Anglican Father calls on local authorities to have compassion on illegal Haitian migrants
BVI News Correspondent - Monday, December 13th, 2010 at 8:59 AM
Father Ronald Branche of the St Georges Anglican Episcopal Church is calling on the authorities in the BVI to be the voice of the voiceless and to have compassion on the illegal Haitian migrants who were on a boat that ran aground on a reef in the Brandywine Bay area one week ago.
The twenty five Haitians are currently housed at the Immigration Detention Centre at Balsam Ghut. Eight others died including children when the accident occurred and their bodies have since been pulled from the water.
Delivering his sermon on Sunday, Father Branche sent a message to the authorities. He said “I believe that with so many of them died, this is a moment, a good samaritan moment for this territory, a time for us to reach out and touch the lives of these people.”
Father Branche said although their entry into the territory was illegal, “the fact of the matter is sometimes these things happen for us to make a statement to the world and we could show the love and compassion we have for brothers and sisters.”
He said, “you say they ought not to have been trying to get into the US or wherever they were going, but if I put you in Haiti having suffered the earthquake, now under the threat of cholera where you are not sure if you going to live, you always look to see how you can get out. And don’t forget, don’t forget at all that you were at one time trying to get in to St. Thomas through the window, don’t forget that. That’s there that’s your history I didn’t make that up. I came here and discovered that, but you see that is how life is.”
The Anglican Minister had some suggestions. “I understand its about 33 of them and eight of them died. I really feel we should do something for them. What I read now is that we are trying to get rid of them as fast as possible and I am saying this a good samaritan moment for the territory. I am saying this is an opportunity for the territory to establish itself even in your tourism product because there are people around the world who will say these are people with some measure of heart. I am saying that you cannot be saying that you are a christian community and allow good samaritan moments to flip by –that’s what I am saying,” he said.
The Anglican Minister told his congregation too that “We must be a voice for the voiceless. Those people have had tragedy upon tragedy, there has been no let up over the last 15 or 20 years. In the height of the cholera they have a situation there with election results, and disturbances on the road. How are we to show compassion now for those who try to escape from their situation and have children and people that drown? Are we to card them back into the same situation or should we show compassion, where are we on this journey,?” asked Father Branche.
He said the prophets were the voice of the voiceless and suggests the people in the BVI be the voices for these Haitians.
He said sometimes God ordains something to happen to test the people. He said, “‘put your money where your mouth is. You willing to help? I am putting them right on your doorstep at Brandywine Bay. Attend to them,’ that’s what he is saying. That’s the challenge. You say so when you do that others will come. No, you frame your business to say in this situation this is how we will act, as a Christian community, we need to do it.”
“I am going to be the voice crying in the wilderness, so I am taking up this issue and I am going to do as much as I can do to help those people. I can’t speak French. I don’t have any family there. I don’t know them. What I know is that they are human beings like us and that it could happen to us so we need to help them.”
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37 Comments
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I thought this was a christian community as we would like to say, following the teaching of Jesus Christ but this prove to me that we are just church members, fooling ourselves into be-leaving that we have love in our heart. Jesus said “what so ever you do to the least of my brother that you do onto me”. Let your light so shine amongst men so they can see your good works.
Dont forget what the Leader of trinidad said when it came to assisting St.Lucia. I didnt hear a branch of a word. Hmmm
I don’t think that the decision to send the Hatians back will be based on hatred or a lack of compassion. BVIslanders do have the right to have a say about what happens in their country. If it was about a lack of compassion, the BVI would not have supported the recovery efforts after the earthquake. People are generally concerned about the effects of opening the flood gates. If the church leader is so concerned, why doesn’t he petition his country to open the flood gates to all the Hatians that may wish to leave their country? He won’t becuase he knows that it would be pointless. I doubt that there is a country in the Caribbean that would, so don’t criticize the BVI for looking out for the interest of its people.
Branch is not my father- He needs to be less myopic. The Vi used to supply St.Thomas with food, charcoal and the like. I wonder how many Virgin Islanders smuggled in there? And we really dont need to hear that right now in trying to justify a point and opinion. He should start to collect funds to help with the repatriation effort.
people have a compation take a look on whats going on right now in haiti if it was you would you wanna go back to that mess. also remember thatthose people come from st whaever so be kind they are human just like me and u they have blood just like us please god is lestening and his also watching us since we call the BVI our SECRET AND ITS ALSO A CHRISTIAN PLACE PEOPLE HAVE A HEART FOR OTHERS DONT JUST LOOK FOR OURSELVES AND THE AWARD WILL BE UP IN HEAVEN.
people have a compation take a look on whats going on right now in haiti if it was you would you wanna go back to that mess. also remember thatthose people come from st whaever so be kind they are human just like me and u they have blood just like us please god is lestening and his also watching us since we call the BVI our
I don’t understand y these people wha not from here always want 2 have the most say, when them have no say where them from. Them trixcidadians. We ll have compassion for them but what about them poor Imm. Officers wha haave 2 get up all hr. of the night and morning from them families and go deal with them. When u home xmas morning wid u family u going go feed them? Hve u offered to cook a meal for any of them or even offer them some clothes? Y don’t u offer 2 give them some money so when they get back 2 Haiti them could B a little better off? Wha more heart u want our government to have buddy? Lord give them a break them trying them best.
The father and his wife should give up there stay here and allow two Haitians to stay in their place. We cant get preachers and the christian counsel to speak out against all the social ills in the BVI,all the rum drinking and prostitution and to stand up for Jesus and his teachings. All he want to do is finish sink the ship. All who want Haitians to stay surrender your work permit to them. We already have a Chinese refuge staying her who buy the way running the Red Cross. What about border protection. He song like he want to run at large lol.
I think the Pastor is RIGHT!! We need to show love and sympathy towards these people. I can count at least 20 BVI landers who are living in the United States ILLEGALLY and no one is treating them like this. U should be ASHAMED of yourselves for talking like this. I know some people might be scared because of the diseases but its not like there’s no cure. How many of you send ur family to the States when they are sick wit no insurance I can count a couple and up here on MEDICADE INS. If u live in a glass house don’t throw stones. U dont know when u might need somebody elses help!
@Upset!!, The US with a big land mass and a population of 311 million and big cities like California, Texas and Florida can accommodate an influx of immigrants. We can’t on this little island. How can we compare? When you begin to open the gate for one group there will be others who will try to make all excuses why they should also be let in too. When one process is started by government, it is hard to reverse it. Be careful about what you are saying. Why dont you have them come to your home and house them until they get on their feet. Its easy to criticise when the shoe is on the other foot and besides you are not living in the BVI anyway.
As for illegal BVIsladers you say are in the US that must be a new breed of Tortolians….They must be running from the law!!! Most BVIslanders already have green cards or born in the US!
THIS PASTOR GOOD IN HE HEAD AH SOMETHING??/ WHAT HE IS REALLY SAYING THAT WE MUST KEEP THEM ??WHAT AH THING !!! IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS SO CALL PASTOR FROM TRINIDAD , SO WA HE DONT TAKE THEM THERE AN GO LONG WITH THEM WHERE EVER HE FROM IF ITS TRINIDAD GO AN KEEP THEM THERE WA WRONG WITH YOU , I HAD NEVER !!! TOLA DONT OVER POPULATED AN IF WE ENCOURAGE THAT MORE AN MORE WILL COME ,SO PLEASE SEND THEM BACK TO HAITA THEM HOME TOWN ! OR SEND THEM BACK WITH THIS PASTOR FROM TALKIN GIBRISH!!!!
@homie, You are filled with hate. God be with you in your time of troubles that the same hate and stupidity is not reciprocated
to make this news report easy for everybody the the sermon in all the anglican churches was be doers of the gospel and not followers which they were simple saying jesus died for us he is coming again so he is basiclly saying have compassion on those who a least forturnate this is basiclly what Fr Branche is saying but what i have written is what The Rev. Fr .Canon Julian M.Clarke said in his sermon
@Concern citizen, they got only 2% of the billions promised and out of that couple million only a bit trickled to the people. The persons who did donate used d money to pay american people to do some measly work, so yet again it hardly benefited the people.
@@Concern citizen, u r so right!!!! ppl are still livin in tents, buildings are still down. those ppl thief those funding money
Be mindful of what you are saying…when people came here to our shores they went thru the proper procedures to get here………..we cannot allow all sort of people to brake our laws and just give them a bed and breakfast…that would not be fair …plenty people who are trying to get here legally are not getting thru and you sit down and saying that we should show compassion and allow them to stay for once…you are crazy…unless you are one of them. They needed to grow thru the proper channel. We cannot just sit down and say lets allow them it is xmas……….what happen as one poster said if another 100 came in tomorrow we are going to say lets give them a chnace…that looks real bad for immigration and the country on a whole……so why have these departments in place if we vcannot control migration and immigration?????? deportatuon is in order. As to the pastor, he need to get a life….he need to pray for these peiople and their country because we need prayers to;
@what ah ting, Please bear in mind and remember the haitians didn’t leave their destination to end up in the BVI, while i don’t condone the behaviour we still hae to sit and look at the broder picture and read the story in and out and in between the lines
Dear authorities DO NOT t study Anglican Father Ronald Branche because HAITI have millions of dollars donated to it. Them need to use the money and help themselves. PLUS why allow Haitians to come to the BVI with them CHOLERA Disease. It might sound harsh but do not endanger the country for them.
What more Salvation Army can we be? Father Branch cant you see the BVI is sinking with the amount of people we have here? What wrong with you my dear brother? Well since you so want them, take them to Trinidad nuh. BVI seems to be a dumping spot for every thing, the good, the bad, the ugly and all else, regardless of their category? come on man, why all of you don’t leave us alone? We tired of you.
Yes we should have some compassion on them but at the same time lodger raised a valid point. These persons were in St. Maarten legally. They had a home. They were not in Haiti where they had to deal with the critical situations there though we know they would still be affected. It would interesting to know what their situation was. Not all Haitians are in poverty either. Anyway, they are already here so meeting thier basic needs esp the kids would be in order.
They are already being fed…..the only thing left is to deport them. Father you have to realise that if we do it for these…it wil open up the flood gate. What if another 100 came in toomorrow on a a bana boat? you are going to make your sermon surround it Sunday morning??/ I really have compassion for them, but we cannot just open our doors and allow any and nay one to come in…….we have to draw the line……………i can adopt a child and send all the adults home………….they have caused this tragedy…..we need to deport them asap.
@I DONOT AGREE WITH THE PASTOR, well said. I feel sorry too but like you say we will be setting a dangerous precedent. We could always find an excuse for people to stay here in the BVI where everyone loves to hate. The reality is the BVI is only 24 sqaure miles. If we keep filling up with expatriates where will the next generation of our children go to school? where will they build houses? where will they find jobs?. Tortola, Virgin Gorda is only THATbig! Immigration is not an emotional issue but a RATIONAL one.
@I DONOT AGREE WITH THE PASTOR,
I agree make it a one time situation after all its christmas, i didnt say give them belongers however some special circumstance where they can live and work. there are organizations that are willing to assist, including father branche…….BVI after all many of your parents came to the BVi in search of a better way of life for you, likewise others from the BVi moved to Santo Domingo Cuba and the US back in the day for a better way of life for their families. Show some compassion, at least in this instance as the haitins have suffered from all the disasters in their country to come to the BVi and 8 of them perished right at Brandywine bay….they are human beings after all….
Father branche I applaud you for having he courage to come forward and whatever i can do to assist i will.
@what a ting,
I hate to hear you all always coming with this nonsensical argument about our forefathers having gone to Cuba and Santo. Yes they went to do “seasonal” work. Our people would go to those countries to cut can for 4-6 months and COME BACK HOME! We didnt go to live any other man’s country. So stop that non sense right now!
If we allow one boat to crash land and stay here, then in the matter of 3 months, EVERY boat from Latin America, Santo/Haiti, etc will be trying to come here. What will we do then?
You give an inch and they will take 28 square miles!
@LB, remember the world is watching…soon it will be the BVI’s turn some day and your children and children’s children might be in the same predicament……its ture most of the work was seasonal. however they dint need a permit to go there to work…..they just showed just like the Haitians!!!! i wonder if they were sent back…..where would the BVI be today???
we need a regional fund to be set up to manage these things, where is caricom when you need them?
@funding, BVi is not a part of caricom and doesnt want to join!!!! – The fund should come from all the monies that have been wasted by the government ministers on puting traffic lights where they never belonged and uprooting them again for somehere else, monies paid for fesiability report on drag racing, medical school and the ghut, that still gets flooded even more these days…….
why dont he take them in? Its difficult for any country to handle any population over which their economy was built
he makes it sound easy but its alot more difficult, logistic problems are real
that was a distatesful comment
they would probably ask that trinidad benefit first i.e. Work for them as slaves first
@@Concerened, There is slavery right here. No need to go far looking for it
Why he dont send them to Trinidad?
The good father seems to be saying that we should grant them asylum here. But they were not trying to get here. Also reports are that they have been in St Maarten for some time before coming here, probably before the cholera outbreak. They have St Maarten stamps in passports so presumably entered there legally, by plane or boat. Someone must have paid for their passage as well as to the smugglers. Of course we should be sorry that the disaster occurred but we cannot let this incident appear to other Haitians as an open door to the BVI. We would be swamped!
I agree with the Pastor. We cannot control the decision the authorities may make. However, we can extend our hands of compassion to them. Do they need food, clothes, medicine etc while they are here, that is the least we can do. Share some christmas joy with them. Give the children some toys etc,
@Christian, What more help HAITI need strupes. Haiti got millions of dollars, food and medicine. But yet still them need more help…. HMM your a Christian right, Don’t the lord help who help them selves?
I don’t understand how them so poor and have got so much FOOD and MONEY.Tortola is already over populated lack of jobs, poor BVI LANDERS and the government is BROKE. Why not help the locals. BVI can not afford to allow them to come in. When one HAITIAN come ALLL does come.
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