Fast-tracked Belongership scheme gets one-year audit deadline
An audit ordered into the previous administration’s fast-track initiative that granted Belongership and Residency status to select expats is expected to conclude at the end of June, 2023.
This is according to the deadline given in a proposal that was put forward by the government and accepted by UK Overseas Territories Minister, Amanda Milling.
The audit stems from recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report which was released several weeks ago.
The fast-track initiative was implemented under the previous Andrew Fahie-led Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration in 2019 to help alleviate a backlog of applications that had accumulated over the years.
In the report, COI Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom found, among other things, that the status which had largely been conferred to long-term residents, was done with limited information on the part of Cabinet members who were required to make the decisions.
Sir Gary recommended, therefore, that an audit be conducted by the Auditor General’s Office to explore the extent to which the statutory criteria were applied to the applications and by whom.
He also expected the audit to look into whether the executive government exercised any discretion in relation to the selection process and, if so, how it was exercised and whether any guidance or criteria were applied.
According to the COI report, the Auditor General’s Office is also expected to determine whether there were any inherent weaknesses in the fast-track scheme in relation to governance.
Shadow of doubt cast over ‘sacred gift’
Sir Gary said while he understood that such an audit may cause some successful applicants anxiety, the audit would not only be in the interest of good governance in such an important area of public life, but also in the interest of those successful applicants themselves.
Sir Gary pointed out that the “sacred gift“ of Belongership to which former Immigration Minister Vincent Wheatley alluded during COI proceedings last year, was in danger of being cast into a shadow of doubt by mistakes made during the process.
“It is vital for them that the ‘sacred gift’ that they have been given is not subject to any such shadow,“ Sir Gary said.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Revoke all of them
Yup, revoke them all. Start with the insurance man that’s here a few years, gets Belongership and doesn’t pay claims from Hurricane Irma. Not only revoke his Bekongership, revoke his insurance license for robbing the people and the government. He was and still is paying off politicians to go about his theft in business.
He wasnt part of the fast track scheme. He was much earlier.
@My take – Who are you? Some island version of Donald Trump?
(Donald Trump doesn’t not = a compliment)
Dear my take
I hope AMERICA take bake there’s from your badminded self I am from the west I don’t need a damn thing leave the people them alone.
Boy this VIP Government came in like a storm on this country. This scheme was put forward so that these people would vote yes in a referendum for Independence because most of them come from countries that are pro-independence. Imagine if this Government was running an independent BVI.
No wonder those leaders from OECS who are running independent countries and who themselves have question marks concerning the ethics of their Government are against UK Intervention.
People open your eyes. There are many persons here voting who don’t even have the status to do so and this is something both parties are guilty of allegedly.
So what will happen?
– Will they take away Belonger Status from those persons that had not been here for 20 years or more?
_ Plus take away Belonger status for the kids of those above, that are now working here? This REALLY is unfair as other people who legally got their Belonger status have kids that didn’t get status even though they have been here longer.
– If these “unlawful Belongers” have businesses will they have to pay catch up on their Trade Licenses as they got a reduced rate as a Belonger?
– And what will happen if these new “unlawful Belongers” bought land at reduced tax rates? Will they have to pay the extra percentage?
It was a fast track administration system to get rid of a huge backlog of jammed up applications.
It didnt fast track people past the ordinary rules of being a belonger. (Or if it did it was for a very tiny number ) There was the normal process of application forms , referees, 2 interviews etc. exactly as the usual process. No rules were changed . They just brought in a few more people to do those things to get rid of a big backlog of applications.
Only the example of the person trying to getting his son made a belonger when he was in jail in the USA really caused the COI to get interested in it.
We shouldnt get too excited about it.
Calm down. It’s an audit of the government to ensure that the programme was conducted properly and to improve standards going forward.
It didn’t mention anything about taking away anyone’s status and I would bet that won’t happen, unless their applications are found to be fraudulent or unlawful in some way, i.e., they had a criminal record or they hadn’t lived here for the required length of time.
But that’s the whole point. There’s a number of people that didn’t live here for the required number of years…..
Wow a lot of people are getting worried,get mine after 10 years of being married hmm
what everyone need to understand is that the present law is 10 yrs for belonger status and not 20 as is the policy. so I believe all those that get belonger status in the fast track has been living here 10 yrs and more.so no one has to worry about a thing. so all who jumping up keep on jumping up ain’t a thing going to happen to the fast track people because they all qualify.
AND YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT THE WHITE BOYS RACIST, / SO PLEASE ENLIGHTEN US , ISN’T THIS AN EXAMPLE OF (RACISM ❓) OR IS IT JUST PLAIN EVILNESS ? WITH A TOUCH OF ( BVI LUV ,) FOR FLAVOR ?
with the low level thinking, intellect and serving comments based on zero knowledge or insight.
Racism? Please. If some people knew how much they embarrass the intellect of the read and informed on a daily, they would refrain from posting comments.
How come blacks always get blame for the negative responses? A lot of blogings are worded to make it seems like it is the local blacks. Wize up people.
It would be good if all immigration processes have required deadlines and timeframes so that the backlog does not happen again.
Submit application for Residency – get a response within 2 weeks and finish processing in 2 months.
Submit application for Belongership – get a response in 1 month and finish processing in 3-4 months required.
If the government and the governor are serious they need to get former immigration officers G.Hill, C.Smith and L.Walters in on this Audit. Those three will tell the public the naked truth. Seize the time.