Belonger status harder for non-English speakers?
With the approval of the territory’s new Belonger Status and Permanent Residence Policy, there are indications that non-English speakers may have to work harder to gain the controversial statuses of residency and belongership.
The policy sets forth guidelines on the eligibility for Residence and Belonger status and says the authorities may use language proficiency as one of the metrics. This could be a problem for those who live and work in the BVI but are speakers of Spanish, French and other languages.
On the February 29th airing of the government’s “Table Talk” programme, host Karia Christopher asked whether provisions will be made for non-English speakers who fulfil much of the other criteria to attain residency or Belonger status.
In response, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sustainable Development, Joseph Smith-Abbott said the government and the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College are taking a serious look at how non-English speakers can be supported.
“We’ve entered into deep conversation and dialogue with the college about exactly how they could support the learning and development and provide a holistic view as to how to meet those requirements and how they can support the acquisition of the language skills required to communicate with all of us. That will develop overtime and there is an institution already aligned to provide that learning and development and we’ll harness that opportunity as best as we can,” Smith-Abbott said.
With the national census exercise still underway, the percentage of non-English speakers in the community is unknown.
However, the last census conducted in 2010 showed a significant number of Spanish-speakers, which many believe has grown since then. There are also French-speakers from Haiti and other non-English speakers from parts of Asia living and contributing to the development of the BVI as well.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
as it should be, this is an English speaking territory, learn the language if you want to stay here
Small mind, meanwhile the rest of the world strives to be multilingual.
Yiu literally have to speak in the native language of every country when you swear in as a citizen… Go up USA, France, or japan and complain bout that, they’d send you home in a heartbeat
Actually in the USA there are plenty of Spanish only speaking citizens. I have a couple clients myself. Many factory workers only speak Spanish and farm workers. Look up Asylum seekers.
Some of you sounds so cruel and wicjed . Pray to God you do not live anyway outside of the BVI
Let your own Dialect speakers of English do the work
What a wonderful set of welcoming people We all have to die some day people. Be more humane
The criteria for Permanent Residence rest on a physical presence in the Virgin Islands for a now specific period of time(ten years) to be eligible to make an application for said status. The immigration law does not require an English language proficiency to apply for such status.
Why is this an issue? You mean after at least 10 years, English proficient will still be a barrier to belonger status? We’re not in South Florida for heaven’s sake.
Saint Martin u must learn the language as well
I’m a down Island woman as they call me and I see nothing wrong with this
Look what happened for election because of language
What happened at election, please elaborate? What the observers were advocating was multi language, having ballots in Spanish and other election information in Spanish-which goes against what you are suggesting. The Government would have to make an overall policy decision which is takes all variables into consideration, and this is what they fail to do
Not just language but those whose religion, culture etc are not in accordance with the BVI.
If you here for 20 years and don’t understand basic English then isn’t something wrong there?
Hmmm… Lived here 10 years and still can’t get by in English? How’s that work?
What i have noticed and have encountered oover the years and even decades, is many havea distinct attitude suggesting that me and you the local Englishspeaker are suppose toknow their language and they are not suppose to learn ours or adjust in any way.
Me no spekie englis with an bad entitled attitude.
If they don’t adapt, they should be asked to leave.
Nothing more frustrating than walking into a business, wanting service and is confronted with an attendant that cannot understand you and with a self imposing attitude that it is you at fault why you don’t speak her language.
That needs to stop. It is very frustrating to the point of disgusting.
Exactly. It is also unsafe. Imagine hairdressers, cleaners and food workers working with products and chemicals and cannot read instructions or warnings. V
I feel the same way in America. Especially Florida. You go into the stores they are greeting you in Spanish or you ask a Walmart employee something they don’t comprehend. I am so over it.
How do our off duty lawmakers communicate with the Spanish speaking bar girls. Language no problem!
Exactly. That is against constitution. Equality before the law.