The blogmaster received several requests to highlight the matter raised in today’s Sunday Sun (p.3) under the heading SQUATTING OUT OF CONTROL.
BU followers from the 2008 period will recall the issue of unbridled immigration frequently debated in this space. The blogmaster defended a position that unchecked immigration was not the best policy. There were many stories reported about Guyanese being taken advantage of in the construction sector. There is one story about pig pens being rented to Guyanese which still resonates with the blogmaster.
Then there was the Shanique Myrie affair which brought to the fore the growing number of night club dancers and prostitutes visiting Barbados to earn a living under the freedom of movement (CSME) arrangement. To some of us who are not ostriches, we are aware it is big business – we have the island girls, however less is said about the Europeans on the West Coast here to do a similar job.
There were a few talking heads and bleeding hearts who promoted the view that the blogmaster was xenophobic for wanting to manage immigration to Barbados. In this matter we cannot give Ambassador to Caricom David Commisiong a pass. We respect the fact he is a declared regionalist, however, an ideology cannot be at the expense of being pragmatic or exercising commonsense. Practising open borders makes no sense for any country especially a small island like Barbados.
Today’s Sunday Sun story details what happens when national imperatives are sacrificed at the altar of stupidity. From 2007 when 36 squatters gathered at Rock Hall, St. Philip and were served notice to vacate the area to 2019 where the recent count is 300.
Aviation officials have complained that the galvanize roofs of the squatter’s (illegal) houses pose a threat to air traffic. The blogmaster can say with certainty that in any well managed country squatters would not have been allowed to plant houses in the zone space of an international airport. And importantly now that it has been brought again to public attention, no sensible member of parliament for the area would be quoted as follows: –
I am doing a compilation of the information. We are collating data on the situation at Rock Hall. We went out in the field in about three occasions, but there is so much to compile…[the exercise he said was not about] chasing people off the land.
Really Minister Indar Weir? You must be given the award for the WTF statement.
Here is what we know, we have 300 hundred illegal structures built in an airport zone. Here it is we are being told, Barbados is proceeding to acquire Category I designation and your enlightened government has been turning a blind eye to the squatting at Rock Hall?
The other point to note is that YOU Minister Weir and representative for St. Phillip South would have canvassed this areas just over one year ago to solicit votes. What collating data on the situation what!
You politicians are all the Rh same. The blogmaster recalls Don Blackman and Trevor Prescod doing the same as you dealing with the squatters in the water zone of the Belle many years ago.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.