up you disrespectful people, all of you who are writing these disrespectful blogs about our BVI elected government representatives are obviously non belongers and need to be sent home. You are the kind of immigrants who we don't need to have here in the BVI. Coming here to the BVI to work and earn a living to help yourselves and your families is a privilege not a right. If you don't like the situation here, go to hell back home! This is the home of BV Islanders, not your home, I am sick of your disrespectful behavior. I don't know why the paper would allow such disrespectful remarks to be published. If you cannot come here and be respectful to the people here and try to live like the natives, go home we don't need characters like yours here.
We just replaced the NDP government because we want better government, transparency and accountability. We don't expect the same behavior or worse from Andrew Fahie and his puppet followers. If the VIP government does not intend to represent the interest of BVI nationals, then they need to resign right now, don't let us have to force them out in disgrace. They must shape up or ship out, it will not be business as usual. Those of you immigrants who don't want good government in the country and live in harmony with the people here, go home, we don't want your type here. How would you like a bunch of immigrants come to your country, rule you, manage you and take over your country. What you don't like, don't try to give. Shut up and let the natives freely express themselves. If you don't like it go home. Otherwise you are welcome.
All other countries in the world, the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, France, Germany and many others, are taking steps to limit immigration because they know what its going to lead to. Do we know more than all these much more experienced countries or are we doing this to support the short lived careers of a few people. There is too much at steak for only a few to gain.
My apologies to Caribbean brothers and sisters - unfortunately you've been dragged into our house-cleaning matters .
On the otherhand BVI islanders are very concerned about the country losing its serenity among other things.
This present Government have alot to deal with presently and this can be only done by conversing ..first of all. We have come to many crossroads of many decision making and I pray that God will see us through in these beautiful British Virgin Isles