Low scores on cultural test unlikely to prevent Belongership — Penn
Chief Immigration Officer Ian Penn has revealed that low test scores are unlikely to prevent an applicant from being granted Belongership status in the territory.
Persons applying for Belongership are required to do a cultural test as well as be assessed using a points-based approach.
“Where persons score low on the cultural test, yes, it can be looked at that, you know, that person is in the territory for a long period of time and they don’t know anything about the territory. However, it is not outright a disqualifier because, as I said, it is part of a cumulative test from the point system,“ Penn told the Commission of Inquiry (COI) this week.
“We take the point system — the whole point system — into consideration. So the cultural test is part of the point system but [look at] … the cumulative points that are built up,” he added.
The Immigration Chief further explained that factors such as integration into society and whether any criminal or other offences have been committed are also considered as part of the assessment.
Applicants are required to submit a police record to determine whether there are any pending matters, Penn stated.
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But if you’re still waiting for your application to be processed, so what?
At the CoI it was clear that the belonger processing department is and always has been understaffed. The staff are good I am sure but overworked. They have always been understaffed – for decades. So recognise and fix the issue and produce a process to be proud of.
Mrs Cline does a great job, but she needs help. Fix this easy issue and move on.
love her to the moon and back
Hmm not the same one who was giving out i…… status.
None of them want to fly our flag…If you think i lie check inside their cars, jamaicans, santos, guyanese, dominicans, trinis etc and see wha flag they are flying
Son of the soil
While you are flying the American flag what about that. .
What belongers they want and they already from some place else? Just give their kids who born here end of story
How many Belongers know the meaning of “Vigilate“ which appears on our flag. Sadly, very few people I know understand it’s meaning. Inform yourself and share it with your neighbor!
How many people, regardless of status, know that it was a belonger who came up with “Vigilate” in the first place?
What does Vigilate mean? I would really like to know.
Money. Greed. Jealousy. And sad ignorance of their history, hence the lacking social integrity. Rebirth needed.
“factors such as integration into society and whether any criminal or other offences have been committed are also considered as part of the assessment” – yeah if you are a rapist you get approved
Let’s put all belongership applications on hold. I understand that there is a quota of 25 per year, we have long surpassed they. Only belongership by ancestry needs to be granted
tham man in charge there is not good humilate and descriminate people how the heck he got that possition? he needs to move out OUT!!
son of the soil nothing is wrong with flying the flag of your birth even if you are given status. Who’s flag do you want them to fly the British flay? you dont even have a flag of your own. when the BVI have their own flag i will be one of the first to fly it high because I am one of the person who strongly believe in self determination and know that the BVI is quite capable of handling it own affairs.
Im just saying that a lot of expat know or even work on projects here before some locals were born. How can they not know the bvi after living here for over 15 to 20 years. If you be fair to the expat they will humbly fly a bvi flag in their vehicles. Im am sure if you asked some locals the same questions you asking the applicant they will not answer everyone correctly.
What a joke some of them tak bout culture and afraid to look back at their past …. Not how you start it is how you finished Badminindn ss crippling the society and the church who should stand up and be counted
Some of us down Islander know more about the BVI history and culture than the indigenous BVIslander to prove it. I work with some who I had to tell the meaning of some of the holidays lol and they don’t know the name of the airport in Anegada lol some even don’t have a their own flag at home and I have 3 BVI flag and I am not from here lol
Unfortunately many locals would not be able to pass that simple test as simple as it is.
You are the end, now you want to invent another pod to try to block what by constitutional law touches you, stop being so resentful
If Orlando Smith and Andrew Fahie had listened to former officers Hill, Walters, Jennings, Smith, Donovan and Frett. The whole immigration status bs would havee been fixed but NO , they want to do what they want to satisfy the status quo and give criminals status. Poor we.
Sebastian I got news for you, many many Bvislanders don’t know the meaning of vigalate..
I see no fuss. To naturalized for US citizenship you will be give a serious of questions to study and on that day. Immigration officers are asking you at least 5 random questions. You failed that test, go reapply and pay those fees over again.
St Maarteen you have to learn Dutch by a reputable tutor, speak it for x amount of years and have to fill out your Dutch application in Dutch.
How can you want to belong to a nation and do not know some sort of history, customs, traditions, etc whether or not their are long forgotten….
People only want status to stop paying immigration fees.