Fahie: Why are expats still being sent away?
Leader of the Opposition Andrew Fahie
Local government is being challenged on why select expatriates who lost their jobs after the hurricanes are still being sent from the territory even though other local employers are willing to hire them.
According to a policy implemented in December, expatriates living or working in the BVI for five years or more are exempt from leaving, if they are changing jobs.
However, persons who can find jobs but have been living in the territory for less than three years are being sent away and Opposition Leader Andrew Fahie wants to know why.
He will be seeking answers when the House of Assembly sits for the first time this year on Thursday.
The Opposition Leader will ask: “Why [is it that] expatriates currently residing in the territory are being forced to leave as opposed to accepting their engagement with companies requiring employees for the very same hurricane relief works where new workers are being allowed to enter?”
The question will be put to Premier and Minister of Finance Dr D Orlando Smith.
The issue is among a number of other Immigration challenges expatriate workers have been facing since Hurricane Irma devastated the British Virgin Islands last September.
Crowds of persons comprising mostly expats have been flocking the Road Town-based Immigration Department for processing.
These persons are forced to stand in extremely long lines. But, the government is now in the process of implementing an appointment and an online system to address the now cumbersome Immigration process.
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BECAUSE MOST OF THEM HAVEN’T PAID IN YEARS AND THEY STILL HERE WITH NO TIME.
There are large numbers of illegals in BVI. When you have stupid and oppressive laws totally put of touch with what the rest of the world is doing then people tend to ignore them. So I suppose that while too honest people are going to immigration for ritual humiliation scumbos are coming in and put as they like.
Its called immigration control.. not saying there not allowed back butsome needs to leave..whats been taking place is that even though employers are re-sponsering persons,some of the employers are doing so just to keep said persons in the territory. Some of the employers dont have any work for there workers to do, some of the employers workplace is distroyed and they have no temp. Set up shop.. while another set of employers have work for workers and also a place to operate out of.. there has to be a balance as it relates to immigration. Immigration allows the flow of persons entering and exiting which also helps to determin how a country should run. me personally, i feel if you serve no purpose.. allow them to leave and when we are back up and running they can always come back..
Ayu politician wants to control everything and it seem like ayu want to run the whole country downhill.. ayu better start to travel out of the bvi and take notice of whats going on in the world and also how other countries enforce their laws including immigration control and boarder protection. Mind you! Good!
All I know is that BVI has a serious problem with depopulation right now. Throwing out people who actively want to stay and make an economic contribution to the country just makes no sense at all.
After hurricane Irma I coordinated 2 helicopter medivac extractions on JVD with the USCG and US Navy and a supply drop with the Royal Navy. To be of service is an honour. Went to immigration last week and because I lost my job, 2 weeks to get out. Go figure that one!
This is sad and a bit ridiculous! @starwatchsailor, I am very sorry for this, just shameful!
So you not do this deed from your heart? Well.phoo on you. The devil has your reward.
Because locals need some of those jobs. Locals are loosing their jobs to. Look after your own first.
Job well done, BVI owes you nothing….bye!
Mehn i am sorry to hear that! And thank you for all you have done.
Just proves what we’ve said and thought all along and Andrew Fahie is right to highlight it again…the “No Direction Party” is no respecter of skilled expat’s and stands pretending to care but continues to allow them to endure a ridiculous immigration/work permit shambles…it will come back to bite as expats that are wanting to make a difference,earn an honest living will leave and not return. By enduring repeated difficulties that shows clearly the Government does not appreciate them they will continue to leave and the BVI will be poorer for it sadly…
Unfortunately I agree
These politicians are seriously pushing the envelope. Nothing is wrong with expats relocating until the Territory recovers. Why should everyone be allowed to remain when resources are sparse? When will Virgin Islanders become priority in this place? Stop playing politics with our future. Who don’t hear will feel. Let Immigration do their job.
At both the investment and innovation level and the tough and dirty jobs level, the BVI is absolutely dependent on ex pats for its prosperity. Do not kill the golden goose.
and vise versa
Some of the trust companies have moved to Cayman and Jersey. The government has “ temporarily” allowed them to create and administer BVI companies from abroad. If they dont want to come back the govt will have the choice of letting them contnue to do that or lose the revenue. I know which it will be.
BVI needs the expats more than ex pats need the BVI.
Agreed. That is why we are sendig some back! We are balancing our population. Some will stay some will go! Right now we are overpopulated.
I am an expatriate and I agree with the angle Fahie is tackling this problem from. Let us be more fair to expatriates that have been in the BVI for years and have now experienced hard times since Irma. We did not run away but stayed here to try to help to rebuild. Brining in so many new expatriates to do jobs that the ones being send out can do is crazy.
Although I am a local I must say that I agree with what Fahie is saying. We cannot take in more than we send out. We know who we have but we have no clue who we are getting especially knowing that we are getting in more than who is going out.
So Fahie playing dumb now?
The answer is because belongers are too damn proud. They think they can do it all (despite the woeful education provided), and want nobody’s help. When they reluctantly accept outside help, they treat people with disdain, just like the tourists who come to visit.
As a belonger I resent your ignorant generalized statement. Persons like you is who causes the strife and woes between expatriates and Belongers to get worse rather than better.
Nickname – you are spot on but your post won’t be popular as mine often aren’t but we got to tell it as it is ….
There’s no need for division in this matter. In every country there will be good and bad and the BVI is no different. Let’s address what we need to address and live together as one people.
You see this is the thing with these politicians they only focus on issues that can give them votes and favor why dont you speak about why the country is been hauled into 721 million debt and other issues that are over our heads.
The expat had planes from their governments coming for them why are u defending them if Immigration broke the law say so or it was the policy been enforced.
Just be quite. This is one of many questions that the man is asking the government. What you are talking about will also be asked so stop hating and learn to get the facts before you talk.
Politicians need to stop interfering and let laws be enforced. Which government in other jurisdictions break laws for the benefit of non nationals?
Politicians in the BVI get involved in everything. who on earth they were elected to protect.
Andrew need to get on the topic of why carrot bay has one way roads going towards Cane Garden Bay five months after the hurricane. Where is his district funds being spent
If you had come to the public meetings in the district you would have heard that the Ministry of Communication still can’t get the project started.
Das why we was to never leave so much come here in the first long and short.. now they feel because say we let them in so easy and we trying to control thw population we doing the wrong thing. Funny thing is the same VIP and NDP is who force immigratiom to allow people and now the same VIP and NDP realizing the place overpopulated and are being pressured by other countries, the expats aint realizing all ah this. Same ones cause the problem is the same ones that want to resolve their problems but coberig up playing pretense while throwing some under the bus..
ALL pay attention to all the likes or dislikes and see where the BVI is headed. I rest my case.