Where you’re born is where you’re from?
BVI News staff - Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 1:28 PM
British and US passports. * Photo credit: Robyn Gray/BVITourism.com
There were mixed views on the statement that “where a child is born is where they are from” on the January 21 edition of the Speak Your Mind talk show.
During the program various views on the issue were presented to hosts Courtney DeCastro and Julio Henry.
The topic began with a call from a man who stated: “When an indigenous BV Islander goes to the US and have their child down there is that child an American citizen or a BVI citizen? If I understand clearly where you born is where you from…. I have seen such a case and that child had to get a belonger status; why not a BVI passport? I think they are also entitled to a BVI passport, but it depends on the age of the child.”
Another caller in his contribution to the subject stated: “Look how long this law pass that say if you have a child and you’re an expat the child can’t become a belonger until it is 18. They know the law and they are still getting pregnant here and they blaming the BV Islanders. We tried to change this law and we ain’t get a thing do about that; if you don’t want your child caught up in this situation go home and have your child or don’t get pregnant, that’s all it is, no disrespect to foreigners,” the caller said.
Another caller in her comment said: “Once you are talking about imperial legislation that is legislation passed in the UK our hands are tied, our politicians’ hands are tied.”
However, it was Henry who spoke extensively on the subject. He said: “I think it was a year ago in Arizona in the United States there was also a proposal to change, I think the 14th amendment. They are now considering a lot of people who come into the United States— visa babies they are referring them as. These are people who are coming in pregnant two months, three months before they have their kids and having their kids in America. They were some strong, strong proposals to change that because of that same behaviour because they realise that a lot of people are utilizing the system, coming in and having their kids.
“It is also the reason why women, when they are like two months before the end of their pregnancy, they are not allowed to travel on planes because first the airlines don’t want the liability and the responsibility plus the system is analysing why people are coming into the country. I hear what you’re saying and I believe that where a child is born is where he is from if it happens that way. The problem is that there are a lot of small societies such as the BVI and we are not the only ones trying to protect ourselves by not having unscrupulous people coming in and having their children born here to gain benefits which is what some of us do in the US,” Henry added.
The Speak Your Mind host went on to say: “I find that a lot of the expatriates are having their children here and then expect to have their kids have rights in the BVI, and a lot of us are running to the US to have our kids.”
“I agree with you that where you born is where you from. I think the children born to people who are contributing here there kids should have that travel document, but you have to understand that to even have that travel document and not a passport the kids still don’t have any right and can’t file for themselves until they are of legal age which in this country is 18; but the part for traveling yeah I agree with that,” Henry added.
“A lot of people here think that ‘oh my child is born here now they entitle to go to public school’. I mean you here on bond, I personally don’t think if you are on work permit you should be allowed to bring your family in because a lot of people lie and say they don’t have any family and then a year later they bringing their kids that is adding to the burden of the society we can’t afford all of that.”
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228 Comments
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Humor? The “Indians” were coming from South American coast and from perhaps even Guyana! So
perhaps Guyanese are the true ones to be “born here”?
What a sick county with a whole lot of idiots. Go figure.
Expatriates have to realise that they are in another man’s country and each country is entitled constitutionally to implement their own laws. THis law is a UK law that BVI inherited.
I believe if expatriates had a different attitude towards BVI and BVIslanders, then BVIslanders would have a positive attitude towards them. You have to give respect to get it.
However wrong the law maybe the rude approach taken by many expatriates in protest of the law (the posts are a good example) will surely result in politicians and other influential BVIslanders continuing to ‘play deaf’. This behaviour only proves what many BVIslanders have been saying all along.
I would suggest that expatriates especially when debating this issue advance more logical and reasonable arguments. Name calling, disdainful statements and hatred will not advance your cause.
Indeed all this negativity will strenghten their case to not take this predjucial law off the books.
Expatriates need to learn that they have to use more wisdom to get what they want.
VERY GOOD, AN ADMITTANCE THAT THE LAW IS PREJUDICIAL.LOL WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
Here is a place that preach GOD and they are telling ppl not to have their family or even bring their family to the BVI can u believe that. Imagin who wld rent ur buildings or shop at your fancy supermarket or even go to your private schools. this is one beautyful selfish island i am so happy i leave. now listen u are preaching about control and not having children there why are u all running to US to have ur children i know all ur kids were born there i know them personally even d top ranking ones who preaching to preserve the bvi. lol u ppl make me jus wanna laugh
I am going to bypass the disingenuous posturing and cut right to the chase. When you tell a story of love-struck romance between visitors to the BVI and BVIslanders, there is nothing new to this story. This has been going on since our grandparents time and before. Everyone has such stories in their family and those who say not have not looked hard enough.
From the beginning of time there has been a means designated whereby parents ascertains that their children receive the full measure of their birthright. That means is marriage. I think you will find that when the couple is blessed with a legal union, their children are blessed with legal rights in the BVI, passports, etc.
I realize this is not a popular institution these days, but is has been around and working for a long time. As a means of defining family, providing an appropriate structure for the raising of children and the consolidation and distribution of assets, it works and is all that we’ve got so far.
In most countries, the preferred method of attaining residential rights is through the ‘family class’ ie through marriage or parentage.
Marriage has always been a strong cultural institution in the BVI. It has only been with the waves of immigration from larger island nations that marriage has become the rare commodity it is today, and the children are suffering for it.
Marriage. It’s not a party all the time and it usually means you have to limit your sexual partners and sometimes think of someone else instead of yourself, but it works. Try it!
Interesting that you are advocating the institution of marriage to resolve this problem which according to you is a “rare commodity”.
I would suggest to you that “rare commodity” is not going to be an adequate remedy as many people simply do not want to marry for various reasons. It’s a sign of times be it in the B.V.I. or elsewhere. So given that fact, what do we do with these kids who are the subject of this debate? Do we continue to deny them their birth rights because their parents are/were not married?
You know, after reading thru these responses, it is clear to me that there will never be a clear consensus on this divisive matter if certain members of the public have their way.
This matter belongs in court. I see these kids as a minority whose rights needs to be contested in a court of law. It cannot be left up to public opinion. The law simply needs to be challenged on it’s legality, and to be shown for what it is which is as simply discriminatory.
Short of legal challenges, the vindictiveness, small minded, short-sighted, and bigoted side of some will continue to try to discourage righting a wrong.
You keep speaking about these children being ‘wrongly denied their birthright.’ These children HAVE NO birthright here, so your whole argument is invalidated. Birthright does not derive from birthplace, but from whom one is born to. So it is in most countries in the world.
In building stable societies, governments encourage families. Families have been the building blocks of stable societies for thousands of years. If you are too selfish to consider giving your child a legitimate family, a mother and father, then why cry to anyone else to give your child rights? Rights are for you the parent to secure for your child.
Do you think that people have been getting married for thousands of years because it is ‘fun’ or ‘romantic?’ NO. It is sensible, practical, unselfish, and the mature thing to do.
To give these and the children of immigrants BVI rights is to completely devalue those rights. After all, if anyone can claim these rights, what’s the point of having them? May as well do away with Immigration and Labour depts altogether.
And when speaking about changing the law, remember laws are made by the legislators elected by BVIslanders to represent BVIslanders. They are not elected by immigrants to represent immigrant interests.
Again, lets agree to disagree. We are not speaking of immigrant rights. We are speaking of children who are born here in the B.V.I. of immigrant parents. You are of the belief these kids have not rights. I beg to differ.
As I said, the law should be contested in court. Your reasoning is reason enough. I’ve already addressed the marriage issue.
If you are not a BVIslander or a Belonger then you are by definition an immigrant.
There are no such things as anchor babies, etc.
@ Ray. For heavens sake, please go back and re-read what I said about anchor babies. I was NOT, and I repeat, I was NOT referring to anchor babies as it pertains to the B.V.I. I was referring to anchor babies when I spoke of the hypocrisy of those who support this law and go to the U.S. to have their kids so that they become U.S. citizens. I hope this explanation clears this up once and for all.
Addendum:
Those kids born in the U.S. to foreign parents are commonly referred to as anchor babies. I did not suggest that expats were having anchor babies in the B.V.I. Please just Google “anchor babies” for it’s meaning, and understanding.
And by the way, this Belonger vs Non Belonger reference is another divisive matter which creates unnecessary division & feeds our worst instincts as a people. I wish those references would be done with as well. They are Euro-centric references that were designed to label people like you and I, and we have bought into it tragically and applied them locally. But that’s another story for another day.
And since there are only BVIslanders, Belongers, Residents and Non-Belongers or immigrants, what you are speaking of is immigrant rights. More specifically, giving BVI rights to immigrants and/or their children.
As for ‘anchor babies’ I see no difference. The only difference is that we are not the US, and we have our own laws. The US may choose to grant citizenship by birth, we however choose not to.
How dare you compare the petty whining of free citizens of other countries with the struggles of slaves, holocaust victims and the like? These ex-pats of ALL races are perfectly free to live in their own countries. They are not refugees or disenfranchised in any way. They are privileged to come here and earn more money than they could at home. They are granted this privilege by the government and people of the BVI and some of them have the temerity, the sheer nerve to come here and agitate for rights they have no right to, slandering and calling down the BVI and its’ people.
The privilege has been abused long enough. Time to close the door to BVI generousity.
“Now, there is this generalization that these expats are somehow getting pregnant deliberately to have their kids born in the B.V.I.”
Ray I am sure they are not ‘somehow’ getting pregnant, they are getting pregnant in the usual way, no mystery there. They may or may not be doing it to have their kids born here, that is not the point. It is no one’s business how or why they get pregnant. It is our business what status, if any, we give those kids who are born here. Every country has different criteria for citizenship. This is ours.
And yes those kids are innocent and didn’t ask to be born, just like ALL kids, but it is up to the parents to make sure their kids’ needs are met, including immigration status, papers, etc. After all, they didn’t ask to be born here but we didn’t ask them to be born here either. It is their parent’s doing and their parent’s responsibility.
I’m assuming you posted below given similar wording, and I have responded. Obviously, I do not agree with you for the reasons stated.
No ‘both’ don’t give birth, only women do that. It’s called ‘anatomy.’ Hope you figure these things out before it comes time for you to reproduce.
If you are going to attempt to insult me, an effort which will be fruitless, it would be a good idea to first familiarize yourself with the phrase I used, and recognize that it’s a common way of speech. Apparently, in your world, such phraseology is not part of your lexicon.
I don’t wish to repost the same thing over and over, so just that you know, I responded to your post below. I am not going to get into a back and forth with you on this one. Lets just agree to disagree. I think the overall sentiment of the forum speaks for itself.
Fool, nobody is comparing slavery or the holocaust with this issue.They are comparing Legal vs Right and Wrong. A lot of people are saying that it is the Law so it is right so let’s just move on. Using slavery and what Hitler was doing is showing that Laws are not always positive and right.
PEOPLE ARE TALKING FOR THEIR RIGHTS,HOW DARE YOU CALL IT “WHINING”. IT MAY BE THE LAW BUT THE LAW IS UNCONSCIENABLE AND SAVAGE AND DEHUMANIZING.WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DENY CHILDREN THEIR RIGHTS AS HUMAN BEINGS. THESE CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE LEADERS YOUR COUNTRY.IF THIS LAW STANDS WHERE WOULD TOLA FUTURE BE?YOU WOULD HAVE A BUNCH OF BITTER ADULTS THAT WOULD HAVE NO LOVE FOR THEIR COUNTRY OF BIRTH. YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR MINDSET AND BECOME A MORE MATURE AND PROGRESSIVE NATION. YOU APPEAR A NATION THAT IS DESTROYING ITS YOUNG.
I cannot believe I am responding to your inane prattling, but here goes:
People are talking for additional privileges and calling them rights. I call that whining. They have all the rights they are entitled to in their own country. So do their children. They are not calling for their rights as human beings, ie human rights, they are calling for rights as BVI citizens, which they are not.
And being as how they are not citizens, I don’t see how they ar going to be the future leaders in this country.
You sound like the bitter hag on here that was calling BVIslanders ‘suck up badminded ignorant pple…’ then saying ‘we r all the same love ur neighbours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.’
Hypocrisy itself.
MY FRIEND NO NEED TO STOOP TO NAME CALLING. WHY ARE ALL THE ANGRY? WE TALKING AN ISSUE NOT PERSONALITY.THAT SAVAGE LAW THAT EXIST THAT DENIES A PERSON CITENZENSHIP IN THEIR LAND OF BIRTH IS WRONG. SO UNDERSTAND ME BECAUSE I SEE YOU. THE LAW NEEDS TO CHANGE. HOW CAN IT BE A PRIVILEGE TO BE RECOGNISE AS A CITENZEN IN A COUNTRY WHERE YOUR NAVEL STRING BURY. MY FREIND THAT IS A RIGHT. THAT LAW IS WRONG. AND I DON’T HAVE TO RESORT TO NAME CALLING TO GET MY POINT ACROSS.
Please stop calling me and others on here your friend. I am not your friend and seeing as we disagree, your calling me your friend is patronizing. Please stop.
No one buries navel string anymore, and if you wish to continue that practise, you should save your child’s navel string and bury it where you have some rights.
If your children had rights here we wouldnt be having this disagreement. I suppose that the ex-pats that came here on a work permit and start agitating for the rights that come with citizenship have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
BVIslanders must stay strong to resist this pressure. We have already given up our culture and in many cases our jobs and our right to secure our livelihood in our own country.
Such laws and beliefs exist because expatriates had and still have children born in the BVI to one day receive rights through their children.
Many of them hate us and our country. They tell tourists not to come back here, but go to their country. They speak wonderfully of their “home” and then insult mine, all the while polluting it with both solid waste and negative attitudes and behaviour. I have heard Jamaicans say they only need their numbers to increase, and WE WILL SEE! And you wonder why or where this law came from?
In the past, we were the most welcoming of people in the Caribbean. We were known for our friendly, helpful nature. After all, our grandparents also had to travel to other lands to make money for us. But we were not ungrateful, nor disrespectful. I have been treated very well in other countries, but do you think I can go to Saint Kitts, Jamaica, Saint Lucia or Dominica and speak so negatively about their government and/or people and live for very long? Yet, each time we even grumble in our own defense, we are labelled racist, prejudiced and inhumane. If we cannot speak in our own country, when and where can we speak?
So many expats have improved and continue to improve their lives here. I agree . . . . where a child is born is where he or she is from, but the law is the law, and it was created to discourage those who would use their own children as a weapon or a bargaining chip. We have a right to protect our land and our people against any and all negative influences by any means necessary.
MY FRIEND WHAT ARE YOU PROTECTING.IS SOMEBODY TRYING TO TAKE YOUR LIFE,YOUR PROPERTY?WHAT THREAT IS THESE SO CALL “EXPATS” TO YOU? TORTOLA IS ATTEMPTING TO FIGHT SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN NOT WIN.THE LAW WILL CHANGE BECAUSE IT IS TOO MYOPIC. IN THIS GLOBAL WORLD WE LIVE IN YOU CANNOT ROB PEOPLE OF SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.WHERE CARICOM IS OPENING ITS BORDERS TO ITS NEIGHBORS.THE REST OF THE WORLD IS COMING TOGETHER.IF YOU CANT BEND OR SWAY WHEN THE WIND BLOWS YOU WILL BREAK.
Caricom may have opened it’s borders but it has not boded well for small countries. It has meant the indigenous population has been marginalized. The BVIlander is generous and welcoming but we are not foolish. We are surrounded by larger less prosperous countries many of whose people want to come here. I do not fault anyone for wanting a better life but I am concerned about the lack of respect that is being shown to us and our laws on these blogs. We’ve been very careful about how we’ve developed our country. We created the financial services industry & have invited the world to participate in it. The same with our tourist industry. We have welcomed people from around the globe to live in our country. That does not mean we want to give our country up to them. Please refrain from calling us ugly, racist, stupid and the like. These are not sentiments that will encourage us to give further rights to anybody. We are respectful to the nationals when we visit and work in other people’s counties. New obey thier laws even if we don’t agree with them because they have the right to make laws beneficial to thier own people. In a Carribbean surrounded by poverty, instability and divide we have managed to prosper and be stable. That is not by mistake. It is so because we have chosen to keep control of our country. We do not apologize for that. That control has allowed the kind of country where so many want to come. Should that change and we allow those we invited here to tell us how to conduct our affairs and write our laws we would no longer be the BVI that everyone wants to come to and work in and Prosper in. Should you wish to be a citizen here and or have your children be citizens here please respect us enough to stay long enough to earn that right. Bring your children up here to the age of 18 so that they understand our culture and become one of us. When you do that we will be happy to extend you the rights of anBVIslander. We’ve come a long way. We’ve worked too hard and suffered poverty too recently to trust our futures to people that do not know us and do not respect us.
I concur that foreign residents should respect the indigenous population and its rules. In fact, I also advocate for the protection of the indigenous population. What we as a people need to resolve though is whether children born in this country to foreigners should be regarded as indigenous BVi Islanders or as foreigners like their parents. My fear is that if we hold on to the view that they are aliens, then we run the risk of always having to lament on the 60% of foreign residents occupying these Islands. Has any research been done to date regarding the percentage of children born here to foreign parents? Honestly, I believe that should we accept children born here to foreign parents that the indigenous BVIslander/foreign resident ratio will be less alarming and more favourable to our people.
Beautifully said. Brilliant.
THIS STORY IS ABOUT A NONSENSICAL LAW NOT ABOUT PEOPLE.I HAVE NEVER SAID THE PEOPLE ARE RASCIST OR STUPID BUT THE LAW IS. I FIND SO MANY ISSUES WE WHAT YOU BLOOGED, I KNOW NOT WHERE TO START.YOU MAKE THE BVI SOUND LIKE A CULT OR AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB.WHAT POVERTY IS BVI SURROUNDED BY? AND YOU MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR COUNTRY.I HAVE BEEN COMING TO TOLA FOR YEARS AND HAVE YET TO FEEL THIS OUTPOURING OF WARMTH FROM TOLIANS.I ADMIRE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE NOT SOLD OUT TO AMERICAN CAPITALISM. NO JUNK FOOD CHAINS AND THE LIKE. WHAT I SENSE IS A DEEP FEAR IN BVI ISLANDERS AND WE NEED TO TALK IT OUT SO WE CAN PUT FEARS TO REST AND MOVE ON.
Our fear is that we will be overrun by Jamaicans and it has already come true. We will not move on until they are all repatriated and our children can get jobs in their own country.
Our fear is that we will be overrun by Jamaicans and it has already come true.
In the late 1990′s I encountered a group of students from a British dependent colony in the Caribbean, in a school in Birmingham, Great Britain, who had fled to the Mother Country, because of dangers the erupting volcano in that country. However, Great Britain treated them as outsiders – had them living at the time in tents! They felt so excluded that it significantly hampered their progress in school! It pained me as a teacher at the time!
Change has been slow and the the so -called ‘British Depent Colonies’ are closer now to being fully embraced as British subjects. Our children can now ,I have been told,attend Universities in the UK at the same rate as British citizens. Unfortunately, while we continue to fight for change in our relationship with Great Britian, we see nothing wrong in keeping children born at Peebles hospital to foreign parents as our inferior ‘others’, arguing that citizenship should be based on ‘blood – line’. There is something ironically sad and hypocritical about this scenario. If this is indeed a God – fearing society, we need to be consistent! It is our responsibility to right the wrong of the children excluded in our midst! Britain is changing towards us, let us for God’s sake, change our attitude to children born in these islands to foreigners. They are ours! Let us not treat them as step children!
You know something, I’ve been reading comments after comments on this article, and a couple of questions came to my mind. Do any of you think that the BVI would ever go independent from Britain? If it ever does, will the laws that Britain has laid upon us be lifted…especially the one that’s causing all this ruckus? Is the BVI gonna continue to sit in the lap of England while sucking on the teats of the United States of America? If we go Independent and still hold on to such laws, What will be our motive then? What happens to other Overseas Territories that are currently ruled by England…shouldn’t we-all be United since we’re children of the same mother?
This is all wrong when an expatriate get their child in the BVI at Peebles Hospital its not FREE they pay for the service that was render to them and the children then being denied their rights while BVI Islanders go the US to get their child do not contribute to the country and their child benefit every thing from the BVI.They pay this enormous sum of money in the US to have their child. Its really unfair
Why on earth would the BVI go independant? BVIslanders don’t want independance and rightly so, given the condition of all the Caribbean island nations which have gone independent in the past, whose citizens now flock to the BVI for improved conditions.
Talk sense nuh man. We ain’t stupid.
Why dont all the rest of the island make the same arrangement with the us so they too can use the US dollar so everyone can stay in their own island.
All of the other island are blesed with nature so clearly the issue here is the US Dollar. Who cares about a UK passport do you realy want to live in the UK I don’t think so.
Rather be in the BVI but if you gave me a choice of anywhere over the USA, I’d take that.
This topic is very old and highly sensitive to many. I hope that the political leaders can seriously get in touch with this situation again and have it sorted as someone commented.
Also what Ray commented below was expressed brilliantly.
I believe a proper statistical report should be done on all the confusion areas of who and how much person are:
1. Belongers/Anchor babies
2. Actual birth BVIslanders by born BVIslanders
3. Actual birth BVI born and given birth status by Belongers/Anchor babies
4. Actual birth BVI born but NOT given birth status by parents of immigrant and Belonger.
5. Actual birth BVI born but given birth status by parents of immigrant and born BVIslander.
What position you fall in above?
BVINEWS can you run a statistical report for person who fall into the above hotspots on your website?
These kids are the future help sort this stress out and this can help the future of this island. As you notice crimes is on the rise, unemployed youths need help and may have / have not come forward for jobs aid because they do not know where they belong since they birth country rejects them. Do you see what an ugly picture this is and what a serious outcome this has on the security of this place in the future. It will lead to CRIME….
I done talk.
Good thing you done talk, cause all you talking is crap.
There is no such thing as ‘anchor babies’ and all these other bogus categories you talk about.
There is BVIslanders, Belongers, Residents and Non-Belongers or Ex-pats. That’s it. The rest is in your and Ray’s imaginations.
Bottom line, everyone knows the deal when they apply for a work permit. To come here and then try to change the deal is fraudulent. And illegal.
The laws of the BVI, indeed the BVI itself, is by and for the citizens of the BVI. That means BVIslanders and Belongers, the voting public. Everyone else is an alien interest and why should we be changing our laws to accomodate them?
As for BVINews, all due respect, but I am pretty sure everyone knows that this paper acts as the mouthpiece for disaffected expatriots of other island nations. So give it a G-D- rest.
Please see my response to your post below.
Nothing is in my imagination my friend. Re-read my initial post and the context in which anchor babies was mentioned. You missed it’s meaning, and should look it up. Remember, Google is your friend.
One other thing, if you are going to debate and earn ones respect for your point of view, or expect a response, you might want to consider leaving out the profane references. Just a suggestion. Meanwhile, I look forward to reading your response to my post below. I think others might be interested in reading it as well.
These are not new laws it camE from with Joseph and when the time had expired for the Isrealites to make their exit they take Joseph bones in all, to where he was from, so let us be carefull.Respect the laws, and people but also we have to be humble in the BVI .
People come on – its all rubbish/nonsense. The us and the Brits never asked permision from anyone to invade other peoples land to steal their resources – all of the foolish people that are beating up themself about the issue of what right should one have when born here or there should take a trip to MEMORY LANE back to the 1800 centuries ask your grand parent about those days – and resently the invation of the us in Irak all in the name of OIL – and here you are telling people who are trying to secure a future for their childrens that what they are doing is wrong – Let me ask you someting, Who is the better one – The lady that is trying to secure a future for their kids with out harming anyone or the Country that start a war for self gain with out regard for human life just for the love of $$$ Oil?
I have to mention this b/c the caller is talking as if the us,uk have the MORAL to tell people what is right or wrong.
With that said – Live and let Live.
Again. The caller and all of the people that are talking trash should pick up a history book – None of the country that the caller mentioned have the moral to say what is right or wrong. Its all a bunch of RUBISH.
HE WHO HAS NO SIN CAN CAST/THROW THE FIRST STONE.
It looks like the BVI like the attention b/c one easy way to stop people from coming is to halt all work permit and as they expire ask them to leave. Let BVIslander do all the work with no import labor. End of story – No more aguing about i born there or here.
But one question remain – Will the BVIslander stop going to other countries to give birth with the excuse that is for medical reasons?
My god people – the land belong to god not to you or me. When you die you have no claim of land you wouldn’t ever care where you are buried – you can’t take money,clothe,food.
Live a peaceful life its all that matter live and let live.
The only thing you can take is a good name bofore god and hope that he remember you.
When it was my time to give birth, no way in hell was I going to do it in Peebles! Sorry, but I wanted the best of care for my child, and I did not want my children to be orphans. In spite of my husbands protests about the inconvenience and expense of travelling to give birth in an adequate medical setting, I told him what I am telling you all now:
You think it easy, 24 and 48 hours of labour to push something the size of a turkey out of you? Seriously. When you all are in the position to give birth, then and only then will you have the right to choose where YOU will give birth.
Until then, no man has the right to comment on childbirthing issues. Of ANY kind!
Imagine that! only very recently we were all claiming Melanie Amaro as BVIslander and she was not born here, her parents were not born here, her grand parents were not born here and I guess if I dig further back I will not find anyone of her ancestors who were born here. Yet we were ready to claim and USE her because she achieved something positive. Oh! how unfair.
ALL OF YOU NEED TO STOP THE FUSSING. IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT WE BVISLANDERS DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER SO I REALLY DO NOT EXPECT US TO LIKE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT FROM HERE. IT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING FOR US WE WILL ACCEPT YOU WITH OPEN ARMS BUT IF YOU CAN NOT (WHO IS YOU)
I feel sorry for those children who are in this immigration dilemma but I blame their parents. YOu know the law. However unfair it may be the law is the law. Why put yourself in a predicament and complain afterward? Who will come to your rescue? Its you and your children suffering not the English law makers? The local politicians and other BVIslanders protecting their own.
The ‘island’ people need to wise up.
True Dat
This is an open request for the NDP to bring some light on this long overdue issue. You said that the people are the boss and that you will listen. Over 140 comments and this aint no story for people that just want melee so this is an issue that people are passionate about. We will not allow this to be swept under the rug any longer. This law must be amended and this is the 1st step in bringing an end to it. Admin send the word to the Premier we want to him from him about this now. The Deputy Premier and many others talk about being a christian society but denying a citizen that born here means to travel is wrong.
Lots of posts with no real answers. What needs to be done is to understand why the Law was passed in the first place, I am sure once people are aware of the reason for the Law they will see things is a different light.Someone should post the Law on this site.
There used to be laws denying a woman the right to vote and defining her as her husbands chattel, laws defining segregation, witchhunting laws allowing innocent women to be drowned and or burned at the stake, even Hitler had laws ordering the death of jews. Today Islamic laws allow a raped woman to be buried to her neck and stoned to death. In Singapore and Malaysia the act of judicial caning with a rattan water-soaked cane is common punishment. Some countries cut off the hand of an accused theif. Are these laws good and righteous becuause of the reasoning in why they were enacted in the first place??? No, sometimes it is time to grow up and be the responsible adult and make right what is wrong.
All laws are not right and just. But it is for the CITIZENS of that country to enact changes. While I may not believe that they should cut off someone’s hand for stealing, it is for the people of that country to make a change. And in the meantime, while I’m there I need to make sure that I don’t put my hands on what doesn’t belong to me.
IM SHOCKED AT READING SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS. IN 2012 SOME PEOPLE STILL HAVE TO BE TREATED LIKE SLAVES AND THATS OK… WOW. VISITED TORTOLA FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST YEAR AND IT WAS MY FIRST TIME HEARING NON BELONGER…ON TV LIKE SERIOUSLY…….THIS IS CRAZY… LAWS ARE THERE FOR A REASON AND I GET THAT BUT DOES THAT HAVE TO PUT SO MUCH HATRED AMONG PEOPLE IN A COUNTRY. IMAGINE VISITORS HEARING THAT ON THEIR FIRST TIME IN YOUR COUNTRY. WHAT A SHAME.
i totally agree. wonder how they would feel when the tables turn. bv islanders are all over the world just imagine for one minute the tables turn and they’re told the very same thing and is being treated like shit. come on people… in 2012 we still have that mentality ..geeze..
Dominicanos en su mayor parte son racistas. La mayoría de los dominicanos de ascendencia africana, pero también tienen ascendencia europea significativa. Ellos son los mulatos (Negro / Blanco). La mayoría de ellos niegan su herencia africana, ya que se les enseñó durante años que el negro es malo. Es por eso que son siempre rápidas para que no son de color negro. Cuando es obvio que lo son. Los haitianos en su mayor parte son de color negro de piel las personas. Por esa sola razón, no me gustan.
Sólo tienes que mirar hacia arriba. Es un montón de odio sí que sucede en la República Dominicana.
De todo lo que he aprendido y sé de la República dominicana hay verdad en lo que usted ha dicho. Los haitianos en la República dominicana a menudo son completamente tratados como segundos ciudadanos de clase a pesar de ellos comparten la misma isla. Esto es desafortunado el modo que es, y sólo puedo esperar que cambios en lo venidero. Los vestigios de naturalezas muertas de esclavitud en en las mentes de muchos en aquel país.
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From all that I have learned and know of the Dominican Republic there is truth in what you have said. Haitians in the Dominican Republic are quite often treated as second class citizens despite they share the same island. It’s unfortunate the way it is, and I can only hope that changes in the future. The vestiges of slavery still lives on in the minds of many in that country.
She copied my post and translated it into Spanish.
So she plagerized your post. LOL. Well, the world knows now she was called on it. LOL
The problem in the DR is not a skin colour, it is historical. get a historic book and you will know what is the problem between dominican and hatian and stop talking noncense about colour. there are black dominican and are not descriminated like that. you guys are more racial than us. we descriminate the blacks but you folks descriminate the whites, ware there is a white guy you guys don’t go. so stop speaking crap.
Whats funny is you Dominicans discriminate against the blacks, BUT you guys are PART black too! That’s what crazy about it. Over 90% of Dominicans have African heritage. I don’t understand how you can discriminate against something thats running in your veins. Your ancestors were brought over on slave ships too!
Why would this person choose to post in Spanish when 99% of the blogs are English? Admin could you please translate or dont post at all?
Everyone reading has a right to be able to re
spond to what this person is saying.
Most Dominicans are racists. The majority of the Dominicans of African descent, but also have significant European ancestry. They are mulattos (black / white). Most of them deny their African heritage, as were taught for years that the black is evil. That is why they are always quick to ensure that they are not black. When it is that they are obvious. Most Haitians are black skin people. For this reason, I do not like.
You only have to look up. It is a lot of hatred Yes that happens in the Dominican Republic
The truth is most of the “real” BVIslanders want to be American and have left and only return when problems arise and the people that came to settle in the BVI (“island man”) in the 70′s and 80′s still here, been paying taxes here, love and appreciate here and are now residents and belongers.
So just because I was born here prior to 1980 to foreign parents I was accepted and given rights but my neighbour child born here in the year 2000 and cant even get a passport. How hypocritical is that.I’ve voted 3 times never needed an exemption or work permit. What makes me any different than my neighbour. My mom from St. Kitts, father from St. Vincent came from their birthplace in search of a better life over 50 yrs ago. Married here had 4 children in the Road Town hospital. The only taxes they have ever paid went straight to the BVI. Contributed to the development of the country. They both are now retired still live here (while many BVIslanders have left for America), Never been arrested helped elected 2 political parties, helped to keep many local companies in business and then people have the guts to call us island man. Everything my siblings and I have learnt came from the BVI our children are from the BVI and a few more years and our last name will be common to this country. The same way we have strived in this land so can others.
I was born in the UK had have a UK passport however, I have lived all my life in the BVI to BVI parents. I am a BVIslander, I from TOLA!! I was raised here, this is what I know, this is what made me!! I don’t know a damn thing about the UK so how can I say “Where I’m born is where I’m from?” NONSENSE!!!!
Ask me and I’ll say “Well, I was born in the UK but I’m a BVISLANDER!” The BVIslanders born in St Thomas are not Americans, they’re BVIslanders! Yes, as a technicality they’re considered American and get the passport but let’s be real for a minute here! I live here all my life and still had to get a Belonger card despite my parentage being from the BVI for generations, so what’s the fuss?
i think your missing the point. The kids who were born here and raised here they should be given their rights. the BVI is their home. just like you. Also, this is one of major reasons why many kids do not know the culture. because where they born do not want them so whats the point in teaching them. lets be real
I think your missing the point. The kids whose mothers chose to have them here and raised them here knowing that they would have no rights now want those same rights. The BVI is the only home they know, but unlike us, their mothers were selfish in choosing to have and raise them in a country where they would not have rights. They do not know the culture because it is not their culture, and the country where they belong is unknown to them, as their mothers have kept them here instead of taking them home.
It is not a free world. You cannot leave your country and acquire citizenship wherever you wish. Look at all the BVIslanders who cannot get a job because of all the outsiders in the country, meantime they have nowhere else to go.
This is so stupid,especialy for the poor pple who here all their life working their asses off and at the end of the day they are being treated like immigrants….if all the pple who r not frm here go bak where they r from there will be no body here who is from here but u suck up badminded ignorant pple…we r all the same love ur neighbours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the only true belongers are the tainos and caribs who’ve been here for thousands of years. all the rest of you are squabbling over rocks none of you own.
the are being treated as immigrants because the are HELLO!
“u suck up badminded ignorant pple…we r all the same love ur neighbours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Wow. That says it all.
SMH
Tis is real. And some DR peeps want to come to the VI and disrespect us. They (DR peeps) can’t stand haitians. But this is the law of their land below.
“Last year, the government amended the Caribbean country’s constitution to deny citizenship to children born in the Dominican Republic to foreign parents.”
Dominicans for the most part are racist. Most Dominicans are of African descent, but they also have significant European ancestry as well. They are Mulattoes(Black/White). Most of them deny their African heritage, because they were taught for YEARS that black is bad. That’s why they are always fast to you that they aren’t black. When its obvious that they are. Haitians for the most part are dark skinned black people. For that reason alone, they don’t like them.
Just look it up. Its a lot of self hate that goes on in the Dominican Republic.
before you write something, you have to investigate what you are going to talk about.
the law said (the child of an elegal parent born in the DR has the nationality of their parent) we in the bvi are not elegal, we pay taxes and contribute to the economy maybe more than you.
I WAS NOT BOURN HERE I CAME HERE DAYS OLD AND TOLA IS ALL I KNOW MY PASPORT IS OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND ONLY THE VIRGIN ISLANDS . I AM FROM HERE AND IT INT A DAME SOUL CAN TELL ME OTHER WISE HOME IS WHERE UR HEART IS AND IS HERE I FROM IS HERE I GON BERY
well this is interesting. The argument is where you born you from and your logic, you came here days old and is from Tola. We need to make up our minds what we want.
I am 22 years old been living here working in some of the biggest companies over the past years but guess what i don’t have a passport because my parents aren’t from here. I was born here, left as a child and went away from school Came back as an adult, saying am going ”home” boy did i get kick up the arse!!!!
I almost didnt pass through the airport, luckily there was some officer who knew my dad as they were both police officers back in those days. Then i was told I needed to get a BELONGER CARD, take in mind, a word that does not exist in the english dictionary. So i got that and they told me that seeing i was not living here ( dont know what that has to do with it) that i need to live here for five years before i can get my passport. I wasn’t in a rush since my passport(foreign) could have take me around the world.
The five years has gone by and they “gone boss me” you have to pay $450 to naturalize and all kinda other shit. Now bear in mind, $450 is what someone pays to get a greencard. After bitching about it for a few weeks i agreed to just do it.
Then ”they gone boss me” EVERYTIME YOU LEFT THE COUNTRY THE FIVE(5) YEARS PERIOD RESTARTS!!!! Now are these people crazy????? I travel so often, last year alone i traveled over 20 times!
THIS PASSPORT MUST BE MADE OF GOLD OR SOME SHIT!!! OR MAYBE IT GIVES ME DIPLOMATIC AUTHORITY WORLDWIDE!!!
THEY CAN KEEP THEM PASSPORT!!!!
IF THEY WANT TO DEPORT ME, WELL I GUESS THEY’LL HAVE TO SPIN ME AROUND BEEF ISLAND THEN LAND, CUZ I WAS BORN HERE! THATS WHERE I AM FROM!!!!
I am in the same situation. Im 23, they told me I have to live here for 5 years. I dont understand why I have to go through the same process as someone who is not from here. I can vote, I went to HLSCC for free, I work with the BVI government and is permanent and pensionable. I have all these things afforded to me, yet I cant have a passport. SMH>> Crazy
IKR, its just pure crazy shit!!!! And the funny thing about it, I voted in the last elections? Why did i do that? What came over me? I should beat up myself now.
Well thats sad. Sorry.
$450 to get a green card where you live, it is a lot more to get a green card my dear. You really don’t know or you trying to convince people that $450. is a lot to naturalize. Trust it is not a lot. However I don’t understand why you have to naturalize and you were born there?
Actually…..she is right depending on the way one is obtaining status. If you’ve petitioning through a relative then it only cost $420 and no biometric fee. If you’re renewing a green card its $365 plus an $85 biometric fee at a total cost of $450 (such as one naturalizing in the BVI).
Now of course there’s other ways people can obtain a green card…such as by filing through an alien worker which cost $580. But the basic one which most people file through cost $420….and that’s by relative.
I suggest before you pass judgement on someone’s post….do your research first before typing. It only makes you look senseless/unintelligent….
However…like you said….I do not understand the rules that the BVI has about this passport/belonger/naturalization issue. I also believe that they themselves do not understand it either. I’m not sure if these laws where set by England…but it makes no sense to me that people who born in the BVI,have to naturalization for whatever reason even if they’ve lived in the country for years/grew u there etc.
I would think that rule applied to me who was born in the USA and lived in the BVI 20 years of my 28 years of living. That’s why I’m content with my Belongers card. I understand why I will have to go through that process…but I’m not going to. My American passport is universal…which means I can go anywhere in the World on it without having the hassle. When I return home…as I do all the time…I show them my belongers card along with my passport and I’m good.
My kids have both US and BVI passports so I could careless about the ridiculous process/policies the BVI has in place….
hello, i know what i am talking about, the funny thing about it, i actually worked at a US.Immigration Attorney’s office,I know all the ropes in the US immigration. So yest i got my facts straight.
BORN HERE LOL LOL LOL FEEL YOUR PAIN BUT THAT SHIT IS SOO SAD THATS ITS FUNNY. IT IS SO UNBELEIVABLE THAT IT SOUNDS COMICAL
What a divisive issue that should not be, which brings to the surface all our prejudices, mean spiritedness, vindictiveness, small mindedness, and our worst as a people. I think it’s a travesty that here we are in 2012 fighting over this matter.
First, the question of where one is born is where they are from is quite different from the question of where one is born is where they should deprive their nationality and birth rights. I think the latter question is the most import one.
I will tell you without hesitation that I STRONGLY BELIEVE that this law is WRONG, mean-spirited, and morally bankrupt, and flawed. A child born in the British Virgin Islands to an expat or foreigner should imo be a British Virgin Islander no matter the circumstances under which that child was born. That child should NOT be denied a birth certificate, a passport, or be treated with indifference to any other child born in the B.V.I.
No expat parent should have to return to their country of birth for documentation for a child they birth in the B.V.I. when that child was not born in their home country. That is simply wrong, inhumane, & unconscionable.
What is troubling in this entire debate is this: the hypocrisy of it all. Throughout our history, B.V.Islanders has travelled to the U.S. to have anchor babies. They travelled to the U.S. pregnant for one reason only: to ensure their kids had U.S. citizenship thus ensuring in their minds a brighter future. If you take a survey of B.V.Islanders today, you will discover that there is a large population of anchor babies all over the place.
Right now as we speak, there is a pregnant B.V.Islander in the U.S. awaiting birth. To this day, pregnant B.V.Islanders still do the anchor baby pilgrimage to the U.S., yet some have a problem with an expat having a child here in the B.V.I. and getting what should be their rightful citizenship by birth in my view and all the privileges thereof? The hypocrisy is nauseating, and some of us need to stop being hypocrites, or at least practice what we preach and have all your babies at Peebles Hospital. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Now, there is this generalization that these expats are somehow getting pregnant deliberately to have their kids born in the B.V.I. Certainly, they may be some who may be doing this to improve their immigration status if possible, but if true, is that any different from what many B.V.Isanders have history done when they travel to the U.S.? Again, this is hypocrisy abound.
At any rate, regardless of the circumstances, again, I strongly believe that a child born in the B.V.I. should be considered a B.V.I. citizen. This law came about in my view from poor immigration laws and a perception by some that expats and their families are taking away from B.V.Islanders scarce resources, so in order to preclude this, they came up with this inhumane and ridiculous law.
Bottom line is this: you cannot legislate human behavior try as they may. People will meet and have children. Expats will have children with B.V.Islanders. Should the product of their union be denied their citizenship and their birth rights there after? I think not. And by the way, just you know the idea of denying anchor babies citizenship in the U.S. is a Republican idea and goes against the very foundation on which the U.S. was founded. It will never come about in my view.
A final few words: some of us like to believe that the law which emanates from the U.K. somehow should apply to us here as well without question. But I would argue that the British Nationality Act was designed to keep out and limit people who look like you and I. So, it’s quite ironic & tragic to see black folks buying into this hook line and sinker and turning against each other on this issue. While we are an Oversees Dependent Territory of the U.K., I say our laws should be reflective of our history, culture, and unique circumstances.
I say fix the immigration laws, and not punish innocent children who were not asked to be brought in this world. Give them their rightful citizenship from birth, and stop the madness & meanspirtedness.
well said!!!!!!
Ray, good post as usual.
Do you agree that because we are a dependent UK Territory, that UK citizens wanting to live and work here should have special privaleges? I await your response.
No, they shouldn’t have special privileges here.
The key words in your question Real Talk is “special privileges”. And my answer is simply no. I believe they should have no more rights than a British Virgin Islander; certainly no more than a British Virgin Islander would have if they were residing in the U.K.
Some OTCs do have special rights in the UK like free schooling, housing, healthcare etc. You flash your passport and you get the works. When I said special priveleges I meant compared to what they get now. Now, they need a permit. Do you think a UK citizen should be exempted from permits in BVI given that a BVIslander who has a UK passport can go to the UK and enjoy the benefits of being a ‘UK Citizen’ although not one in theory?
Well, that’s a tricky one. And the problem arises with our small size. But nevertheless,if we as B.V.Islanders in therey can benefit as UK Citizen then on appearance alone, it appears the U.K. citizens should have reciprical priviledges. I don’t see how we can deny others what we enjoy or expect in the U.K. Fair is fair in my mind, and if we dont’ want U.K. citizens to have such benefits, then we should not expect similar benefits int he U.K. or be surprised if they are denied.
Also, let’s bring race into the picture, do you agree with Affirmative Action as was practiced in the USA?
the history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and discrimination in the U.S., Affirmative Action was necessary to help to overcome the systemic discrimination that existed and still exist in the U.S. today.
While America has come a long way, including having its first minority president, anyone who lives or have live in the U.S. will remind you that discrimination in certain quarters remain. As such, hard fought civil rights protections needs to remain in place; however, as someone who has lived, studied, and worked in the U.S. for decades, I have personally never felt I needed affirmative action to succeed.
But I often remind myself that while I may not have felt the necessity in my life, it was because others had opened those doors for me, and it is quite needed for many others. My successes has been on the backs and shoulders of those who fought & died for the rights and benefits I have enjoyed, so I personally do not take this lightly. America still remains a place where discrimination still flourishes in pockets of the country and the hearts of many. For many, we still have not overcome.
Sorry: Post got cut off:
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Good question Real Talk. I presume you threw this question out for anyone to answer, so here is may take:
Given the history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and discrimination in the U.S., Affirmative Action was necessary to help to overcome the systemic discrimination that existed and still exist in the U.S. today.
While America has come a long way, including having its first minority president, anyone who lives or have live in the U.S. will remind you that discrimination in certain quarters remain. As such, hard fought civil rights protections needs to remain in place; however, as someone who has lived, studied, and worked in the U.S. for decades, I have personally never felt I needed affirmative action to succeed.
But I often remind myself that while I may not have felt the necessity in my life, it was because others had opened those doors for me, and it is quite needed for many others. My successes has been on the backs and shoulders of those who fought & died for the rights and benefits I have enjoyed, so I personally do not take this lightly. America still remains a place where discrimination still flourishes in pockets of the country and the hearts of many. For many, we still have not overcome.
Ray
Thanks, great post again!
I asked because of your initial post! It’s a really tricky topic and I don’t really know how it should be handled. I think in theory it is wrong for a child born here not to be considered a BVIslander. But digging deeper and looking at it from a practical standpoint, I can see why to an extent that protectionist rule was put in place.
Imagine what would happen if every single child born here was a BVIslander? We compare here to the USA however the USA has over 300 million people and is a HUGE country. BVI is 24sq miles with only so much land and opportunity. Yes it’s a bit hypocritical on the surface, as we do have kids in the US but again, we’re not comparing US to UK, we’re comparing it to tiny BVI which I don’t think is fair.
I do understand the plight of kids not having a sense of belonging and stressing over getting a travel document. But do you think it would be fair to BVIslanders that everyone born here gets the same rights? Do you think we would own the Supermarkets, Buildings, Property and other things that we control now, if that were the case?
Again, I’m not arguing with anyone, both sides have points, I’m just throwing out a few things that need to be thought about. Look at St John. What do the locals own? Look at St Thomas, same thing? It’s a free for all therefore it’s impossible for locals to compete. Personally, I think some of our laws were put in place with good intentions and to protect our people.
The real question is, can the BVI in with its small size and limited land mass accomodate everybody that’s born here being a BVIslander with all the rights and powers from day one? I asked the question about UK citizens because we get the UK passport but they still need permits. I’m saying if we let anybody have a child here get a passport, don’t you think they would then lobby for equal priveleges in BVI as UK citizens?
I brought up Affirmative Action as the same arguments you use for giving everyone passports, are the same arguments that some others use to say Affirmative Action was not right. It was put in place to level the playing field so to speak and I think some of our laws do the same. We are a very small Territory and I’m not sure if it would be sustainable…Im just not sure!!!!!
Well, I understand the argument about our small size and the comparisons being made to the U.S. I think right is right and wrong is wrong. The answer lies in our immigration policies to can affect population growth.
Furthermore, what folks fail to mention is that B.V.Islanders are emigrating everyday. The minute they get a green card they are gone. The population growth in the B.V.I. since the early 1960 has been relatively modest. In fact it has not even doubled since that time. And one other factor overlooked in the overall stats is the death rate.
So again, Real Talk, the answer lies in our immigration laws which needs to be reflective of your population growth (birth and,death rates, and migration patterns)
Cool Ray! I’m just glad I’m not a politician charged with making such a decision. I guess it all starts with examining statistics which sadly, it doesn’t appear that we’re that good at doing even that around here! After viewing the stats then I might be able to have a ‘concrete’ opinion on this.
In the meantime, I would advise anyone not from here, if possible, have your kid where you know they will definitely get their passport. I know in emergencies you have no choice but where you can make the decision, at this time given the laws, you should do so. I have seen many people who have been hampered from travelling with their kid because of this. As they say regardless of your opinion, as for now, law is law and “When you know better, do better!”..over and out….
excellent post Ray
Thanks Admin.
“Now, there is this generalization that these expats are somehow getting pregnant deliberately to have their kids born in the B.V.I.”
Ray I am sure they are not ‘somehow’ getting pregnant, they are getting pregnant in the usual way, no mystery there. They may or may not be doing it to have their kids born here, that is not the point. It is no one’s business how or why they get pregnant. It is our business what status, if any, we give those kids who are born here. Every country has different criteria for citizenship. This is ours.
And yes those kids are innocent and didn’t ask to be born, just like ALL kids, but it is up to the parents to make sure their kids’ needs are met, including immigration status, papers, etc. After all, they didn’t ask to be born here but we didn’t ask them to be born here either. It is their parent’s doing and their parent’s responsibility.
It would have been nice to be reply to a name as oppose to a period (.).Be that as it may, I will repeat again what I wrote earlier: Denying kids who were born in the B.V.I. of expat parents their birth rights is simply WRONG no matter how you slice or attempt to rationalize it, and paints us as a people at or worse.
Additionally, suggesting that “every country has different criteria for citizenship” DOES not make this ridiculous law any less reprehensible. The same with your suggestion that somehow expat parents should assume responsibility for where they have their children. That is totally unrealistic and is further rationalization of this silly law that when stripped down and examined closely, shows us to be quite petty and small, and I might add discriminatory.
Human beings simply don’t work the way you wish they would work. People meet, some fall in love, and they have kids. To suggest that they should somehow plan where they make love and have their kids is simply unrealistic. Furthermore, why do you expect expats to behave differently when it comes to family planning when many here in the B.V.I. don’t even understand family planning least practice it themselves?
Look, I would urge you to take a step away from this debate for a minute, and in your quiet time, perhaps just before you go to bed, reflect on these questions:
Place yourself in the shoe of an expat who came to these shores for whatever reason. Imagine you met a wonderful man/woman from the B.V.I., fell head over heels in love with him/her, and you became pregnant. You both give birth to a beautiful baby at Peebles Hospital. Would you want your newborn beautiful son/daughter be denied their birth right including a birth certificate stating they were born in the B.V.I. or a passport later? Or would you do as you suggested, return to your country to have the baby? Sleep on these questions if you may, and kindly return to this forum and give us your answer. Thanks.
None of these questions make any sense. No ‘both’ give birth to a baby, only a woman does that. If we ‘both’ give birth at Peebles Hospital, how would the child then be born in another country?
Any way you flip it, as one parent is from the BVI, the child would be a citizen and would get a passport whenever the parents wish to get one, immediately if so desired.
So what is your question really?
Also, it’s not a matter of ‘family planning’ it’s a matter of being a reponsible parent. Even an animal knows where to give birth.
When a child is expected there are all kinds of things one does for the welfare of the child. In fact, everything one does for the next 20 years or so is for the welfare of the child! Doctor visits, vitamins, college fund, school selection, finding a nice home in a nice place to raise children, near a good school.
I hope that you realize these things, Ray, before you decide to start a family.
The woman in question would give birth wherever she felt most comfortable. Given that one parent is from the BVI, regardless where the child is born, the child would have their BVI rights and could get a passport immediately.
I don’t need to sleep and think on any of this.
Whether people here choose to practice family planning is beside the point. When one is pregnant, regardless of the circumstances, one has to plan appropriately for the arrival of the child.
BVI Birthrights derive from the parents. So it is in many countries. Nothing unusual, immoral or wrong about it.
Get over it. Instead of you out looking gyuls you on here only beating and beating this dead horse. No wonder the BVIslanders ain’t breeding. Get out there Ray and do your part young man!
LOL. Oh please. I see you don’t have a clue what the phrase “they both give birth” or you know, but is making a failed attempt to be a wise guy. Just that you know, that phrase has nothing do do with Anatomy. But nice try.
It’s is simply not true in all cases that passports or even birth certificate are readily available for some expats who have a kid with a B.V.Islander. Ask around, and I am sure you will get a different opinion on this & and ear full. But even if you got a differing answer, I have this feeling that you probably would not care based on your non-reply.
Your thinking is one of it’s my way or the highway approach. You cannot see other people’s problems. It’s all about you. And it’s clear to me now that nothing I can say to you will change that apart from pointing it out. Additionally, this is not about me, as you will like to make it. It’s about those children who are being wrongfully denied their birth rights because of people who share your thinking.
Finally, don’t assume to know me and what I do or don’t do. I have never found the need to state who I am or my background since I began blogging here, and still don’t. You have a good morning and a wonderful day.
Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
This is not a law that the uk inacted. It’s the local long ago legislators who ask the uk to enact that law because plain and simple the little territories cannot support a whole migration of ppl moving all at once to the territories. It’s a law I support because plain and simple it will put a strain on resources as it is doing today. It was never anticipated that so many ppl would be granted work permits and thus the former government had put nothing in place to handle this issues. The uk as well is just protecting their citizenship. As an ot if you get naturalised u would be eligible for a uk passport. Well the uk has changed this since they noticed that it was fast becoming popular in the ots.
At the end of the day it’s unfair to both the expatriate and the virgin islander. However something should be looked at to keep every in sync.
I like the law if a child is born in the Virgin Islands and their parents aren’t from here that child doesn’t get VI citizenship. It prevents pregnant women from other countries from entering the VI just to give birth to their child so that he/she can get VI citizenship. That’s why the UK made that law in the first place. And why the US is considering implementing that very law. They have a major problem with pregnant women from other countries entering the US to give birth , so that they can get US citizenship.
This is where I think it needs a change. If the parents were living in the territory for a year or more. Then that child at birth can get VI citizenship or if the child lives in the Virgin Islands for 3, or 5 or maybe even 10 years. Then that child can get VI citizenship.
If the child was born here the right way, then I have no problem with that child getting citizenship at birth.
I bet you Born in US
Nope. I was born in Tortola.
What do you consider “born the right way”? I have been living here with my husband for 10 years. Our both children are born here, but they both hold passports from our country or birth. Neither him nor I, came here to break up anybody’s relationship….we are from the same country and are positively contributing to society. But I guess that doesn’t matter does it?
Like Ray put it “Anchor babies”. I don’t think those babies should be given citizenship.
But yours? Hell yeah, they should get Virgin Islands citizenship without question. Hopefully our government will look into changing that ridiculous law.
i agree with you tolian! if the mother is here just on a visit not VI citizenship but it she is liven here legaly the child should get a VI citizenship is so simple!
and what benefits do you get with VI citizenship….get a grip
SPEAK NOT OF THINGS YOU KNOW NOT.AMERICA WILL NOT IMPLEMENT NO SUCH LAW.THEY MAY TRY AND PREVENT THE SITUATION FROM OCCURING BUT THEY WOULD NEVER DENY A CHILD ITS BIRTHRIGHT.THE LAW IS ARCHIAC AND WRONG.AMERICA IS A FORWORD THINKING NATION SO DASH WAY THAT NONSENSICAL NOTION. AND IF THAT WERE TO EVER HAPPEN,GUESS WHO WOULD BE MOST AFFECTED? BVISLANDES!!!
The laws of a country, are the laws of a country whether you like them or not, whether you agree with them or not. There are laws in every country that we don’t all agree with, but we have to abide by those laws or be prepared to suffer the consequences. It’s time for us to stop having this ignorant dialogue over and over and over again. The US and US Territories have one immigration policy and the United Kingdom and the BVI have another. And while I can’t say for certain, I’m pretty sure that every island in the Caribbean has an immigration policy that must be adhered to, whether I, you or anybody else likes it or not. Let’s all do ourselves a favor and, first of all get properly educated on the topic, so that we can make informed decisions and have a productive dialogue on the matter. BVIslanders should have all the rights afforded to them by the BVI. Jamaicans, should have all the rights afforded to them by Jamaica. Kittians, should have all the rights afforded to them by St. Kitts. Etc, etc. I would be out of place to go in another man’s country and try to dictate what they should and should not do and what rights their people should have. While I may not agree with what they are doing, I either have to deal with it or leave. Is where a man is born, where he’s from? I would say that’s up for debate. In some countries, like the US, you are granted citizenship based on your place of birth. Of course that doesn’t necessarily make you an American. In other countries, like the BVI, you are granted citizenship based on your lineage. That doesn’t necessarily make you a BVIslander either. I was born in Puerto Rico but have no roots and no connection to Puerto Rico. I’m a US citizen, but am I a Puerto Rican? I say no and I’m pretty sure that the Puerto Ricans would disown me as well. I have friends that have lived in the BVI their whole lives. Not sure if they were born in the BVI or not. They know no other home. They are not BVI citizens, but are they BVIslanders? I say yes. So, I believe that some reforms are needed so as not to disenfranchise those people that are not, per the law, BVI citizens but are BVISlanders at heart. However, until we stop all the hateful bickering, “Tolian” bashing and foreigner bashing we won’t be able to have a productive dialogue, that can bring about the positive and fair changes that are needed. Let’s get educated, let’s stop being selfish and self-centered (only thinking about what I want), let’s try to see the other persons perspective, let’s critically analyze the situation and have a USEFUL and PRODUCTIVE dialogue.
You foolish naive person. Laws are not always right. We accept ignorant laws because we as a people have lost our humanity, integrity and will to fight injustice. As black people we fought hard for our freedom and equal rights. Now that we have it we enforce laws on each other that are based on different types of discrimination that does not help anyone. When Hitler ordered the death of millions that was legal. At one point when our ancestors were enslaved for over 300 years that was legal. When black people couldnt eat in the same restaurants as whites that was legal. Smoking marijuana and prostitution is legal in some places. In the Arab world, laws are based on gender. Laws reflect the maturity of a nation and this particular law is B.S. Just because it is lawful does not mean we should lie down and accept it because that is what the magority of the slaves did and the suffering lasted for over 300yrs.
Just because black people are not walking around in chain, that does not make them free. You clearly illustrated how enslaved we continue to be in the place that matters most….our minds. The slave masters did quite a number on black folks. You have to hand it to them, getting black people to destroy each other was quite ingenious. They don’t have to lift a finger, because more than 300 years later here we are doing the same thing. Instead of having a civilised and respectful discussion about the issue that can result in some positive change, I suppose we should just duke it out. Perhaps an all out civil war like the hootsies and tootsies, would do the trick. Never mind the Genocide, that’s all a part of fighting for your freedom…your rights. I wonder though, wouldn’t it be much better if we could act like civilised human beings instead of animals. But I guess that’s not as fun as growliing, barking and fighting like dogs. BVI people, Caribbean people, black people….people, people, people. Want to get ahead, get some self respect, some respect for others and learn how to act like you have some sense.
How dare you compare the petty whining of free citizens of other citizens with the struggles or slaves, holocaust victims and the like? These ex-pats of ALL races are perfectly free to live in their own countries. They are not refugees or disenfranchised in any way. They are privileged to come here and earn more money than they could at home. They are granted this privilege by the government and people of the BVI and some of them have the temerity, the sheer nerve to come here and agitate for rights they have no right to, slandering and calling down the BVI and its’ people.
The privilege has been abused long enough. Time to close the door to BVI generousity.
Why are we making noise about this born here or not still. It is the law just abide with it. The child will get what is his or her own at 18. If the child is to travel before that they must issue a travel document for the child it is simple as that. I see no big thing in it. It is just the law.
So then it’s right for Immigration to tell the parent to bring in the Child’s travel document for them to get time in the country?
If it is the Law, YES
AND THAT PEOPLE IS THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM. SOME DO NOT SEE OR REFUSE TO SEE THE BIG DEAL. SINCE THE TWIN TOWERS WENT DOWN MOST COUNTRIES DO NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PASSPORT.SO WHAT HAPPEN IF A CHILD HAS TO TRAVEL BEFORE THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN? THE MUST CHANGE.IT IS TOO ASSININE A LAW TO EXIST IN THIS CENTURY. JUST LIKE THE ASSININE RULE THAT BANNED ALL PEOPLE WITH LOCKS FROM ENTERING THE BVI.DO U REALIZE WHAT HAPPEN? ALL THE KIDS LEFT BVI FOR SCHOOL AND CAME BACK WITH LOCKS. WHAT REPERCUSSIONS IS THE THIS ISLAND PREPARED TO FACE WITH THIS OTHER DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATION.
ITS AN IMPERIAL LAW, in England its the same thing parents must be a British citizen in order for the child to get British rights. Its the same here!! Like get over it!!!! If its a matter that you don’t want your children to get a CARICOM passport (which I have heard some of you said)do what the BVIslanders who feel that the BVI is not good enough do…..Get your children in the US of A where they can get the blue passport everybody so badly want!! I am a BVIslander and I have no problem with people from other countries coming here for a better living or getting their children here and YES THE LAW DOES SUCKS IN TRUTH!! but before you get pregnant do some research,if you have a problem with the law, take another route that best suits you!
I love other Caribbean countries and don’t have nothing bad to say but yet you bash my country! And the sad part is you all have all the bad to say about the BVI but don’t want to go home when your time is up. The truth always hurt!
DO U EVEN KNOW THE MEANING OF IMPERIAL AND ITS CONOTATIONS. NOBODY IS BASHING YOUR COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE BASHING A DISCRIMINATING ANTIQUATED LAW.DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONAL.
The mentality of some Tortolians represents a failure of humanity. Imagine if the US citizens treated us this way when we go away to college, give birth and to find work. Recent increase in crime and failure in the standards of living and value of education should be a wakeup call that we are no different than any other country. How can a civilised nation treat their neighbours this way. At some point in the history of the BVI we had to come from somewhere else and relied on other countries in order to survive and build the foundation for what exist today. If we were to face such horrors like the Earthquake in Haiti how would we deal with such a disaster? Would we cry out for help or would we only accept help from BVIslanders.What makes Myron Walwyn, Archie Christian, Mark Vanterpool and myself any different than those sons and daughters that were born here to foreign parents a few years ago. Is it due to the year when we were born- different year different laws. This is understandable in some cases however some things shouldnt change with time like the definition of love and goodwill towards each other and the definition of right and wrong.
Looking forward to your response on this Ray
Who cares buh Ray? His opinion is more important than anyone else own?
Scroll up for my take.
My advice to all those expatriates pregnant now or plan to get pregnant. Now that you know the law avoid immigration problemas for you and your child. Go back to your home country to have your child. You are only here for the money anyway. Why have your child in a country that you dislike and only living in for convenience sake.
1).YOU SOUND LIKE AND IDIOT, I’ve been living here for over 15 years, you think I’m only here for the money? I’ve been living here since I was a child. I have the VI accent and everything, not everybody is JUST HERE FOR THE MONEY.
2).Ayo run go rock and PR to make baby and make baby, your child gets U.S rights, ss# and everything, then you bring your child back Tola and the child gets your rights BUT IF AN EXPAT make a child Peebles you telling them that the child can’t get no rights because they’re not form here? But yours get US rights…THA MAKE SENSE?.. so it’s OK for YOU to run go Rock and P.R but not somebody that come from the other islands…
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD IT IS NOT THE BVI! IT CAME FROM ENGLANG ALL OVERSEAS TERRORITY HAS THE SAME PROBLEM…….YOU DON’T LIKE IT GO MAKE YOUR BABY WHERE YOU CAME FROM….PERIOD!
Well said Man……. I dont understand why they are makin a big deal out of this. Like my mother always say either you lump it or leave it.
We need outsiders, the BVI is not exactly blessed with beautiful genes. We want pretty children!
Speak for your own damn fugly self!
Before expatrates you were making children with your all family members, so thank god for expats!
If only you could be identified and deported. If you so fed up why are you here?
lololol…i love that!!!! They well damn know that they need the expats to give them some pretty kids, the inbreed self!!! All they have is some ugly bad shape ogre looking self!!!!!
To be honest i have never seen a pretty %100 tolan yet, you can tell dem is a real tolan from miles away, u just seeing them bad shaped self walking coming.
I never see a set of people so!!!! Soon they go stop em from coming down our place to make them kids.
Rock City was built on the back of BVIslanders who own there own houses while you guys live in housing……………..just saying!
PS. The USVI is made up of more than 50% tolian!
Since we are so ugly, head back home to live with all your pretty people, and leave our beautiful home and its beautiful people, so you don’t have to be offended by our ugliness. LIAT may leave anytime but, eventually, it WILL leave.
With this type of low thinking and mentality no wonder they dont want expat children to have any rights.
You BVIslanders are such hypocrites.It’s ok to have your children in PR and STT and the US but no OUTSIDERS can have children in the BVI.Remember every dog has it’s day my friends.What you do on to others may it be done to you.I understand BVI is small and you’re trying to protect your own but children can’t determine where they are born.A child born from parents from here or not from here matters not cause the child ultimately was born in the BVI.That’s why 95% of countries accept it and they don’t go around saying u not from here,I born here.Come on,is BVI the only small island in the world.Foreigners have been helping to build this nation for years and years,you thrive because of our hard work and what do we get after,u not from here.We not from here,well most of y’all not from here cause 80% of the BVI children is born in PR,STT or US.But no they from here man,cause their parents from here.You know it’s a universal struggle these days my friend and if y’all think that attitude will make y’all have more and be above the foreigners in the BVI then enjoy it while it lasts.Because nothing lasts forever and things are not getting better.Just one thing that has to happen here in the BVI and y’all in trouble.What’s that u might ask? Mass migration of foreigners back to there home lands and to other places.The majority as y’all would put it,where would the BVI be after that.So,protect yourself but be fair and honest,these kids born here should be given BVI status from birn,fair is fair.
What you get is the your work permit, the right to work here, which is all you were ever promised. If you don’t like it you should return home. Don’t worry where BVIslanders go for healthcare when their time come to give birth. Other people’s rights and citizenship(s) is none of your business.
u pig!
u s***! What happen, Ray not here to defend you? Ignorant dam woman.
i guess you forgot to read the entire article and realize that this is an imperial law. this means it’s passed down from the crown, so suck it up or leave end of story. some of us who are indigenous bvislanders continue to have children who are also indigenous bvislanders and it dosen’t matter if they were born in Guam or Timbuktu, they are still BVIslanders. Dont try and come into a mans’ country and change their laws. Now that is what you call fair is fair. Those of you who don’t like our biased one sided laws the solution to the problem is quite clear…..pack your bags and LEAVE or stop having your children HERE…it’s as simple as that!!!!!
i guess it’s ok to come here and take your husbands and breed.
If alyu can’t keep alyu legs closed that alyu business. For the sake of your unborn child, you need to go home.
I remember the days here when pregnant women from down Islands used to be rounded up and sent back to their countries a month or two before they give birth here. Man! that was cruel and terrible! May Grandfather used to say “where the horse is tied, that’s where it got to feed” If a person is working, working, paying taxes here, what’s wrong with having their kids here? And for the record, WHERE YOU BORN IS WHERE YOU FROM as simple as that. We talking about England makes the law…BULL! how many pregnant women from here or anywhere else you see got kicked out of England while pregnant? or their child been denied citizen-ship from England? Oh Please! It’s just our bad-minded ways.
OldSkoole, The British Nationality Act of 1981, is available for sale at The Passport Office, the officers there are waiting your arrival to purchase.
One Problem that is not right is that students that are going to college after high school are being treated right with this policy. If a BVI Islander go to a US country and have a child then comes back to the BVI and say they want there child to have a BVI passport or be alowed rights in the country, it is not fare for the BVI born children.
One example of this is US citizens that live in the BVI and go to school in the US after high school get a loan from government. By right US citizens can sign up for a scholar ship in the US to get more money for school.
Putting you as a person in a students perspective how do you think others that have to take loan from the government and still not getting the equal rights of a US Citizen born person.
Many students that are leaving the country are people who are getting US loans, and leaving the non US students to take what ever they have to try get to school.
Stop blaming the UK..the last time the NDP was in power they amended the constitution and now you have to apply yo immigration to have the child reside. Them deport DA because he had a Guyana birth certificate so if you do not write to jennings i wonder where the will deport the child to..after all the child have a bvi birth paper…..lol…lol…lol BVI going no where fast
no no no no NO we deport DA because he eventually felt like tola was his. he (jus like his father n bros) lost respect for the system and the land. he felt because he owned a few pieces of equipment and whatever else that he was da boss of here. how many chances can one person get. we all kno the shit he was doing, even the law knew and many times turned a blind eye. he had more than his fair share. he continued to do shit thus go wey u hail from. so dont start no shit wont be no shit.
and if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land,ye shall not vex him.but the stranger tha thwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you.and thou shalt love him as thyself,for ye were stragerin the land of egypt i am the lord your GOD ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment,in meteryard,in weight, or in measure.just balance,just weights,a just ephah ,a just hin,shall ye have. I AM THE LORD YOU GOD ,which brought you out of thi land of egypt. threrefore shall ye observe all my statutes , and all my judgments an do them. I AM THE LORD
Can Sam Henry tell the public where his. Son born.
These tola peeps does make me laugh. Nobody must come to their country to work or live, but them can go freely to other peeps country and do as they please. 9 out 10 pregnant tola women does run PR to make them kids just to get US passport because some say the tola passport aint worth S***its printed on, others also do it so its easier for their child to go college in the states. If you go to the UVI in stt, you would be surprise to see how much tola kids are down there, do you hear the school complaining tola peeps come for ayo kids, hmm, you just cant have your cake and eat it to. I all for preserving the rights for the tolian peeps but you have to give and take.
Because they behave. When you all come to other people country you call it down and bring your bad behaviour. Like it or not that’s the truth.
Blue Moon you well out of all order. BVI people are bringing down their own country!! You’re acting live BVI peole are innocent and that their hands are clean. NONSENSE!! Check out the drug case that’s going on, where are some of them from? You better start acting like you know.
Another thing do you realise when some BVI students go away to school (overseas) they don’t return to the BVI. Because they find a better opportunity else where. So for some people the BVI is a better life and opportunity for them. You don’t know what situation some people are coming from.
Too damn ignorant is what you.
I fail to see how your arguments contribute to the case of your children not having rights in this country. If you must debate do so logically. But then again from the post we see the level of mentality…oh well
to every action ther,s reaction. Ayu must tell people whatever ayu want and think we should just suck like some fools.
Might as well the BVI government make a law. If you’re not from here then dont have sex while you’re living and working here.
Mufeng in a way i agree with you, because this issue is a chan reaction. The BVI people refuse, and I mean refuse to take their own as partners, and when the so-called “slaves” come to the BVI to work, they are looking like they have never seen gorgeous looking men and women, that they almost go crazy. Now when the people from the different countries decide to make a mistake and settle down with them, they want to enact laws to their own predicament. I mean how stupid can it get, that let us say,one of the ministers get married to an expatriate,and have children. s there a law against the ministers? Yo people need to lookbeyond your feet. So Mufeng, the law is this: Anyone who is not from here, irrespective of gender, without lawful excuse or leave from the Premier, has sex to the extent that will result in pregnancy, the birth which is expected to be had in the British Virgin Islands is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine of five thousand dollars or five years imprisonment.
Haha
Do you people that many people from here went to Santo Domingo to work many years ago,,,take a trip you might see someone that looks like you
.. think about it
Of course, that’s why there are so many Santos here claiming their rights. No need to go there to see Santos that look like us!
The young people are listening to their elders and are infuenced by their comments on status of children who have foreign parents.Certain comments that create disunity should not be entertained on the public media.
I agree legislators hands are tied because this is UK law. But I do believe where you born is where you from.
However, I also agree with caller who says the law has been on the books for sometime now and still expatriates continue to have these children at the hospital and then complain about their status. It makes no sense! This is nobody’s fault. Just have your child in the country of your birth or in another place of your choosing until the law is finally changed!!!
How about you tell the BVI men STOP sexing and impregnating the expatriates then?
If the mother is not from here and the father is. How then you going to tell me I can’t born my child here?
Please go sit down.
All BS its the law of the land whether you like it or you all understand. It’s what it is.
because its the law,that does not mean its right. SLAVERY was once the law,was that a righteous system? Laws can be ammended or changed. It all depends on the will of the people. This Law is unjust and unlawful and all right thinking people know this.So lets not it back and feel nothing can be done. The power is with the PEOPLE.
Yes! The power is with the people who have the right to vote here! The people who belong here!
the host and some of the callers are just some assssssss if you. they talking talking and they themselves run to the US to have their kids and when they don’t do that they leave and run the US and leave BVI brain drained and we the expats have to come in a fill the spot to grow their country. suppose where we were from was saying only who born hear can get a passport what would become of our children. think on that and stop being so self centered. i bet they have kids all over the globe and if the child born else where they get the country passport and still come here and get one tooooo…
This is not an issue we are willing to change. As a bvilander who was born here with parents born here and children born here and friends in the same position, we are not willing to let the whole world come in & overwhelm and overtake us. We have a right to say this land is our land. You can go home to wherever you came from. This is our home. After you’ve made your money and used up our resources and brought in your children to go to our schools And have more, you can go home & leave us with the mess. No!!!!! If you are on a work permit, that is all it is. It is a right to work here. You do not get to vote here, breed here, and expect your children to belong here. You don’t belong here. You knew the rules coming in. When in Rome you abide by the rules of Rome. If you do not like the rules of our country then you are most welcome to leave. Those of us that stay and work and protect our country are protecting it not just for ourselves but from those of you that would turn our country into the ones you left behind. Come, work, obey our laws birthright and otherwise and respect our culture. If you find that offensive then leave. We will be happy to replace you with those that are willing to do that.
I was born, parents were born here and my grandparents were born here and I’m here to tell you that you sound like an idiot with a backwards mentality. Its people like you, why this country has a hard time moving forward. I’d much rather us lose the likes of you, than those “outsiders” that you so much hate.
Goodbye.
Do not make the mistake of thinking most of us think like you. If we do not protect ourselves then who will? Virgin islanders have always been industrious and forward thinking. We can be that way because we still own this land. If we listen to the likes of you we will be second class citizens in our own country. Not just out numbered as we are now but out voted and outsiders in our own land. Look at St Thomas. Do you want that for your children?
Why do you think you are outnumbered? BECAUSE BVI PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO LIVE HERE ANY MORE!! So excuse those who are actually satisfied with wanting to take up the space BVIslanders nolonger want to.
Forward thinkers? Name me one BVi noble laureate?
Excuse me but you are the one that sounds like an idiot. I am sorry but you do not get to judge whose opinion is valid or not. You only get to share your opinion and you already did that.
And this country is not having a hard time moving forward, that’s why everyone wants to come here.
Goodbye.
Beautifully said. Glad to hear this.
when i was in school there were 25 childern in increase of 5 children whithing the past 22 years is over crowding?
And 20 outta d 22 is expats
so wa u saying is tolians dont reproduce?
Way you born that is way u from, so give them people children the dam thing.All you who talking about the schools, well stop send your children in school in the united states because they taken up to much space all u to dam out ta place with u all self. stupid set people is we tola people. talk now
Hey we all tola people need to stop, this kind of behaviour. Because my mother and father is from here but i was born in st lucia and i have a passport for their and passport for here. So why this fighten down the expart and stop calling people island people because it make no sence, because tola is a way smaller island to a lot of them other countries that you call down island. And when we go to the other islands we get much better treatment than we get here. so stop and leave them dam people alone.
Back in the days an expat females once they got pregnant, they were sent home to have the child … I think that the Government should go back to that policy
And i think u shud find the nearest building edge and jump ur ignorant butt over…..
stupid
to be a country we need people. christian community? endless talk of god, more churches than people….what a joke this country is? first world country? each house get two/three cars? we need people to come here to work but they should not make children? are we back in slavery days? amlost, every bvislander is american and bvsilander. not so? we are in modern times enjoying the best of both worlds. but others should not enjoy minimum of what we have. no wonder we don’t respect not only foreigners’ children born here not even your own. if you love your country so much, why every bvislander goes to usa to make children. check school records of children in all the schools… most belongers’ children are born in s’t.thomas. remember, none of us is permanent on this earth…. just for a while. our thinking is too primitive, dark ages thinking except for us $ we have nothing to brag about we exhibit so much arrogance.without any substance to defend it. to be arrogant, you should have some thing to back it. we have nothing. if usa and uk want to squeeze our balls what do we have to boast about? the baths and savannah bay and cane garden bay? and in this world they have thousands of places with beaches etc. those of us who traveled around have a duty to our frogs in the well. we are frogs as well as crabs. sorry to denounce our ownselves but our thinking is terrible. some of our ignorant arguments make us feel ashamed[even from adults]-our cultural religious values are exposed as nothing. very shameful god god and more god but no human touch.. all of us are human[only for looks-very few are humane……
@AGAIN AND AGAIN. YOU SOUND LIKE THE NAZIS IN GERMANY. WHY ALL THE IGNORANCE. WHAT ARE YOU SCARED OF? NON OF US ARE ORIGINAL TO THIS REGION. FIGHT THE CHINESE,THE SYRIANS, IF YOU TRULY WANT SOMETHING TO FIGHT. WE ARE SO MISEDUCATED THAT WE FIGHTING THE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US AND HAVE THE SAME STRUGGLES. WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE SUCH A THREAT AND NOT THESE OTHER RACES. LORD WHEN BLACK PEOPLE GOING WAKE UP?
Again and again is right on the ball. Even the philipino children is born here now. Ever hear bout little china
you all so foolish, you all fighting your own neibours, and have all the Syrians coming in and making all their children
YOU ARE AN a**
get a grip…which pregnant woman will come to the BVI to have a child. Now expats even have to write to immigration to ask for the child with a bvi birth certificate to reside. The whole thing is a mess….God be with the BVI…..
People here are so ignorant.
Look like all you could do is call people ignorant. Why don’t you stop slinging insults and try construct an argument?
Talk about ignorant! Y’know, pot…kettle…black…?
Oh really? I’ve made several arguments on this very page. What have you made?
Go back to work.
I was born elsewhere but since being here over 20 years, I’ve acquired Belonger status and I also have a BVI passport, so I proudly tell peeps that “I from here”.
No. You are from where you were raised. Why is it that this only an issue HERE? I mean you don’t see other countries having this debate. This shows something about us as a people that is not good.
Steve Nash was born in South Africa, and was raised in Canada. NO ONE says that he is South African. Everyone including himself considers him to be Canadian.
Tim Tebow was born in the Philippines and was raised in the US. NO ONE says that he is Pilipino. Everyone including himself considers him to be American.
Tony Parker was born in Germany and was raised in France. NO ONE says that he is from Germany. Everyone says that he is FRENCH.
The list goes on and on.
Its only here in the Virgin Islands that this is an issue. It’s quite sad and disturbing. You are from where you were raised.
I AGREE!! This stupidness about where you born is where you’re from, NONSENSE!! If a BVIslander has to have their child in the US or UK because of health reasons, being that they have the professionals to deal with the situation and BVI doesn’t, what makes their child any less of a BVIslander just because they’re born elsewhere?
It has to do with upbringing and the culture that you accept. I don’t care where anybody is/was born, where you’re raised, where you pick up your habbits, where you learn your traits that’s where you’re from. Cut the technicality BS!
Let’s be real! Once the new hospital is built, more locals will have their kids here. We know most locals go abroad to have their kids because they can afford it, they want to be comfortable, not in a 2×4 place with ceiling fans like Peebles and it’s easy if you have family in the US for example, where you can shop etc. after your child is born.
This is a non-issue. Anybody residing in the BVI non-stop, contributing positively for 10yrs and more, should be embraced and that’s that. We already have our laws to deal with who can work, live etc. Let’s just be happy and move on nah man?
I agree with you 100%. This whole topic is quite embarrassing actually.
I agree as well…apparently the BVI is too good for “island ppl” to be having their kids here…..where they have forgotten that the BVI is not only a set of ISLANDS as well but smaller islands that i wud say are just a bunch of scattered rocks….but they have of course adapted this mentality that they are a greater nation than the rest of the caribbean. i just dnt understand it, but i look forward to the day the ignorance stops!
All we need to do is stop all the boats from bringing in food to the BVI for a few months. Then we will see which nation is greater or better than who….
where is D A from?
u talking nonsense most all tolains go to the us to have babies it has nothing to to with the condition of the hospital they do it because they want to abuse the us system like getting free food and health benefits and their checks monthly and also to get to college easier u do not even believe in your own college u think that it is not worth goin there because when u have to apply to a us college or university u have to repeat the same subject u just did in college here
crap… the medical care is bad.. imagine losing your family bc of the conditions here
Great Points! I thought Nash was from Canada and Parker from France. I was born here over 30yrs ago to foreign parents and I must say I rep the BVI harder than all of the so called people with local last names.
U need to do some more hard work for What the he’ll is a local last name? Gottu be that u last name go something like rangatangolo OR ping OR mufasa
and i can sure bet u the list of people you name out there they have their passport for both places or the place where they was born , so whats ur point ,Nicki Minaj was born in Trini but raise in the states dont u think she have a trini passport , Stupid a$$ ppl
Thanks for missing the point completely. If anyone here is stupid its YOU.
Ask Tony, Tebow and Nash where they are from, lets see what they would tell you. Parker plays for France’s National Team and Nash plays for Canada.
Ask Nicki Minaj where she is from and she’ll tell you Queens, New York every time. Ever listen to her rap songs? Who does she shout out? Yeah, Queens.
dem need to stop lettin in the pregnant wman in the island to make babies an let them stop where them from! they come here make bambeno an then buss off leavin them hospital bills outstanding!but real talk our free education should be for kids who are born here and not for expacts who on work permit bringing in them kids, to go government schoolz!our school are jam pack 1 class alone has in close to 30 kids hell no its all because the expacts who here on work permit sendin for them bratz abroad an fullin up we tiny class room them . that need to stop , let u all brats finnish school where them from . after that we welcome them n e time !
Oh please, you dont make any sense. like we tola dont go st. thomas and usa to have babies too!!!!!!!!
WTF?? Is this a game of scrabble??
You sound ignorant. Those people pay taxes too.
However after paying taxes de send all the rest backhome
so wat da hell u want dem to do ?
No, after paying taxes we spend a great portion of the remainder paying rent (helping some locals meet their mortgage payments), buying food, paying bills and supporting the BVI economy in general.
What is with you telling people they sound ignorant or backward or stupid? Who is you???
Say your piece and sit down. You dont have the right to insult others just because you cannot make a good argument.
and is such a shame and pity half of these “BRATS” graduate top of class and with honours while ur lovely local child stay rude, have no respect and manners and repeats classes a million times before them get out the school and make space for the children that is of the age to be in that class…smh dang shame
We are missing the point, different countries have different laws,you abide by the law of the country uou are in.
Before you make your ignorant comments please go review the BVI laws. If you are on a work permit and what your children to reside in the BVI you have to appeal to immigration and provide proof you can support them and that they have been accepted into school (private school that is unless there is space in the public school system) before they can reside. If you feel exprats are overcrowded your school system (and have proof) go to your local politician and complain before you start to right a bunch of garbage.
Secondly you need to go deal with custom and immigrant if they letting in a bunch of pregnant women (which I doubt is the case who flocking to Pebble to have a baby I wouldn’t even go there for a cold) BVIslander don’t even have their children there.
I wonder how much is owed at Schneider Regional Medical Center?????
what you need to do i to go and learn the English language before you come to the blogs.
@anonymous yes lets all go take lessons in your “amazing” public school system
LOL but let me ask something….who were the rightful BELONGERS of these same islands that was taken away from them????WHO?? The Indians!!! now another race wants to act like they own the damn place and treat foreigners like crap
Take that argument up with Columbus & anybody in India….
VILander, please change ur name to Stupid!
India? What the person meant were the Arawaks and Caribs. Dumb bo! No Indians
Indians? Indians are people whose origin are FROM INDIA. When Columbus came to the Americas he thought that he reached India, so he mistakenly called the native people Indians. They ARENT INDIANS. Why are you calling them that? Its ignorance at its best.
Man that’s just like Religion. None of us were there so how can we argue with such certainty as to what ‘was’ and what ‘wasn’t’. Who the F is Columbus anyway and what’s the proof that he found anything? We believe every single drop of foolishness we have been taught from young. Brainwashing at its best.
There’s a big move in ceratain parts of the USA to revise History Text books in the schools to paint slavery in a more positive light. In 10yrs I can expect to hear some of you saying slavery didn’t really happen, it was all blacks fault and all sorts of BS, just because you read it in a book. There’s a Bible called “KING JAMES VERSION” What does version mean? Where are the other versions?
Let’s focus on what we know and what we do know is that we are all human and need to just get along. Let the laws do its work and we can just live in harmony without the constant bickering!
I am with you on this!!!!!
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