Laws should be followed on Belongership, Governor says
Local laws addressing the matter of granting Belongership status should be followed and not treated arbitrarily, as has been done in the past, Governor John Rankin has suggested.
The Governor, in expressing his concerns on the matter, prefaced his statement by emphasising that he recognised that Belongership is a sensitive issue for many people within the territory – both for people who are Belongers, as well as those who wish to become Belongers.
He pointed out that the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report revealed that Belongership status was granted in 2011 to a group of individuals who never met the criteria.
“They were simply granted, it would appear, on the individual wish of ministers at the time; outside the regular processes. That shouldn’t happen,” Governor John Rankin said in a recent 284 Media interview.
Added to this, he said the COI found that in practice, the government has been operating a 20-year residency rule for most persons before they were made eligible for Belongership status.
According to Governor Rankin however, the law regarding Belongership status stipulates that there should be a 10-year residency rule before someone can be considered eligible for that status.
“The first thing we need to do is to apply the law properly and secondly we need to have transparent processes in place. Whatever the criteria are going forward so that we are transparent and people will know what procedures are, know how to apply for them and make sure that they’re applied objectively and fairly,“ the Governor said.
When asked whether there will be a definitive rule on the eligibility of persons who would have long since met the criteria for Belongership status, the Governor reiterated his stance about the issue’s sensitivity.
“The current law is 10 years eligibility for the situation of Belongership status and so long as that’s the current law, it must be applied. We must be a territory of the rule of law,” the Governor stated.
The COI report, he added, also recommends a review of the processes involved with the granting of Belongership status and the outcome of that review is being awaited.
Governor Rankin said this review lies within the ambit of the sitting government. However, Rankin said he believes the outcome should be fair and must be applied objectively without favoritism for any particular individual or group of individuals.
“Let’s see where we end up, but for the moment, the law is 10 years and that’s what should be applied,” he added.
Government has latitude in policymaking
Former Premier Dr D Orlando Smith previously argued that there was no disconnect between government’s 20 year residency rule and the text of the law.
According to Dr Smith, although the law said that a person may be granted a Belonger certificate if they have been ordinarily resident in the territory for a period of ‘not less than 10 years’, that term offered a degree of latitude to the government in making its own policy.
“It says “not less than“, so it could be 12, 13,“ Dr Smith reasoned at the time.
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is to end the whole belonger status by changing the relevant laws to eliminate all the discrimination against persons from other countries. Buying land or 10 years of residency in the BVI qualifies a person for permanent residency who can vote, buy more property, pay the same government fees, run multiple businesses, etc. Better to change the whole immigration system now rather than have the UN do it for the BVI later.
What ever happen to the law that after 4 years someone on work permit have to leave? What happen to the law that expats are not suppose to change jobs? If we are looking at laws we need to look at the entire picture. So please have a seat, as it might not work out in your favour.
What happened to the policy of persons on work permit leaving the territory to birth their children. These policies makes things far clearer.
Or locals birthing their babies elsewhere rather than the beautiful bvi
Nothing in the Labor Code 2010 about work permits being granted for a maximum period of 4 years.
Work permit holders have to leave the Territory to change jobs unless they have been in the Territory for a minimum of 5 years and in their current role for 3 years, this entitles them to a conditional permit to remain for up to three months between jobs.
These are the current rules, the entire picture for you.
Are you worried that someone else will do a proper job?
The so called laws you are referring does not exist. We cannot progress unless persons are able to speak intelligently.
hunm this man lie theres a lot of peple tittle still to belonger and they dont have it and those who are under even 5 years has belongers and residence investigate them pleas COI!!
Gvincent created a mess.
The issue of belongership is a serious one. The main purpose was to influence the elections , both parties are guilty of it. They need to be investigated and criminally charged.
Fahie and his government were relentless in going ahead with the fast track knowing they had independence and a referendum in mine. They did not mention this stance of independence on the election trail they deceived the people.
I have applied for Belonger status more than two years ago on the grounds of marriage. You can’t even call immigration to ask what is going on. Yet i know people who jump from residency to citizenship and belongership at the same time. the way government works is you got to give a lil frek to yuh friend in the office and it gone through fast. And if you dont have a friend in the office wait 10 years more 🙂
Change the law from 10 years to 20 years. Our land mass is only so big. Look at Switzerland and Monaco! Also put a cap on work permit time of 7 to 10 years! This idea of automatic renewal gives people a sense of entitlement which is wrong!
Monaco 15 yrs, Switzerland 10 years – both shorter than 20+ years in the BVI….
Monaco has a system of granting a provisional year , followed by 3 x 3 years , then a 10 year ” priviledged resident ” status. 21 years in all. At the end they have the same rights as the Monagasques ( the equivalent of Belongers ) The difference is, everything is recorded on computer, the path is the same for all, your ststus is recorded on your card.
You apply named yourself to write what comes out of your mouth. What are you entitled to? most likely u born US and coming here with your bull.
It is obvious you’re a work permit holder.
Don’t mind the noise, I am in agreement with you. They need to be a cap on work permit time. Guernsey is 4 years perhaps we should consider the same time limit.
The argument is not about the numbers allowed to come. That will always be restricted because we can only absorb so many.
Its about a messy and badly administered system where there is injustice everywhere.
We should be particular who we allow to come. A points system like in Australia would be good.
Bit If we do allow people to come and make their lives in BVI we cannot allow them to be treated like indentured slaves. Which is pretty much what they are at the moment.
In Hong Kong Permanency Residency is granted after 7 years, even after the UK left in 1997. BVI belongers can get a UK passport with no time limit so its if BVI UK terrority why cant UK people who worked and lived here over 10 years get a BVI passport? My friends from the UK had to wait for 27 and 28 years before they got their belongership. Yes 27 and 28 years (and they only got it only after Premier Fahie announced he wanted to reduce to 15 years). That’s a bit more than 10 years Dr. Smith.
Seems like beloger is the sweetest thing since slice bread. Some persons hate so much on the BVI but yet want that belonger and its beneftis so bad.. Aernt you a Belonger of your country..
20 years is perfect time if you are not a decendant.. how everybody going get belonger so..its a dot on the map for Good sake this infrastructure with one high school cant support too much belongership.
When you check on your application even if you are here for 20 years they asking you, how long you live here and you say :20 years they telling you that you just come. Even if the law says 10 years when your approve if it do approve you sure bet it will take 20 years or more to approve, you may be lucky it approve before you dead.
20 years minimum. We are already outnumbered.
So what is going to happen to those children who came here to live with their parents and went through the Primary and Secondary school system and are told that they are now eighteen? Immigration officials tell them they will have to get a work permit or leave the country. This is the height of wickedness. These children are eligible after the 10yrs. The Chief Immigration is an embarrassment …
Governor Rankin you need to the Hill man who used to work immigration about the Abuse of Belonger Status granted by the past governments, especially the Dam NDP Loafers.
Norris Turnbull you are the biggest LOAFERS gaining from the United States and belongs to the BVI bad mind akill you a**
Seems like I touch a dam nerve you ingrate.
In Hong Kong Permanency Residency is granted after 7 years, even after the UK left in 1997. BVI belongers can get a UK passport with no time limit so its if BVI UK terrority why cant UK people who worked and lived here over 10 years get a BVI passport? My friends from the UK had to wait for 27 and 28 years before they got their belongership. Yes 27 and 28 years (and they only got it only after Premier Fahie announced he wanted to reduce to 15 years). That’s a bit more than 10 years Dr. Smith.
If BVI goes independent from UK all those UK passports should be given back.
I DON’T UNDDERSTAND..IS BELONGER SO SWEET..WHY EVERYBODY WANT BELONGER SO…
I Am an expat I come I work make my money if I dont like it I leave and seek other ways.. why you all want the people them belonger so bad Dont we have belonger and passport from our own countries.. is either we wait or go home.. A lot of us talk so bad about this place but we well want the benefits of something that belongs to them..why dont we worry about what our homelands are doing, why is it we cant live in our own homelands and demand better from our governments. But we want to be here telling the BVI government what they should and shouldnt doo.. all this begging for a belonger is just shame shows that the bvi does have more to offer than our homelands. So just wait your turn if you so love it and want it. Im here I work and contribute and whenever I get it I get it.. whats the big deal belonger or not you still need education you still have to work for someone. Its a small little island how much people could get belonger so one high school in the place..when you over crowd the place the infrastructure won’t be able to keep up..bvi knows what they are doing the rules on this is for a reason.already already oversaturated with the same businesses as well salon barber shop stores etc…bars.
You are right must be a balance..
Those who dislikre your comments are those who know exactly what you mean. But dont care theyjust want belonger. THEY ARE NOT READING TO UNDERSTSND.