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Kerri Symmonds Should Have Been Yesterday’s Man

Understandably the focus on BU and the wider public has been on the government and its travails managing the economy, or should we suggest the society. It is only fair however that from time to time we peep into the world of the Mia Mottley (MAM) lead opposition. After all the opposition is the government…

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Ram_BoolaniUnderstandably the focus on BU and the wider public has been on the government and its travails managing the economy, or should we suggest the society. It is only fair however that from time to time we peep into the world of the Mia Mottley (MAM) lead opposition. After all the opposition is the government in waiting and therefore deserves our attention.

The reputation which the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) had for not washing dirty linen in public has been dispelled in recent terms (refer to the ridiculous matter brought before the Court by George Payne and Edmund Hinkson). To compound the matter Barbadians learned this week about the appointment of Kerri Symmonds to Deputy Leader of the BLP. One has to wonder about the wisdom of the appointment on several fronts. Especially when there is no legal reason for MAM to have to appoint a deputy in a situation where she is clearly struggling to exert control.

Symmonds has developed a dotty reputation in his political career so far. Unlike the US media who would have placed Symmonds and the BLP under pressure to explain his resignation from the Senate over a domestic matter which caused him to slash the car seats of his former wife, there was no appetite by the local media. There was no din raised by women’s groups. Symmonds has been allowed to reenter the political arena without undue pressure. It is now a matter record he was able to win the St. James Central Seat from a weak incumbent. Some may suggest this speaks volumes about the political maturity of the Barbadian public.

In the lead up to the last general election DLP surrogates repeatedly asked Symmonds to explain the details about how he consorted with Johnny Tudor (a former B, a former D) to show that his car was of an incorrect age to ensure a buyer obtained a loan to purchase the car. There is the well publicised marital dispute which led to his resignation from the Senate. And what about the document posted above? It is never too late to ask for explanations. The time has come to demand answers to questions from our politicians. The free rides both figuratively and literally are over.

If this appointment were to backfire on MAM she has no one to blame except MAM because she requested the document posted above from then AG Michael Lashley which she used to persuade Symmonds to resign from the Senate.

129 responses to “Kerri Symmonds Should Have Been Yesterday’s Man”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    @Sargeant

    That was funny albeit at a woman’s expense. You have give new life to the phrase “let errr rip!”

  2. Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!! Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!!

    @David

    BTW, this document gives me pause for the following reasons

    1. it has no JP stamp visible.

    2. Ram Boolani is definitely a relative of We Jonesing, Minister of Education, also enemy of the Queen’s English language

    I will explain why i believe this relation to be true

    “I hereby signs ….” a phrase that only we Jonesing could compose.

    But (dis conjunction ting gots to stop), but it has to be that the Justice of the PIECE Elma Grant ( no relation to Piece of De Rock Year Right, to be sure, nor Robert Ross’ a “Nasty Piece of Work”) did not dictate this document.

    She MUST HAVE signed after the fact, or assuredly she would have picked up this subject/verb agreement anomaly, so clearly visible on the official document that she was affixing her name.

    Whey is we in my cuntry Bim going???

  3. Rev Up the Wheelchair Avatar
    Rev Up the Wheelchair

    14th January 2008 was the day before General Elections in Barbados and the day before Oblong Head Symmonds lost his seat and the BLP was put out of office.

    But all of that does not matter, what matters is what way will Estwick vote when Mia calls for a divide over Buffoon’s Budget on 13th August.

  4. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    David | July 27, 2013 at 9:48 AM |

    @Old Onions

    Do you think it is possible to talk and chew gum at the same time?

    What is your position on the matter raised?
    ********************************
    Come next week look for some doctored pieca -crap that I will be sending BU under a different name of course….claiming Min X tief exam marks or bud a sheep equally salacious for the hungry mongrels to chew gums on….seek n thou shall find…watch !

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Onions

    It is anti BLP so your response is predictable. You lot are all the same.

  6. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    @ piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right… Ya getting patta cake,and dat is some ah de sweetest cake dis side ah de region. Dat and den de bajan version. Seriously though, how does BU get access to this document and the main stream didn’t, for surely they would have published it.

  7. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    David;

    Looks like Business as usual on BU.

    PODRYR has partially dissected the Boolani document in a way that might give some pause to those who want to further discredit a person whom I personally don’t like, Kerry Symmonds.

    Caswell Franklyn has indicated that several lawyers are in the (not illegal) business of unnecessary facilitation of Immigration matters for persons wishing to get immigrant status here. It therefore appears, even if only at face value, not to be proof of an illegal act by Mr. Symmonds

    It should be also well known that Guyanese were under the gun by the new DT administration in 2009 when this document was purportedly signed. That situation might well be advanced as a reason for Mr. Boolani wishing to use any available means to try to secure immigrant status for his son.

    David, there are however some questions that you need to provide answers to for the BU family in order to ensure unbiased conclusions. Some of these are:-

    What is the provenance of the Boolani letter? Who were the persons concerned? Was Michael Lashley involved in righting any wrongs done to Mr. Boolani? Was it purely a political trap? Are the facts in the letter true? If they are true did Mr. Symmonds do anything illegal? Did he have any undue influence over the immigration department when he allegedly accepted the 5K$ from Mr. Boolani? Could any other lawyer have legally acted for Mr. Boolani in this matter? Does the suggestion of fraud, etc. merely has to do with Mr. Symmonds having been a disliked BLP politician as well as being a lawyer?

    David, in your chapeau, you hint that the copy of the letter you posted came from the then AG because MAM requested the document posted above from then AG Michael Lashley which she used to persuade Symmonds to resign from the Senate. If that is true AG Lashley was in possession of the document which he gave to Mia to aid in removing Symmonds from the Senate. Doesn’t this tell us a lot about the inter-party machinations of MPs that few of us know about? How did Mia know about the document? Was its provision also a trap for her?

    Who is the JP? Was she a BLP JP or a DLP one? Was she active in Politics? What was the real use that Boolani intended that it be put to? Who advised him to swear to this document?

    There are so many more questions that could be asked of this document and the circumstances surrounding it, prior to it being accepted as further proof of Mr. Symmonds unsuitability for public office.

    Hope some answers along these lines will be forthcoming.

  8. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ checkit-out,

    All we need to know is if Mr. Boolani gave Mr.Symmonds $5000 to “facilitate” and having failed to “facilitate” did Mr.Symmonds return the $5000 to Mr.Boolani.

    Was this transaction a bribe or a legitimate fee for services?

    When you give up private life to become a public figure like the monkey climbing a tree your ask is exposed.

  9. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    @ checkit-out…..as good and pertinent as your questions are you must know that there will be no answers outside of those that David may attempt to provide. These guys are all for one and one for all. As much as that document might have been public record, public discussion in bim is a no no. Doubt me? Call brasstacks. Was there any real outcry when the Queen’s Counsel moon the judge? Did that get as much airtime as the idiot mother [for lack of a better noun] beating a child with a plank? Know why? Dem aint nobody….caaan do nuting fah anybody.

  10. Reality Avatar
    Reality

    Hants | July 27, 2013 at 3:24 PM |
    @ checkit-out,
    All we need to know is if Mr. Boolani gave Mr.Symmonds $5000 to “facilitate” and having failed to “facilitate” did Mr.Symmonds return the $5000 to Mr.Boolani.
    .

    Simple to the point Hants. Did the blubber man take Boolani money and did nothing or did he execute the job for Boolani? If the former he is a crook (looks like most lawyers are) if the latter he is a normal professional.

  11. I beat my wife Symmonds Avatar
    I beat my wife Symmonds

    The man to this very day continues to wish and to hope that Symmonds would give him back his money the boy is a thieving women beater and dishonest car salesman who knows no honesty, Haynesley Benn has his measure he knows more about Symmonds’s dishonest act thru Mottley than many he knew before Symmonds that Mottley was going to fire him for this and for slashing and for Symmonds beating up badly on his wife.

  12. I beat my wife Symmonds Avatar
    I beat my wife Symmonds

    The man to this very day continues to wish and to hope that Symmonds would give him back his money the boy is a thieving women beater and dishonest car salesman who knows no honesty, Haynesley Benn has his measure he knows more about Symmonds’s dishonest act thru Mottley than many he knew before Symmonds that Mottley was going to fire him for this and for slashing and for Symmonds beating up badly on his wife

  13. ac Avatar
    ac

    wait wuh happen to miller……….the ethics bar is dragging on the ground,,, miller the bLP needs your muscle to help pull it up…….

  14. Candid Avatar
    Candid

    Could it be that Mr Boolani was told by attorney that paying him that $5K, his son would get his docu same day or close thereof instead of the normal time it takes to process, which might be months and Sundees; making Mr Boolani to believe that he (attorney) had “pull” inside the immigration office whereby he (attorney) walks in and walks back out with document in hand?

    Just another easy buck. Maybe attorney try to impress but couldn’t express.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    The charge has been made and Symmonds can post to BU or send a note privately to clarify the matter. Until

  16. Tell me more Avatar
    Tell me more

    David what clarity can ANYONE want other than the written word in this sworn document that the man paid Symmonds on the day before elections expecting that Symmonds would have been in a position the day after elections to fulfil the request made of Symmonds and with his cost paid he had every right of expectation.
    however had Symmonds been an honest person when the man returned asking back for his money for a job undelivered and not done but SAymmonds in his ravising manner told the man his money burn so whatever that gentleman’s hopes were they were dashed once symmonds was put out to pasture.

  17. ac Avatar
    ac

    with all this talk about symmonds I am still at a lost for words how the leadership and members of the BLP allowed this nomination/

  18. JUST ASKING Avatar
    JUST ASKING

    Stop looking for a Saint to be a politician or a politician to be a Saint . We need all the talents we can find. We need people to do a job. When you go to a gas station for gas ride a bus , do you wonder if the driver of the tanker that delivered gas beats his wife or are you interested in filling up ?

    JUST ASKING

  19. JUST ASKING Avatar
    JUST ASKING

    Tom Adams was a brilliant Prime Minister
    Ask anyone who knows , if he had a history of beating women. Ask Denise Sheperd -Johnson if she knows anything about Tom.
    The brilliant Errol Walton Barrow had people ask questions about his orientation. Barrow and his wife Carolyn lived together, were divorced or lived happily after ?
    Wunna could really shut wunna ass though !!

  20. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    When these fellas looking for money they promise people anything. He could have simply told the Gentleman that he was no position to help him with immigration matters and let the man keep his coppers in his pocket.

    But the problem is that these BLP politicians have no shame. I remember clearly one New years day Seethru, mind you bright new years day, accusing some one in his party of stealing money which ought to be in the coffers of the opposition account.

    I have lived to see documents published here on this said same Barbados Underground which stated, “during the meeting personal insults were traded between many of those present. The claimant, himself, accused MAM …………………………………………..of criminal conduct. Specifically, he alleged that she had embezzled funds from the BLP during her tenure as leader of the Opposition…………….”

    Money and BLP members, I don’t know……………..

    http://bajan.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/george-payne-v-edmund-hinkson-statement-of-defense/

  21. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    JUST ASKING

    “Tom Adams was a brilliant Prime Minister
    Ask anyone who knows , if he had a history of beating women.”

    You forgot an important part, he also loved the white stuff which addicts push up their nose.

  22. Tell me more Avatar
    Tell me more

    Your right Carson they got sticky fingers

  23. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    BTW

    I have not heard Seethru lately!

    Is he still alive?

  24. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    It must be extremely uncomfortable to be a Barbados Labour Party Parliamentarian at this point in time. The cannibalization within that party is something awful.

    I would not trade places with a BLP Parliamentarian for all the tea in China.

  25. JUST ASKING Avatar
    JUST ASKING

    What was the orientation of Cammie Tudor ?
    Would he have supported same sex marriages ?
    Did it affect his brilliance ?
    It probably did though because Cammie is responsible for the state Barbados is in today: He rushed and had Erskine Sandiford installed much to the chagrin of Richie who should have been Prime Minister of this country . The rest is history

  26. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    @ Carson C. Cadogan

    Agree 100% ‘It must be extremely uncomfortable to be a Barbados Labour Party Parliamentarian at this point in time. The cannibalization within that party is something awful’.

    That BLP group is thrilling and suspenseful. American Film Producers Michael Bay and or Jerry Bruckheimer should consider them for movie making; box office hit for sure.

  27. Tell me more Avatar
    Tell me more

    Just asking your post are not relevant to this discussion were you to ask where the funds belonging to the BLP that Arthur left in a Bank account and that Mottley evaporated once she became Leader of the Opposition or why would Symmonds change the age of a vehicle owned by himself to get it sold or why he savagely Beat Up his Wife and then Slashed Her Car Tyres or why having not been able to provided the service expected by Mr Boolani why then did he not do the HONOUABLE THING and pay back the goodly Gentleman his hard earned money and be done with that shaDYDEAL ? bECAUSE HE IS A dISHONEST LIAR cROOK THAT DESERVES prison asap.

  28. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ …!

  29. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Tell me more | July 27, 2013 at 9:57 PM |
    “… bECAUSE HE IS A dISHONEST LIAR cROOK THAT DESERVES prison asap.”

    Sounds good by me! But let us do a deal. As the ole time Bajan saying goes: “Do fuy do ent nuh obeah”.
    Let us do some horse trading like Fumble and OSA over MIA and the Eager Eleven.
    We will back you to the hilt in getting the wife beater seat “slasher” swindler and political backstabber behind bars in exchange of Fumble removing his arm of protection from around Leroy “Greenverbs” Parris.

    Deal or NO deal?

  30. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @BAFBFP | July 28, 2013 at 12:00 AM | Me too.

  31. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Oh F..the F_in phony….F_in Fakespare, F_in Faux Pas, F _in farthing, F_in move forward..F _in folly, F_ in farinaceous and the F_in forsake for F _in most fractious and F_in the friggin frogmarch….. F_in lime juice neva spoil F_ in vinegar..neva hear dat? Well F dat true what all the F_in commotion about?

  32. Just saying Avatar
    Just saying

    Let’s stop and think this through here…..the man above paid (according to him) an illegal bribe and wants to complain? Does he have proof of this payment? A receipt? Anything? I guess not.

    So how do we know this happened or is this political theatre? What credence should we give to a document which basically amounts to “the writer of this document asserts that this happened and asks you to believe it on no authority other than that he said this happened.”

  33. David Avatar
    David

    @Just Asking

    What does a Justice of the Peace (JP) do?

    All JP services are free. They have two sets of responsibilities – ministerial and judicial. Their ministerial roles include; Witnessing signatures on documents Certifying copies of documents Completing declarations (including statutory declarations), affidavits or affirmations

  34. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    So wait a JP can’t be a F_in Fraud?….Like your memory kinda short ..$30 million to be exactin and a phrase of F-in Lie Cheat or Steal….null point breds..F_in null point dat one…

  35. David Avatar
    David

    Then Onions if the JP’s signature was fraudulently obtained what do you think Symmonds should do? Surely you have informed him by now?

  36. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @David. Something bothers me about the convenience with which this document, sworn in 2009 and complaining of a matter from 2008, has suddenly made an appearance. I fear that I may well have been guilty of over-exuberance and lack of careful weighing up of the matter. BECAUSE some bits have been niggling at the back of what, for want of a better word, I call “my mind” since I read it. It has taken over 4 years (getting on for five) for this document to surface. Why? ALSO, what was the purpose behind swearing such a statement in the first place – what was in meant to achieve?

    First, let me say that I am a MAM admirer, but I certainly do not admire Kerri in any way whatever and I question what could possibly have possessed people to vote for him in the first place. As far as the last elections are concerned, I supported the DLP and Freundel Stuart and, given the general state of the BLP at the moment, if there was an election tomorrow, I would support the government and PM all over again. I know the choice is between the devil and the deep blue, but since that is the only choice we currently have, that would be mine.

    But fair is fair

    My knowledge of immigration matters is not great, EXCEPT I have had family members who have immigrated to the USA, the UK and Canada and they have, each and every one, consulted me on the process. Each and every one of them has gone through an immigration lawyer in their applications and I have had the advantage of discussing these matters with almost all of the lawyers concerned. The most recent was about two years ago and the lawyer’s fee was the equivalent of Barbados$6,000.

    The reason for having a lawyer is that the applications themselves and the sheer body of evidence and paperwork needed is, frankly, considerable and very daunting to anyone not used to it and nervous at the prospect in the first place. I have no idea if Barbados immigration is the same: whether it requires criminal record checks; undertaking not to become a charge on the state for a period of time and proof that the funds are available to keep this undertaking; etc. Then too there is the ease with which an application can be rejected simply because a single element is missing and you have to start all over again.

    While I myself have no actual knowledge of the process or finer points here in Barbados, I have been considerably exposed to the process in the other countries named above. Therefore, I utterly reject the concept that there is no need to have a lawyer do it for you in Barbados, simply because it is cheaper to do it yourself. It is cheaper to do it in other countries as well, yet my relatives have all found the process to be far simpler and less stressful by paying a lawyer. What price peace of mind?

    In any case, whether you choose to retain counsel to do the job for you is, frankly, your choice. It is your money and no one has the right to dictate to you whether or not you should have a lawyer deal with the matter for you.

    The question, therefore, is whether or not Kerri Symmonds was retained as counsel for the purposes of this immigration application? If yes, the next question is whether $5,000 was the amount agreed between the parties for his work on the application? If yes, then Kerri has no case to answer and the client has no grounds for complaint. Counsel undertaking to do the work and submit the application does not in any way guarantee (or imply a guarantee) that the application will succeed. I cannot see how counsel could possibly guarantee such a result anyway. Especially if he belongs to a political party that is out of power.

    There are countless things that Kerri can be legitimately questioned on and I personally have little use for him – de blood done tek. However, after mature consideration, I think this may well NOT be a legitimate complaint against him.

  37. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Amused

    I applaud your attempt to be fair for once but you must be careful when setting up straw men to knock them down. No one ever said that there is no need for a lawyer because it is cheaper to do it yourself. In the Barbados procedure, of which I am quite familiar, there is absolutely no need for a lawyer. There is nothing that a lawyer can do to influence the process: he is reduced to the role of a messenger. All the lawyer can do is carry in the forms. The forms are quite elementary, even AC would be able to complete them. For delivering the forms the scale of fees require a minimum fee of $1,200.

  38. ac Avatar
    ac

    Caswell Franklyn | July 28, 2013 at 12:31 PM
    The forms are quite elementary, even AC would be able to complete them.
    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………,,..
    but I am not as dumb as YOU to believe that I would choose to save a few dollars in preference to hiring somewhat who has more expertise than i and knowledge in such an area……leave it to you to solve complicated issues with simplistic answers

  39. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    @ Amused …Your post dated July 28th. at 12:12 pm as it relates to the USA could not be further from the truth. All any lawyer can do is fill out your paper work, a relatively simple task that can be done by anyone that can read. What peaks my interest in your post though is your claim that almost all of these lawyers discussed these matters with you. Why, may I ask? So that you may save your next family member that seeks to live here in the states some money, no application is rejected simply because some element is missing. You are contacted and asked to submit whatever documentation that was deemed missing.

  40. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/representative/index.asp
    But amused, at this link Citizenship and Immigration Canada says that a lawyer in NOT required.

  41. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    Amused;
    Good to see someone has totally agreed with one of my posts that are normally ignored. Thanks

  42. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Simple Simon:

    you are right, no immigration lawyer is required in Citizenship and Immigration Canada, everything is now done online, you have an online account and you deal with it accordingly, don’t let anyone tell you different.

  43. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @Caswell Franklyn | July 28, 2013 at 12:31 PM | “……….you must be careful when setting up straw men to knock them down.” That is infinitely better than painting an inviting target on my back. In any event, I am not saying that you may not eventually knock down what you have described as “straw men” set up by me, but I AM saying that thus far you have failed comprehensively to do so.

    WHY are you, a bush lawyer who claims some legal training, so damned eager to suggest that Kerri, a lawyer, was peddling influence, instead of merely practicing law? $5,000 is just about the right amount for a lawyer of Kerri’s seniority and experience to charge for such a job – I know because I have checked with friends who do that kind of work. Therefore your most helpful information about the immigration process is merely a red herring, a weak and transparent attempt to ground your baseless accusation that Kerri was peddling influence, instead of exercising his right to practice law. And I cannot tell you how much it offends me to have to come to the defense of Kerri.

    The fact that this payment could be subject to misrepresentation (and the resulting defamation) is part of the legal system failure under which Barbados suffers. FOR, if it were the UK, the USA or Canada, Kerri would have been required to provide the client with an opinion letter, setting out the terms of his engagement, the approximate or agreed cost and an estimate of the chances of success – this is a letter that would have to have been sent in duplicate and the client would be required to sign and date and return one of the copies, while retaining the other for their files. But of course it would mean that there would be a paper trail to cash (and undeclared) payments that most Bajan lawyers (with some notable exceptions) like to keep quiet.

    So really, Casewell, your only possible complaint is that Kerri did not declare the payment to the tax man. And I would be careful how you went about making that statement as well, because Kerri would be fully within his rights (as indeed he likely is NOW ALREADY) to serve you with the pre-action protocols and, if you failed to give him the satisfaction required, to proceed against you for defamation. You can check this out with your master who crafted the unsatisfactory Defamation Act and introduced the CPRs.

    As I said before and I repeat, I am no admirer Kerri Symmonds, BUT, FAIR IS FAIR!!!

    @ac | July 28, 2013 at 12:53 PM | I completely agree with you and, for the record, I have never thought for a moment that you were dumb – quite the contrary – merely wildly excessive. And you fight your battles with commitment (sometimes blinkered, but always total). Therefore, you provoke a like response from those who also feel passionate about their views – which is 99.9% of Bajans. So follow me here for a moment and consider that I am about to say before rushing in……it may benefit your side and views.

    Now, as a MAM supporter, I think Kerri should get permanently lost. BUT, not by using these tactics. As I say, I have no doubt that Kerri was merely charging legal fees for work. And, if Mr Ram Boolani is the type of man who is prepared to pay for political influence in the first place (and I do not believe him that this is what he did) then the truth of his document has to be viewed with a degree of caution.

    @Hamilton Hill | July 28, 2013 at 12:54 PM |. I respond:

    • “All any lawyer can do is fill out your paper work, a relatively simple task that can be done by anyone that can read.” It is some decades not since I had anything to do close up and personal with any application for USA immigration and I m not going to take the time to study the system now just to dispute your allegations. BUT, ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT SOMEONE WISHING TO RETAIN COUNSEL TO DO IT FOR THEM, CANNOT EXERCISE THEIR FREE WILL TO DO SO? I reiterate, at what price peace of mind?
    • “What peaks my interest in your post though is your claim that almost all of these lawyers discussed these matters with you. Why, may I ask?” You may not. It was their choice and is not open to question or implied denial of that right by you.
    • “……..no application is rejected simply because some element is missing. You are contacted and asked to submit whatever documentation that was deemed missing.” Which delays the process and costs more money and places addition mental strain on some people.
    • I will also add that I know of several Bajans who are married to US Citizens and have been for many years, who are still fighting for the right to live with their spouses in the USA and have had to retain counsel to deal with matters for them. So, the ease with which this process is accomplished in the States is, frankly, a figment of your imagination.

    @Simple Simon | July 28, 2013 at 3:07 PM | “but amused, at this link Citizenship and Immigration Canada says that a lawyer in NOT required.”

    You are CORRECT!! And Canadian citizenship is the one on which my knowledge is most current and, I assure you, completely up-to-date. NOW, have you ever visited the Toronto passport and citizenship office? I have!!!! The one I went to with a relative and their lawyer was on Victoria Street, close to a hospital. The office takes up, as I recall, most of the floors of the high rise, except for the ground floor. In the ground floor and the adjacent buildings are there are nothing but immigration lawyers’ offices. There are MANY reasons why in Canada immigrants choose to have legal representation. One that springs immediately to mind is the fact that Canada does not make it all the easy for the spouses of Canadian citizens to be granted “landed immigrant” status. This difficulty is compounded in Canada by the fact that gay marriage has been a feature of Canadian life since about (and I speak under correction) 2001. And most partners of Canadians applying for “landed immigrant” status come from countries where same sex marriage is not allowed – like it is not allowed in the majority of Canada’s nearest neighbour, the United States. Therefore, like in the USA, a great deal of emphasis and enquiry is placed upon confirming that the marriage is NOT a SHAM!!!! Well, some people feel far more comfortable having a lawyer oversee this operation for them. Wouldn’t you?

    In the UK, on which I am also very current, immigration has been tightened to a very large degree, just during the last year. It is now very difficult to obtain a “permanent residents visa”. And once that expires and one applies for citizenship, that process too is very complex.

    @Well Well. Yes, but the application is not as simple as it is made to look.

    Final note. How many of you know Bajan men who are married to foreign women, or Bajan women who are married to foreign men? If you do, and you must, why not ask these foreign spouses (specially the men) how simple it is/was for them to go through the Barbados immigration process? And I know that some will say that this particular incident had nothing to do with spousal immigration applications. But my friends, this is Barbados where if the immigration officers can find any conceivable way to complicate a matter, THEY WILL!!!!!

  44. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Amused

    Once again you are doing your dishonest thing. Point out where I ever accused Kerrie Symmonds of anything.

    You claimed that you check with friends who do that type of work and they suggest that $5,000 is about right. You should also ask them what the Non-contentious Business Rules suggest as the fee for this type of work. The answer: $1,200, and this is to fill out a simple form. The hardest question on the form, in my experience, is where persons are asked what is their father’s date of birth.

  45. Really young man? Avatar
    Really young man?

    Franklyn the hardest question for you is how to get you to be honest? You are either sick liar or a deranged mentally unstable person who would not know the truth were it to slap you in your face.
    I only wish that the BUDGET family see you for what you are a fraud alert wife beater and person that is known to the courts of Barbados

  46. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @Casewell. I finally conclude that you are simply obtuse, rather than being deliberately obtuse. You say, “You should also ask them what the Non-contentious Business Rules suggest as the fee for this type of work.” The salient word in that is “SUGGEST”. Go tell your master I said so. However, neither you nor he nor anyone else can mandate that fee. That would be a restraint of trade. It is up to the parties themselves (lawyer and client) to decide what is to be charged and paid. Not to you nor your master. And the going rate, for the information of youself and your master, is about $5,000. Otherwise, the lawyer has the right to refuse the case. End of.

  47. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Amused……………..you must have reading and comprehension skills to understand and fill out immigration paperwork, yes, it can get complicated, your best bet would be to find someone, preferably a university student who can do research to help, but paying a lawyer thousands when it is not necessary can and does lead to all types of extortion. One of the reasons i suppose Canada makes sure, you are on their website and if someone else is doing the paper work for you, you have to identify them and it is documented on the Canadian Immigration website……….systems must be put in place to protect the vulnerable who are unaware of simple matters.

  48. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Amused…………..don’t know when last you been to Canada or had interaction with their immigration, but you are highly dissuaded from visiting their offices unless during your online and ongoing application, they require you to pay a visit, which is now extremely rare, since you can upload all requested documentation to their site……..it’s a whole new ballgame and the interaction of lawyers only becomes necessary in certain extreme cases. When the process is finished you receive an electronic update with hard copies mailed to you, in my opinion it beats sitting in an immigration environment and/or paying lawyers.

  49. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    Well Well. I agree with you on paying a lawyer when it is not necessary. And I have to say that I don’t think it a good idea to pay ANYONE when it is not necessary. I fully accept your alternative suggestion that a student can be hired, but then you must reveal that student’s name (which is completely imaterial since your signature on the document means that you accept its contents as being true). Some people, myself being one, would prefer that the name of the person drawing up the documents be an immigration lawyer, rather than an itinerant student. But that is just my preference.

    I relate to you one case that I know of. I friend of mine (Canadian) for many years worked in another country. And I mean about 10 years. While there, he met and married a lovely woman of that country. They had a daughter who was duly registered with the Candian Embassy as a Canadian. The time came when he received a very good job offer from Canada and, in due course, has his infant daughter’s Canadian travel credentials issued and applied (via the internet) for landed status for his wife. And was refused. His wife has no criminal record whatever, has a university degree etc. So, for two years his wife continued to live in her native land along with the daughter and travelled to Canada as often as they could afford to spend whatever time Canadian immigration would allow her to, with her husband. Finally, after two years, her landed status was granted. And it required the services of a lawyer to make sure that it was moved forward.

    In this day and age, such a delay might well have spelled the end of a marriage to the detriment of the child. That it did not is simply the luck of the draw.

    Another friend of mine who married an American in Barbados, is still waiting (after 7 years) for her resident alien status in the USA. And they too have had to engage a lawyer and, once again, there is no criminal record involved. So the commute between Barbados and the US by one or other continues.

  50. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Amused…….they are definitely clamping down on issuing green cards in the case of the US, even if you are married, landed immigrant status as inthe case in Canada and even more brutal, the British are refusing to allow spouses and children of UK citizens any entry visa unless and until they can prove they have in their possession three times the amount of money needed to survive in the country, there is a clamp down so in extreme cases i see where you must have an attorney to get past the red tape, i suppose it is now the choice of the individual to access the services of an attorney………

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