COMMENTARY: The Sacred Privilege of Citizenship Cannot be Handed Out Willy Nilly
By Dickson Igwe, Contributor
The adoption of a national ID card was the recommendation from the previous story on migration as a means of enforcing better control of migration, and law and order in the jurisdiction.
This week’s migration story is the assertion that the only people with a right to the sacred and precious privilege of citizenship are those who have ancestry within a jurisdiction and those born in a jurisdiction.
However, birthright citizenship is lower on the totem pole than citizens whose parents and grandparents are Virgin Islanders, Native English, or Nevisians and Kittitians for that matter.
There should be no citizenship through tenure. Full stop. In spite of the human rights fairytale. Now before this writer is crucified one caveat is appropriate: this is simply his personal belief.
Citizenship by tenure must stop. In its place, offer a residency permit that can allow a holder to reside on the island for life and be buried on the island.
A Green Card with special privileges. The offspring of the residency permit holder may qualify for citizenship if they are born in the jurisdiction only.
Citizenship by investment should be a non-starter. Terrorists and other dangerous types can adopt it.
There is already an allegation that specific groups bring arms and weapons into the territory. Who are these groups?
Too many of our native youth have easy access to guns leading to imprisonment and death. Enough said.
Citizenship by purchase is not only a very silly idea, it as a springboard to enter the region and then into the USA. The world is a very dangerous place today.
Strict border and migration controls is not an option.
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I agree. This citizenship by tenure is not a good fit for this little, little country in the Caribbean who just happens to be non-U.S. but spends U.S. Dollars. Since so many are willing to come but unwilling to leave, we will soon sink from the overflux. We are already feeling the pinch on our healthcare system, NHI, social services, infrastructure and so many other things. We are not saying you can’t come, but somebody or some bodies have to be willing to go home again or we’ll be landlocked soon and nobody will be happy living here, U.S. Dollars or not.
If you believe immigration has something to do with infrastructure you are delusional. Didn’t the BVI just find 40m missing. Give me 40m and the people would be living good but I guess somehow immigration is the issue smh. Also who are y’all handing out citizenship too known people on the island who have been there for years and can’t get citizenship/belongers? All I’m saying is don’t complain about the slave masters then become one yourself.
Thank you. I see you agree with the rest of my comment. But the amount of cars on the road has a serious impact on our roadways when our jokey Government are not maintaining. Don’t get me wrong. We welcome immigration and we definitely admit that our Government are not using our resources for our upliftment, but everybody that comes, cannot stay. It cannot work. Lots of Caribbean islands has term limits on immigration. Virgin Islanders are also not a people that moves around in the Caribbean so it hits different.
BVI don’t move around cause they’re British. If they had all US citizenship I’m sure they’d move around a lot more. Are people not allowed to stay or are they staying and doing the work and then when people get tired of them they kick them to the curve as if they didn’t help with your infrastructure. Like i said don’t complain about the slave master all while become the slave master.
You have a population that cannot support itself without immigrants. Yet you want them to do hard labour while you reap the benefit in the name of what? And by the way, the first set of black slaves came from Anguilla. If anything Anguillans should be claiming to be indigenous and become belongers through their ancestors. Even that don’t make sense because they contribute nothing today. Remember you can’t carry your greed and fear to your grave. When you dead you’re dead. The best you can do is shut and learn to share.
What kind of hard labour are you talking about? Hard labour is a term I only hear mentioned when you are speaking about prisoners who work but are not paid. You are here. You work. You are paid and paid in USDollars. Most of you would not be here except for that because you have nothing good to say about the BVI and its people. Notice I said some of you. Others come and you don’t even know they are not locals because they are humble and kind and not always acting as if we owe them something other than the two, three jobs that they have. Locals not working but you have two jobs and still complaining. And there is no reciprocity in this. We cannot receive the same in your country so give me a break with this hardline of talking nonsense. Caymans and all the other islands that give you five years and you have to leave I doubt you call them out their names. You go, spend your five years and leave quietly. So pay us the same courtesy, please. When you get tired of hard labour, and seeing our ugly, unkind faces everyday, go home and get some soft labour.
Tax payers should be able to vote. This is not a new idea.
While you at it please give up your belonger status collected from Carolyn Stoutt Igwe. Give back anything you gained while having the status and get the f out of here back to Africa. You are probably one of them pathetic bloodline that sell your sister and brother as slaves. I don’t know why these news channel entertain your pathetic articles.
Mr.Igwe is honestly speaking the truth. Atleast he came forward.Not because he is not a Vigin Islander means he cant voice his opinion. ..besides his status is legal. We often marry our family, its best to marry good persons who resides in our territory.
On another note ..Mr Igwe I’ll like to attend your swimming classes very soon.
Igwe has moved on from 4th form economics to 2nd form general studies.
Big Foot climb up now, so he is kicking the ladder.
Why do you allow this racist immigration rhetoric on your site. Look at his social media. Does his wife share these views?
Are you one of those Brits that support igwes racism?
Thank You,Mr Igwe
The nonsense this man posts on his facebook page why is he getting news time?
You are an AssHolelay. Good Luck with that.
What a vile racist this person is.
That is impossible. Racism is not in the African DNA. Unlike other races I will not mention LOL
Unfortunately all that breeds on this site is Racism Out Racism In.
The CARICOMERS vex up.
I glad!
I am in full agreement with Mr Igwe.
Common sense,loyalty. decency,self respect,appreciation loyalty are but a few human innate human characteristics that would be required in order to comprehend and understand that the “sacred privilege of citizenship cannot be handed out “willy nilly”… no more than handing out your house keys, ” willy nilly”. These same set hand out their bodies willy nilly. Nothing is sacred nor worthy. Take what is not theirs at will including human lives. Selectivity
and restraint is not in their DNA.
Igwe is a clownn, been spouting stupidness simce his first breath. Ignore the fool.
Weapons is an argument?
Really? We all know where those are coming from.
Hypocrite.
“Take what is not theirs at will including human lives,” is a real and ongoing occurance in these. Virgin Islands.
It is a sad reality and it is true. They care not of the pain and suffering they cause others.
One thing is certain, do unto others as you would have done unto you, as karma will be the final judge.
They do their evil in secret, but god sees and will avenge his people.
Another imbecile, but he wants usa citizenship lol
My brodeh, just answer this simple question for me ohh, if you didn’t marry a local woman and get status, and was looking forward to be naturalize, like me who have been working my butt off for over 17 years, would you publish that article?.
He is right we cannot keep letting in any amount of people from all over and letting them stay forever and become citizens. The bvi is small, continuing to treat immigration like a business out to make as much money as possible is literally selling out your own country and people. its not about racism or xenophobia its basic common sense; take feelings and emotions and personal biases and attachments out of it and start making decisions based on what’s best for the bvi and bvislanders in the long term. make decisions based on statistics, quotas and long term projections and stop selling out the BVI you can’t be lax with immigration and still letting everybody stay indefinitely come on!
We acknowledge first that opinions aren’t policy, thank God, but imagine a man for 20 years, has invested his youth in a country, raised a family here, who in-turn come to serve the territory positively, respecting the laws, paying taxes and contributing in the BVI community and then told he’s less deserving of holding citizenship compared to a man who has married a local and lived here for just 5 years.
What do you or the territory stand to lose by granting citizenship to deserving candidates? If anything the BVI gains in many ways from granting Citizenship by tenure. Citizenship by tenure represents recognition of commitment, trust and contributions made. Unfortunately, your opinion is as bigoted and dangerous as they come. An opinion supporting segregation rather than integration and for what!???
Why would you post this jackass. You seen how he treats people especially women who disagree with him. Take a look at his social media. He’s sick.
1. It generally takes 20 years for an outsider legally living in the Territory to be even considered for residency, if you’ve paid the fees, and stayed out of trouble. Unclear how that is remotely considered “willy nilly” unless the term refers to a disorganized manner of doing things, something the Territory is quite good at.
2. What does residency or citizenship (willy nilly or otherwise) have to do with native youth getting access to guns. Guaranteed that if you expelled all but those born here, the native youth will still find a way to get guns. Just like weed.