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What Changes Would You Like To See To Our Immigration Framework?

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Submitted as a comment by Banana-Cou-Cou

immigrationYou David and some of us the bloggers have been speaking out against the large influx of non nationals flooding in our tiny island. We have spoken about the smallest of our size,the finite supply of our resources and the negative impact on our society and our traditions.

Some have worried about the ease with which some of these non nationals,in particular the Guyanese have been able to gain free medical care,free education,take away bajan jobs and in the case of European and north American non nationals the speed with which they were buying up our land.

Well having looked at one of our neighbour in the Caribbean;Bermuda,it is instructive to see how tight that country has been running their ship. Bermuda although still a British dependency has a number of similarities to Barbados. It is my very BOLD suggestion that perhaps Barbados needs to take a page out of Bermuda’s book.

This is what I mean:

  • Bermuda -Size – 20.75 sq miles

  • Resident Population – 68,500

  • Work permit – Foreigners including British citizens must apply for a work permit before being employed there.

  • Bermudians however have right to British citizenship and right to work in the U.K.

  • Voting – Non nationals cannot vote unless they are married to a Bermudian.

  • Bermudian Citizenship – non nationals must wait for 10 years and remain married to that Bermudian for the 10 years before they can apply for Bermudian status – n.b. status may not mean ‘citizenship’.

  • Sale of Land – Non Bermudians cannot buy the same real estate properties as a Bermudian but are limited to the top most expensive 5% and are subjected to other restrictions.

Human Rights Act – relates only to Bermudians so although their constitution states ‘no discrimination based on race country etc;in practice there are heavy regulation via work permit,number of jobs non nationals can have,property they may or may not buy etc.

N.B. EVEN CHILDREN BORN IN BERMUDA ARE NOT BERMUDIANS UNLESS ONE OF THEIR PARENT IS A BERMUDIAN CITIZEN.

Don’t you think it is time we start changing our laws too and the easy way these Guyanese and others come in here and get citizenship?

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85 responses to “What Changes Would You Like To See To Our Immigration Framework?”

  1. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    Same here Anonymous,However I have been hearing the current Immigration department has been doing some interesting things that would make an amnesty moot.

  2. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    I forgot to mention that Mr. Singh appears to have the relevant information about what is going on,so far no amnesty is present in this article as well.

    “SINCE LAST WEEK’S COLUMN that focused on the need for official “explanation” from the Barbados Immigration Department or that section of the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for immigration matters, I have received numerous telephone calls with various responses.

    I have been provided names and telephone numbers from some of the callers who felt confident that I would not betray their trust in the information they have shared to confirm with reports I had alluded to in this column. They can rest assured their confidence will not be betrayed.

    The Immigration Department had not offered any information, up to the time of writing, in relation to the “unusually high number” of CARICOM nationals now being regularly sent out of Barbados, having been denied required extensions for specific periods. The conditions under which they are often detained, as told, clearly point to human rights violations.

    From information variously obtained, including immigration personnel and employers in the agricultural and construction sectors who share the concern for a more enlightened and humane approach to the current campaign of forced departures, the numbers ranged from a minimum of 55 to as many as no less than 80 for some weeks.

    For his part, Guyana’s acting police commissioner Henry Greene has explained to me that the “deportation” cases, of which he was aware, would be approximately a dozen for the year from Barbados. He, however, pointed out that in most instances Guyanese denied entry or refused extensions for either visitor’s or work permits hardly bother to lodge complaints once back home, unless they considered it necessary.

    It is not a CARICOM government’s right to establish and implement a policy of managed migration.

    Rather, in pursuing a programme to rid a CARICOM state of any number of Community nationals it so chooses to do – for whatever reasons – there is an obligation to honour the spirit and letter of the revised CARICOM Treaty and to avoid treating as illegal, citizens of other Community states who had arrived legally and had such status up to the time of seeking extensions to their visitor’s or work permits.

    While I am grateful to those who shared data on CARICOM nationals being sent out weekly in a new “enforcement programme”, I also appreciate the calls from Barbadian employers who have had to complain against what they view as “a new work permit policy” following the change of government that came last January. Some of the concerns have been made known to the Barbados Agricultural Society.

    The Government has offered no data publicly on how a more relaxed immigration policy by the previous Barbados Labour Party administration was impacting negatively on either local unemployment or the health and education sectors to which non-nationals also seek access, and for which, in the majority of cases, they satisfy domestic requirements.

    But a few employers in the agriculture and construction sectors, who generally conform to domestic regulations in the employment of non-nationals, have pointed out that there is a current practice of delaying the extension of work permits paid for, and the holding of applicants’ passports right up to the day when their earlier approved permission is scheduled to expire, at which time they find themselves being rudely rounded up and hustled out of Barbados along with other non-nationals.

    I have also confirmed since last week’s column that Guyana’s honorary consul Norman Faria has sent his letter of complaint to Prime Minister David Thompson and is now awaiting a response to his request for a meeting to clarify matters of concern.”

    http://www.nationnews.com/editorial/293520840709932.php

  3. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    I would also like to add yet another article,but this time by the so called PEP calling for a damn AMNESTY.It seems the DLP truly is on the side of us when you look at what has been said in this article.

    http://www.nationnews.com/editorial/293520840621371.php

    “PEP Column: Negative immigration policy move
    Published on: 11/21/08.

    THIS YEAR is the 50th anniversary of the 1958 establishment of the West Indies Federation. But, rather than celebrating the 50th anniversary with positive acts of regional integration, Caribbean political leaders continue to engage in uncivilised, mean-spirited behaviour towards the citizens of their sister Caribbean territories.

    The latest such episode of uncivilised, mean-spirited behaviour has emanated from the new Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration, with its abrupt and unpublicised jettisoning of the very progressive immigration policy that the Government of Barbados had adopted in relation to CARICOM citizens since the mid-1990s.

    Soon after the Owen Arthur administration came to power in 1994, the then Minister of Home Affairs, Mr David Simmons, enunciated an immigration policy under which CARICOM nationals who were in Barbados for a period of five years without official permission, and who had not run afoul of the criminal law, were permitted to apply for and be granted immigrant status in Barbados.

    And one of the notable features of the policy was that once the application for immigrant status was lodged, the Immigration Department regularised the applicant’s status in Barbados by granting him/her official permission to reside in Barbados, pending the outcome of the application for immigrant status.

    This was an extremely progressive and humane policy, and suggested that the Barbados Government considered that Caribbean nationals were our kith and kin and were therefore deserving of special consideration and treatment. Sadly, the new DLP administration has now brought all of this to an end!

    Over the past several weeks, the Immigration Department has been pursuing a new policy of deporting Caribbean nationals who have resided in Barbados for five or more years, and who had applied for immigrant status and were awaiting decisions on their applications.

    The People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) is aware of several cases in which Caribbean nationals who resided in Barbados for periods far in excess of five years, had developed deep roots in Barbadian society, and had legitimately expected to have had their status regularised, have been unceremoniously uprooted and kicked out of Barbados.

    And what makes the actions of the new administration even more reprehensible is that they have not publicly announced their change in policy, and also that they are applying the new policy retroactively to persons who would have sent in their application for immigration status long before the DLP came to power, and when the old policy was very much still in place.

    The PEP readily concedes that intra-Caribbean migration to Barbados has to be managed and controlled. But there is a right way and a wrong way to do things, and we consider that the approach of the David Thompson administration is egregiously wrong, and will do tremendous damage to the image and reputation of Barbados. There were many “bad” things that were done by the Owen Arthur administration, but the five-year amnesty policy for CARICOM nationals was not one of them.

    The PEP hereby calls upon Prime Minister David Thompson to reverse course and to reinstate the old five-year amnesty policy. Furthermore, we specifically call upon the Prime Minister, as an attorney-at-law by profession, to acknowledge that the retroactive or retrospective application of a new regulation or policy is contrary to the precepts of natural justice.”

  4. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Jay

    Please give us an idea of what you mean by’the immigration department is doing some interesting things’.

    What specific things and why do you consider that a good/or bad thing?

  5. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I predict that Prime Minister David Thompson will mention his amnesty proposal in the State of the Nation Address Saturday night.If he does not I wil be the most shock person in Barbados.
    I will repeat amnesty is on the cards for all CARICOM nationals living in Barbados.At this moment the government is trying limit the number of non-nationals that will benefit from the amnesty.That is the reason for the apparent high level of deportations that are presently taking place.
    If the Prime Minister goes back on his suggestion of amnesty is a result of the information that was leaked to Barbados Underground & the subsequent comments by us.
    The amnesty proposal is factual and very real.
    It is a fact Prime Minister wants to give amnesty to CARICOM nationals.

  6. Someone said the 'BLP Stalwart' Avatar
    Someone said the ‘BLP Stalwart’

    It is most unfortunate that among the many persons participating on this blog are some informed persons. To allow and feed misperceptions and misinformation is regrettable under normal circumstances but is much more dangerous when the so called ones that are true to Barbadian culture attempt to breed hatred and greater levels of xenophobia. barbadians must choose what they want, but it is best that there are informed with all related information rather than rely on the self-interested trumpeting of those who are anti-anything that does not have the word Barbados attached to it. People, please get real. We live in a knowledge society. Let us move away from the moorings of ignorance so that in that way we truly safeguard our nation. Beware of all those who speak so lucidly on immigration, citizen, nationalism issues but have refused to conduct at least some background research. I say no more. To be forewarned is to be fore armed.

  7. Negroman Avatar
    Negroman

    David Thompson our Prime Minister is a master.He criticised local businesses for employing non-nationals before Barbadians.He had all of us hyped up that he meant business with his pronouncements about hiring Barbadians first.He is about to settle that issue with the granting of amnesty to all non-nationals thereby allowing them to become citizens of Barbados with the right to work
    David Thompson at his brilliant best.

  8. Negroman Avatar
    Negroman

    David Comissiong a non-national himself.He is a Vincentian with both Barbados & St VIncent passports is pandering to the whims & fancy of Norma Faria & Ricky Singh two of the biggest supporters of his fledging party & organisation the CLement Payne Movement.Any event that Davd Comissiong put on you can rest assure you will see either Noram Faria or Ricky Singh or both at the evnt.
    I cannot believe this is the same David Comissiong who either earlier this year or last year lambasted the Owen Arthur governemnt about its open door immigration policy claiming that the government at that time wants to ram as many as possible CARICOM nationals into Barbados.He said something to that effect when he criticised the CSME & the top down approach of Caribbean Integration.David Comissiong come and disprove this.
    David Comissiong you are political nuisance who try to twist issues so as to get as much political mileage out of it.
    You are not as sincere,fearless & fair as you want us to believe.You are not consistent in your views and we have seen through you.
    David Comissiong your political career is non-existent.Give up

  9. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    To ALL my BU friends and enemies
    I had promise to refrain from posting any comments until I know for certain what’s going on in this country as far as the government immigration policy is concern. An incedent happened to me a few minutes ago and I think I need to tell some-one if or when you hear of it if it furation, then all of you would know who is THE SCOUT. I looked through my window and saw two indo-guyanese on my land looking at my irrigation unit. Curiously, I approached them and inquire of their purpose of being there. The older of the guys told me they are looking to get water to a plot they just rented next to my lot. I informed them that the connection is mine and it is off limits to them. the guy told me that I’m not using it and he is going to get it move to the lot next door. I ask him how he would achieve that, he said , he is just as much BAJAN as me and who the hell I think I am. I should start getting accustom to them because I got to learn to live with them because he got his citizenship papers. I polititely asked him to vacant my premises , he ask me what I would do if he doesn’t leave. I told him when I come back and he is still there i would show him and I retired to my house. On my return they had both left. I am ready for their return whether now or later, I will show him who is more BAJAN than whom. This is what we get for “welcoming” these scoundels into our country. I expected this that’s why I’m not surprise but I had hope it would never involve into this. The arrogance of these indo-guyanese is begining to manifest itself in this country and there is the likelihood of civil unrest to put it mildly.
    I know I have broken my promise but I just had to exhale. Please forgive me.

  10. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Scout

    Just reading the blasted foolishness these guyanese bold as brassbowl telling you about your land just got me cruel,cruel and is confirming to me that a few of them will get killed easy so just now.

    Wait and see.

    You see after the chief Greaves took their money and gave them citizenship,they now feel they could diss bajans but something really bad will happen soon bout here.

    I know that if these bad passports that greaves gave out are not looked into and revoked, 10 years from now these guyanese and their children will be running bajans out of barbados.

    It will be worse than what is going on between the indians and blacks down in guyana.

    You need to study the mind set of the indian race and you will become more enlightened as to how they think.

    Nasty,nasty,nasty believe me.

    I think scout that you must report this matter to the police and you should speak to the man who rent them the land next to yours about what is going on.

  11. anon Avatar
    anon

    On my return they had both left. I am ready for their return whether now or later, I will show him who is more BAJAN than whom.
    ………………………………………………………………..
    Scout you have me deading with laugh. Lay down and relax yourself. A heart attack beckons if you dont calm down.

  12. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Wait Scout

    You not the fella that had dem 2 indian guyanese charged for not leaving his property?

    In dis week nation 2 indian guyanese were put on bail by magistrate beckles for not leaving a homeowner property when he told them to.

    This sounding very strange boosie,yuh mean dey going ’round doin’ this foolishness to evahbody?

    Looka,look,maxine and david dem better take note,or else….

  13. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Anonymous
    I,m not that guy but what I would tell you is that these two have been virtually harrassing me for almost a year to rent my land at $ 500.00 per acre per year and I refused. i came home one day a few weeks ago and saw them walking through my land as though they were preparing to plough up. I had just had it cleaned off. When they saw me one guy asked me who was renting it. I just ask them to leave and they did.

  14. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    As I stated earlier, one of them were working the land for me a while ago and my crops were constantly being stolen. I rented him the land for a year and there was not one hole of cassava or potato stolen. I stopped the rentals next year and they got mad with me

  15. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    I.m not calling the police nor am I going to get a heart attack over it. Justice will be done. ” so help me GOd”.

  16. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Scout

    Please don’t get into any troble with them that may cause you to end up at Dodds and being put away for years.

    Then they will do as they like on your family land.

    So speak to the immigration,set a trap do something but be smart about it.

  17. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    Haha,I just find it so funny that some say they would be surprised if the P.M. didn’t offer an amnesty in Saturday’s speech.The reality is the DLP will not offer any amnesty because it would be political suicide,not to mention Barbados does not have the current infrastructure to support so many people.

    The BLP had its day & an amnesty didn’t work we still have lots of illegal immigrants in Barbados at this time.It is time for the DLP to do some clean up & this immigration mess should be front & center when the appropriate legislation is in place.Here in the US we have a saying,” Fool me once,shame on you.Fool me twice shame on me”.;)

  18. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Jay

    There are a lot of BLP oldtimers who on this site trying to stir up trouble.

    I hope Negroman didn’t fall for it.

    There was no dlp amnesty,yet the BLP yardfowl came on here and told us that this had already happened.It was a done deal by David Thompson.

    BLP Fraudster.

    Trust me,Ms mcclean worked really hard at immigration and kept things tight there,let’s hope Mr Walters does the same now he has taken over.

    I hope he gives no ground to ricky singh and norman faria and the like.

  19. Negroman Avatar
    Negroman

    The Scout
    I will love to give you some asistance in dealing with those Indo_Guyanese sums.We warned Barbadians about those wretches nd we did heal the calls and now we are about to pay the consequences.Scout do want you consider to be the correct thing.Negroman will come to your assis tance in any way you desire.
    Maxine McClean was transfer because of her determination to rid this country of the Indo_Guyanese nuisances.She was frank and was comitted.I do not know much about Arni Walters but I suspect he might not be as effective as Maxine McClean.
    I want the PM to stop dilly dallying on this immigration issue.We do not need any special sub-committee on immigration.Illegals must go home and stringent immigration laws implemented.
    PM Thompson why do’t you come out and tell Barbadians you proposed amnesty for all non-nationals CARICOM citizens.Stop the bluffing.
    PM Thompson are you having secon thought.
    PM Thompson Negroman is challenging you to come and deny that you are offering amnesty to CARICOM non-nationals.If you are man enough come and deny it.Tell Barbadians your true feelings on this immigration issue.
    Your credibility is at stake.

  20. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Where is WIV now that we need him to clear the air on this immigration issue. After the Six Mens Marina discussion, he has been absent.

    The more I think about it and his blatant silence, I suspect that Negroman is knowledgeable and we will be offering amnesty.

    Amesty to illegals, read criminals, should be a non starter. Imagine what will happen when they bring over their 12 children, 20 aunts and uncles and their associated offspring. There will be more of them than of us. They are prolific breeders, especially the Muslims, whom Mohammed commanded to multiply and populate the world. In twenty years, blacks will be the minority in Barbados.

    Is this what you, Bajans, voted in Thompson for?

    IT IS TIME TO CALL YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT and air your views!

    DONT WAIT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE!!

    Let him or her know what you want regarding THE IMMIGRATION AND POTENTIAL AMNESTY.

    You elected these people to represent you and be your voice in Parliament. Let them know that you put them there to speak for you and TELL them what you want them to say re the new policy.

    If you dont, you will have only yourselves to blame for the influx of more of these people, which will be one direct result of amnesty.

    AMNESTY MY LEFT FOOT!

  21. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Did I hear someone say that this party is a one term party? JOKE. This party here to stay. PPP/CIVIC style. It’s all over bar the shouting or shooting which ever comes first.

  22. J Avatar
    J

    Ahhh!!!!! Scout. You grossly exaggerate.

    There is no way that we the people will let the DLP (or the BLP) become PPP/CIVIC.

    Each party might want that.

    You Scout might want that.

    But we the people won’t let it happen.

    When we decide that they must go, then they must go.

    End of story.

  23. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    J
    It’s not that easy. The difference between the two parties in Barbados irrespective of how many seats any one party gets, is less than ten thousand. Therefore, if my P.M has no control of the amount of indo-guyanese coming into the country and President of Guyana Jagdeo is behind this move, de goose cook. With more than forty thousand of them around here they can determine the outcome of any election. Furthermore, it is just a matter of time one of them gains a seat in the house. When one gets his/her foot inside the floodgates open. I will not be around but you will remember The Scout warned all of you this would happen. I’m no Prophet but all indications are, we’re heading that way FAST.

  24. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    During Ms McClean tenure at immigration, she had ordered an investigation of the amount of illegal immigrants in Barbados. This report, it was said would be available around the end of the year. Now that she is gone would this report still be coming or it desolved with her? Mr P.M bajans short memory is getting longer, so be careful

  25. Negroman Avatar
    Negroman

    The Scout
    The PPP governemnt is behind the large influx of Indo-Guyanese in Barbados.They aer being funded by the PPP government.You are right our goose has been cooked.The PM cannot do anything to stem the tide of Indo-Guyanese entering Barbados.
    Scout it is up to us to rectify this position.
    Negroman is ready to give up his comfortable living,his job and even his life to fight to rid this country of the Indo-Guyanese human waste.The future of a stable Barbados is about to be undermine.

  26. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    I don’t buy the idea that the P.M. cannot do anything,it is just that he clearly won’t.

    I am also wondering how anyone think an amnesty can be given,wouldn’t such a proposal have to go through Parliament first ?

    If so,then give the MP’s an earful.

  27. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Jay

    If you wait until after the amnesty to give the MP’s an earful it will be too late. You have to be pro-active and start doing it now. Let them know you will have none of it. If I were down there, I would be calling every member of the government and letting them know that I am strongly against it.

    If someone can post their emails on line, or point to a site where they are available, I will do it from up here. I am a Barbadian.

  28. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Imagine bajans are being refused permission to put a house on family land because Government claims the hose was only earmarked for one house, yet on land NOt earmarked for houses at all, Guyanese have been squatting for years and the amount increasing and government is unable to do anything about it.Who really own this country?

  29. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    @ Pat,you’re absolutely right.About 3 years ago here in the US there was suppose to be a reform of immigration laws,but Americans didn’t believe that should happen due to the fact that the US wasn’t enforcing the existing ones.This is why there are currently so many deportations due to Homeland Security.Barbados does not necessarily need a new ‘Immigration act’,just to have the existing laws enforced.

    @The Scout

    Pertaining to the last question,only the people of Barbados can answer that question,to me it seems to be a matter of sovereignty.When the Prime Minister was in the minority he always ‘talked’ about a ‘managed migration’ policy but never extrapolated what that means to him.I would have to say that most Bajans believe that there should be a massive amount of deportations to whom is not there legally,period.

  30. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Did any one read or hear what bobby morris from the union had to say about how he is going to make sure and welcome the immigrant labour here and he hopes bajan don’t continue this immigrant bashing?

    Is this man supposed to be representing barbadian workers or the guyanese workers who are here legal or illegal?

    Who are the people paying the union dues and paying these union men salaries?Are they not in the large majority barbadian workers?

    No wonder norman faria had so much access to the union and had his guyanese people marching with the union every May Day.

    No wonder the union has not been out there fighting for bajan workers whose jobs are being taken away by foreigners.

    Can you imagine that it took the prime minister Thompson to point out what the union should be saying:’that bajan jobs are for bajan workers here,and after that you look for bajan workers overseas’.

    Not a squeak bout dat yuh ain’t hear from the union.

    Talk about judases – dey got plenty up dey at the union.

  31. David Avatar
    David

    The union maybe doing this as an approach to entice membership.

  32. Avatar
    Anonymous

    David

    We as a country would have reached a sad day when a union which was borne out of the struggles of black barbadians workers could see it fit to diss the said workers all because of the persuit of some selfish,narrow interest of the union.

    I think in this 21st century the relevance and influence of trade unions remain very questionable.

    Whose interests are these head honchos at the union serving?

    Royal Shop,Sandy Lane,guyanese workers – what is the common thread in all of this?

  33. Mr.T Avatar
    Mr.T

    Bobby Morris confuses at times. I have no difficulty with his call to stop immigrant bashing. It diminishes us. Let the law take care of law breakers. My issue is his ass kissing praise of Owen Arthur.

    In fact he dissed Sir Lloyd in the same speech if what was reported is accurate. Bobby regularly praises the individual he pilloried the day before. He and Trotty had a cuss out then hugged each other and cried. Strange behaviour.

  34. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Welcome to these balsted Union people the majority of time the only persons they defend is the bad behaved workers!

    Bobby could have been drunk stupse!

    Mr. T I dont know what he is relly trying to say!

  35. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    As I see it the BWU has lost it’s strong hold on labour matters and is fighting to get members. They trying for anyone they can get.I heard another strage statement coming from Bobby Morris, he said that any bipartisan person in Barbados would admit that former P.M Arthur did Barbados good over his 14 yrs in Office.

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