‘You are not mistakes’- Premier to 688 Belongers validated
The validation was made via a bill titled ‘Immigration and Passport (Validation) Bill, 2023’ at the Fifth Sitting of the Fifth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) on Monday, April 17, 2023.
Dr Wheatley during the VIP Let’s Talk radio show on ZBVI 780 AM on April 18, 2023, said the ‘Fast Track Programme’ was done to address a backlog of applications for belonger and residence status caused by the National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration.
He said in 2004 the NDP made a decision to clear a backlog of 365 applications but also introduced a policy that allowed for only 25 Belonger applications and 25 Residency applications to be processed per year.
‘Your are not mistakes’- Premier Wheatley
In the HoA on Monday, legislators of the NDP and Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) in particular used the matter to vilify the VIP administration, while trying to score political points ahead of the general elections just days away.
“I would say it is unfortunate that some persons see this as an opportunity to make some type of closing argument to the people of the Virgin Islands,” Dr Wheatley said on VIP Let’s Talk.
He said some legislators were so salivating over the opportunity to pummel the VIP administration that they could not even resist bringing in legislators family members into their arguments.
“I think that it is really unfortunate that these hardworking individuals, all of the 688 persons…that they got dragged into this political argument, just because we are around election time.
“And I want to say to those six hundred and eighty-eight individuals, you are not mistakes, as some persons have called you. We in the Virgin Islands Party embrace you,” Dr Wheatley stated.
‘Honest oversight’
Premier Wheatley had previously said Cabinet’s approval of those persons was done on the basis of the legal advice provided by the former Attorney General, Baba F. Aziz, however, the recent audit of the Fast Track Programme identified what appears to have been an honest oversight.
He said while he was not seeking to cast blame, he is aware of the challenges of the Attorney General’s Chambers, which could have been a reason for the oversight.
The Premier noted too that he is proud of the fact that since the VIP came to office it has been able to approve several positions for the Attorney General’s Chambers to ensure they are able to do their jobs effectively.
“Because nobody is happy about the fact that this thing was missed, and nobody wants to just jump on the Attorney General’s Chambers for it. What we have to do is examine why they missed it and make sure that we put measures in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Dr Wheatley said.
‘Opposition’ legislators have been seeking to only blame the VIP legislators for the oversight and failing to mention that legislation is not drafted by legislators and actually goes through a vetting process by legal minds and other stakeholders.
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33 Responses to “‘You are not mistakes’- Premier to 688 Belongers validated”
It just confirms all the wrong doing this government has been up to for a long long time.
The people who were entitled to this know they were and the ones who weren’t can remain feeling uneasy.
Next! NDP if they know what that good for them they would take down all the mistakes they put up on board, cause all it is doing is reminding people of all the apologies they need to give; not only to the first district for the incinerator that never worked properly from the 8,000,000 they spend to have it there: but for the many money they were given to do project that was never done. If people would put up the amount of things they need to apologize for the board would not have space. (plane, incinerator, road east end, longlook, sewage east end longlook, pair park, 90 days project ant the fairy terminal area, NHI, the school wall 60 contracts, school being housed in mold area that costing more than 30, 000.00 a month, and the list can go on, and on, and on. All I am saying is that the facts still remain that " if you live in a glass house don't throw stones". NDP and PVIM need to stop digging holes where they themselves will fall in. God does not sleep and only gets up when some of us want. He is always there He sees and knows. Also, some of us ain't that stupid, we can read between the lines.
This happened before!!!People take warning!!!
Of course not
U are full of hate towards fellow islanders
I see nothing wrong with this photo
I do understand this place is small but that’s not most of y’all concerns u just can’t stand other ppl coming here yet u flick to usa.
May God grant you some inner peace you sound miserable bitter hateful and jealous.
It’s not your fault either nor the fault of the individuals
All kind of Jack and Jill here for less than 20 years dont even live here got status through the fast track. How was the process fair or made fair this week? If some miraculously qualified under 20 years then all who wanted to apply should have qualified because obviously living here for 20 years was only a requirement for some and not for all. People were lied to that they had to be living here and for 20 years...obviously.
Do the right thing and give all who were turned away during that time and refunded their status.