New draft immigration policy proposes 20-year Belongership wait
A new draft immigration policy released by the government yesterday suggests that persons must reside in the territory for 20 years before becoming eligible to apply for Belonger status.
The new policy mirrors a previous controversial National Democratic Party (NDP) government policy introduced decades ago that was found to be unlawful during the Commission of Inquiry (COI) process.
The new policy also suggests that applicants must be ordinarily resident in the territory for at least 10 years before becoming eligible to apply for permanent residence.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, in announcing the new draft policy, said his government released a new, clearer immigration policy and described it as a testament to a collective vision and commitment to the sustainable development of the territory.
Dr Wheatley urged the public to review the new policy and offer their feedback by the end of this week.
“The policy’s foundation is built on balance — balancing economic growth with cultural integration and social stability,” the Premier said. “It recognises the invaluable contributions of immigrants to our community, while also safeguarding the interests and heritage of Virgin Islanders. This policy proposes the length of time required to attain permanent residence and Belonger status.”
He shared that the policy asserts that years of residence is just one factor to be considered in granting status.
According to the Premier, prospective grantees must demonstrate a commitment and knowledge of the territory’s customs and history while meaningfully contributing to social cohesion and sustainable development.
Importantly, Premier Wheatley noted that the policy stipulates that guidelines will be published detailing the criteria upon which applicants will be considered.
An extract from the draft policy states: “A primary objective of this immigration reform process is to ensure that law and policy are harmonised in respect to the grant of residence and Belonger status in the Virgin Islands. A clear determination of the required length of time for permanent residence as well as Belonger status is necessary to properly administer a transparent, accountable process.”
The conclusion of the draft policy notes that it has been established through a rigorous, transparent, and collaborative process.
“Sir Gary Hickenbottom’s Commission of Inquiry Report, past reports of Auditor Generals, the review of Kedrick Malone, and stakeholder consultations have all played a role in establishing a policy that addresses challenges identified in the grant of Permanent Residence and Belonger status over a number of decades,” the policy’s conclusion says.
It added that socio-economic changes that occur rapidly will necessitate a regular review of the policy to ensure it remains fit for purpose and consistent with the national development objectives of the territory.
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It should be 35 years as 20 is too dam short
U right it should be 35 year because them stop Island people should not put them self with u all because them stop u all from go with u sisters and brother
Mr Anonymous, thats what you guys do at home. Is that why they move here?
U right it should be 35 year because them stop Island people should not put them self with u all because them stop u all from go with u sisters and brother
Is that not what you guys do at home?
If that is your view, why tolerate outsiders at all? Why even let anyone not born here? Do it like North Korea. Keep everyone and everything out.
35 years, When more developed countries it is 7yrs.
To much bad minded people in this place.
Xenophobia is REAL…
There’s people here who HAVE been residing in the BVI for THIRTY (30) years and can’t get any status. But,favoritism will come back to bite them in the @$$…..watch!
Please read, it says eligibility to APPLY! Applying doesn’t mean instant approval. Where else in the world are you given automatic approval when applying for any status, even if you qualify?
Did they even apply? I know people who cry fowl, but never even applied for anything.
Another thing, some of you are simply disrespectful and evil to this country, yet you want to be here.
Goodbye foreign direct investment. Good bye housing market. Good bye labour market. This has to be one of the most short sighted, xenophobic things this government has proposed yet.
Them just wicked
Foreign Direct Investment has been the worst thing to happen to several islands in the caribbean. while i dont agree with theGov on this, what your talking about is 10X more harmful.
Oh please, you are not making sense. Then do like some other places do and not grant belonger status at all. We can have an interim status without all the rights and priveleges of a Virgin Islander. I bet that would not work for you either. Just go HOME!
WTF are you worried about us for? We made the law let us deal with it and how OUR BVI will develop doing forward.
Let’s make this law ASAP. Let the entitlement STOP.
Please also make it retroactive:
It is very likely that it will be retroactive. I cannot imagine it being any other way.
Good for them
We the locals support this policy
Be Fair you sound very petty right about now-who helped build your hospital, your roads, your schools and started businesses here? Without them Syrians you will still be shopping at Tutu mall so just kool. People are free to migrate for whatever reasons they see fit, stop the bias.
LEIT US BRING BACK THE RULE/POLICY WHERE YOU HAVE TO EXIT AFTER 7 YEARS AND THEN RE-APPLY TO COME BACK.
Yes, as a born VIslander many generations support the maximum 7-year work permit across the entire spectrum. It is a privilege to be here not a right. Some may call it xenophobia but I call it national pride and patriotism. Who doesn’t like it ports are open and you are welcome to leave.
Welcome to the BVI, the most racist and xenophobic country on planet earth.
Suicidal
I’m in total agreement with this!
***** *****
****
MONACO MODEL
Population 36216 (1/27/24)
Immigrants approx 68%+ the population
World’s highest GDP
World’s longest Life Expectancy
0 Crime
0 Poverty
Crime will always exist when greed is so prominent in a territory. Let’s not act like all crimes done on the island are from immigrants. This island has no homeless people. So poverty isn’t bad. Take it from someone who grew up in the hood. Crime here seems bad but it also seems to have calmed down.
No homeless people, where are you living? Check at night how many people are sleeping in their cars parked at the beach, in large parking lots, and just as recently as the Festival grounds ticket booth.
Homeless people own cars in the BVI???
Who fool talk this nonsense?
Only 27% of the population owns cars according to census…
What this have to do with being a belonger in the first place
Outrageous! To think that a person has to spend 20 years of their lives living in this territory just to simple become eligible to apply for belonger status is ridiculous and unfair to all those persons who hope to obtain belonger status one day.
So much can happen in ones life over 20 years including death, and to have someone await this much time is just wrong and prejudicial.
The way life is, some of these people may literally die waiting.
Becoming eligible to apply is one thing, but what about the application process? How much longer once eligible would this government take to process eligible applications?
Seems to me that in order to become a belonger, it will take a lifetime.
This proposal stinks to high heavens. In my view, the government is trying to draw out as long as possible the process by which persons can become a belonger.
The entire notion of who is a belonger vs who is not is a divisive and discriminatory construct to begin. It have persons in government who apparently wish to actionize and maintain that xenophilic construct, and that is shameful.
The bottom line here as I see it is this:
This government, and many in this country don’t want people coming here period and inheriting anything.
All they want is to exploit their labor, pay them low wages, make it difficult for them to get birth certificates for their children who are born here, and just make it next to impossible for them to integrate into this society in any meaningful way.
The BVI has become a country of indentured servitude when it comes to many expatriates, and the sad irony is these policies are being created and advocated by blacks against their own kind…specifically our Caribbean brothers and sisters.
At one point in our history, we were indentured servants courtesy of our colonial master the U.K. Now, we have adopted their historical way of doing things in the way we treat expats many of whom look like us but just happen to be from other Caribbean islands. We have learned well.
I hope this proposal fails. In my view, it is an unconscionable and unfair proposal all designed with the intent to limit significantly those who can apply and become belongers in this country.
With this way of thinking, why should any of these people waste 20 years of their lives helping to develop a county that clearly does not value them or their families, and the contributions they make each day thru their hard work to make this country better?. Why should they?
The same mentality relative to belongership is the same mentality that has the government dragging it’s feet when it comes to implementing the COI Recommendations. I gather they will like 20 years too to implement those COI recommendations if they can get away with it.
This proposal if allowed to become law will be impactful in many negative ways as no human knowing they are not welcome in a country is going to put their best foot forward. The country will suffer because of it because it’s productivity will always be at a minimum.
There is a saying that black folks cannot be racist, but we certainly can be prejudicial in our actions and words.
We don’t have a leg to stand on when we point fingers at the U.K, and called them racist because we are doing some of the same things the U.K. is being accused of.
Shame on those who have sat down in their backrooms and come up with this unfair and wicked proposal. Yes..shame on you.
Go Home then.
I am home. Not all BVI Islanders think the same.
“Outrageous! To think that a person has to spend 20 years….”
Response !!!
You don’t have to spend 20 years…not even 20 minutes…,Helloooo
You are not confined nor incarcerated,,,helloo..
You have choice and choices..you do not have to staaaay..Bye,so long,farewell..YOGONE YET..WHA YO WAITIN ON …SHOO fly..stop buzzin
Get out of your entitled mindset. Telling someone to go home is no different than racist who tell Mexicans to go home. Y’all have become what you would hate to deal with. Congrats you were born in the BVI now what? You going to build a house but use immigrant workers. You live off the backs of immigrants and yet act as though they’re not worthy of the same benefits you have.
Go Home!! Even Biden about to close crack down on the borders. Be reasonable. People have to be in the emergency room for days, no rooms available. schools are overcrowded. the private schools sucks. Too much cars o the roads .. Go Home, if you don’t like the rules. You have that option. some of us don’t
America is totally different. Do you have 1k-2k people immigrating to your country illegally? No. 1m people a year immigrate illegally to the US yearly. Trying to compare 30k people to the US is sad. Yes of course people are coming to the BVI for work but none are doing so illegally. Some might stay too long yes of course. Rules are rules. But this whole idea that 35% of people living on the island should control everything is maddening. The US is 13% immigrate. The city I’m from is about 3m people. And becoming a citizen doesn’t take that long but you do need residence. Making people pay worker taxes and residency taxes is pretty bad. Yes the US is strict on entree if you aren’t an American but I’d say becoming a citizen is easier takes less time. Your culture is diversity one day you’ll realize that.
I feel yah truths. They are correct and worthy of recognition.
BVI locals have always been accomodating to everyone. But times and people have changed. There are now bad elements of humanity wanting to and are living amonst us.
Case in point: Years ago, a Grenadian c family, down on their finances, came and asked for help. Thye were welcomed in.
They got their own bedroom and access to all utilities free. They paid nothing.
Yes, they did pay by trying to get the land lord to put us (locals) out, after stealig everything valuable i owned.
Landlord said no. They did not like that and tried to kill me andmy family. God had his angel looking out for us so we survived.
Today, it we are well and alive. They have since gone back home and have met with tough times and sorrow.
Never try to kill those that try to help you. God will punish you sooner or later. They got punished early.
It will be difficult to ever try to halp an Eastern Caribbean person again.
So you put all immigrants into one box because you had one bad experience. Go outside have conversations with people. You’ll find out that most people you interact came from somewhere else or has had ancestors from somewhere else.
If we live off the backs of expats, what do y’all do to us?
People come and go. Lots of professionals should be aware of all the laws, rules and policies before they take the journey and if you do can’t that’ll be on him her.
This proposal (if that’s what it is is) flies the face of the COI. Good luck getting the Governor (after he sat down personally with Charlie the Kang). These ppl trying to get the constitution suspended
Great news!
These people making sure only a handful of bvislanders can hold elected office. Caribbean people wake up to this Xenophobic place. The fight is not against the UK the fight among black peoples.
Quality vs Quantity
Garrots are not quality human products as evidenced by the disdain of their presence East West North & South of Mother Earth including their birth countries which are putrid rejected globs as a result.
This island relies on immigrants. People act as though immigrants aren’t doing most of the construction on the island. The lack of awareness and elitism is no different than a white American. This just seems like another way to squeeze taxes from immigrants longer. Do better BVI.
Monaco too as well as other non Caribbean itty-bitty countries. Immigrants are not the problem. The problem is d usc e tnnent in selection and rules and laws.
Example…Monaco is o.78 square miles with a population of 36216,of which 68% of the population are immigrants..(only about 6% are ” locals”.)
However, Monaco is consistent with
O crime
0 poverty
World’s highest GDP
World’s longest life expectancy
Selectivity of human imports (immigrants and citizens) is key…Building with quality and compability is a must for success.
BVI,tiny and manageable, has chosen a selected immigrant and expanded permanent population inconsistent with a society conducive to family structure and value and with crime in its varied forms,as a cultural and seemingly indelible trait of these Newbies.
BVI a predictable failed Paradise, a contributor to the Caribbean island chain of Black failure.
Then maybe you should change the culture. Maybe get rid of sex shops. How long do you think people can reproduce when everyone is a cousin. At some point people need to realize that the BVI culture is its diversity. Too often people get married and cheat on their wives. The island relies so much of taxing workers and tourism yet immigrants are the problem. You’d never hear anyone here say tourism is a problem cause that’s the majority of governments income.
Tu no comprende
Those shops bars prostitutes etc are the culture of the immigrant population. Evidently,you are not familiar with BVIslanders and their culture…
Much like the immigrant revision of August Monday and jouvert,Joubert, skin and cat enterprise are not indigneous to our culture. We are better than that. It is unlikely to find a female BVlskander sitting at a bar for instance,
Recognize this immigration proposal as an attempt to reclaim portions of our culture which served us successfully.
The culture of the immigrant population yet it is allowed. And guess whose going to them… smh…
Not everyone is a cousin. Stop talking f**kery.
Yes of course not everyone is a cousin. But personally I am related to more then 60% of East End. I think the whole idea of keeping the island bloodline the same will only increase the likeability of it being more. BVI is at the point that it needs to embrace diversity rather then turn it away. Y’all are not white racist from the South telling Black people to go back to Africa. Do Better BVI.
Considering that at least 99.9% of the VI newly built prison is inhabited by immigrants and their children,their children toting weapons and drugsn school, occupying police forces from foreign countries now necessary, an extended moratorium should be granted or a nongranting for specific places.
Bvi needs to get serious and grasp whats left urgently.These people here mucking up are surrounded with plenty in their countries there is no urgency..we are simply throwing away our blessings and bringing a curse on this place.
Immigrants rely on the island as well. That US dollar SWEEEEEET!
@Local if you feel that way why don’t you leave?
Y’all are no different than white racist who live in America who wish to bar people of color from ever gaining any wealth or citizenship. New slave master mentality. 20 years is a long time. Keep treating humans like slaves and pray to god after I’m sure he’ll let you in heaven.
@I hope this proposal will be found unlawful too! Many of the Expects in the BVI don’t like any born BVI Islander so if you don’t like how things are going please leave, Becoming a citizens of any country is a privilege not a law. Most of you talk about how great your home is but you don’t want to leave the BVI as much as you hate it and the people. I have some good friends who are Expects black and white but you don’t hear them calling down the place like most of you, and you are the ones that want Belonger status. If you don’t like the law leave you don’t have to put in the 20 years.
If you don’t like the law leave you don’t have to put in the 20 years.
—————————————————
Nasty attitude. That is what you hope and what this government wish perhaps that some people will become frustrated and leave rather than wait.
Treat people right and they might just like you.
By the way, make no assumptions about me and where I am from.
I believe in fairness. I do not share the xenophilic views many of you espouse daily on this forum. I do not support this xenophilic proposal. By the way, I am not going anywhere.
Comments are invited by the end of the week?? That is a ridiculously short consultation period for some one to read this, do some research and put their comments together.
If I was cynical I’d suspect the Government of trying to railroad this through with no scrutiny. I’d be amazed if the Governor signs off on this and he shouldn’t.
The corruption we have had is only possible because the electorate is so small. There is no accountability for anything. It’s why we have so little to show for the billions of government expenditure since the 1980s.
Also, if you don’t have status you can be controlled much more easily by the few in power who have set up everything for their under the table benefit. That’s why so many people are exploited here.
You’d have to be retarded not to see through this…
The protection of the existence, lives, well being, growth, development and success must always take precedent to all others who wish to come, stay and partake of the society’s sustainable development of the territory…
Many will the BVI a more appitizng place to live, will come, and will refuse to leave, while viewing the local with contemptous and evil eyes..
Many wish, Black and white wish to completely disenfranchise us of our birth and human rights here.
It is because of these and ore reasons, including limited resources, that leaders must be vigilent in protecting the endangered local and his existence.
What are you protecting? Really think about it. This land god gave you. The bloodline that is slowing disappearing due to people leaving for the states? People trying to hold onto a fictionally existence where they can feel they’re better than someone else. Or bring more value to the land. Sad to see people who have never dealt with racism slowly turn into the racist they’ve heard about in the states. With a 64% immigrate population what would y’all really do if they weren’t here. Building your houses giving you groceries allow you to exist.
What are you protecting,you ask?
We are protecting what is ours, the Blessings of a Birthright during our time alloted on Earth. Maintaing a sanctity that many are not privileged and Blessed to know.
I cannot imagine being you,unwanted,lost, tolerated,empty and void of
roots, completely unnatural and pathetic in your attempt to mask your emptiness and envy.
I could never envy another man or woman. Birthright… Basically your right to exist on the land pay taxes to the land. A land we once came on boat to from another land. I could never be envious of someone who cares solely bout oneself while looking down on others. People complain bout corruption in government. Yet will stick one’s head so high in the sky that they can’t see anyone they’ve had interaction with one is or might be an immigrant.
Yes BVI Goverment. Keep poking the UK with yuh stick. I just waiting for yall to get bite.
Yall been asking for it.
Go Home!
Every single person in the territory and their generational ancestors came here from somewhere else, whether by choice or not. Thankfully we have thrived, but to what end? We believe in God, but can’t apply His teachings to our brothers and sisters wanting to share in some of our abundance?
Maybe it’s not right for someone to be here working an unskilled job for 20 years. But we need to ask why can’t we do it ourselves? We’re not better than anyone else. Get the new graduates into the workforce at entry level to learn about hard work before they demand jobs beyond their scope. Have apprenticeships so we give our youth knowledge to excel. There’s no reason we can’t use skilled expats to uplift our own, and yes, fill the gaps with those who can or will do a job. But please, make them feel welcome. Our population is too small for hate.
If you do the time then leave and seek a life elsewhere.
We only eight (8) fishes. Just not enough to go around.
No offense intended, but at some point controls must be put in place to protect us.
I am sure your leaders in your country would do the same for your country men.
And, if needed to go to your country to make a living, i too, would and will have to abide by the country’s laws. I certainlywould not be expecting preferential treatment above the local.
Just saying in simple words.
I wonder what the UN thinks of this?
Were they consulted beforehand?
I’ve read the Policy and… what is the point in residency if one will still need a work-permit? I thought residency would allow people to reside AND work in the territory…
I would also them to put a timeframe to review the applications.
@@BVI no you are not going anywhere because no matter how much you hate the BVI and the people of the BVI its better than you ever had, people like you have no self-respect.
I will agree, as long as twenty years, of continued residency, results in permanent Belongership status!
As I’ve said previously, if we do not want Belongership to include landownership, or the dictates on the amount of land purchased, then, it should be stipulated by law!
But, to have applicants, wait after twenty years of residency,to be told, they should wait even further, is WRONG, TOTALLY WRONG!
The policy makes sense. 10 years residency, 20 years belongership. To those who are talking about bye bye investment etc., that is just pure fearmongering. There are policies that address persons obtaining certain status based on their level of investment and/or involvement with commerce in the BVI. There are many people that won’t be satisfied unless they can come into the BVI and do what they want, when they want, how they want. For many outsiders the issue is that they cannot comprehend or stand how these brown island people could own so much of Paradise and those concerns are cloaked and disguised as concern for the BVI. Get over it, our policy is our policy! I think they also need to introduce 3 year work permits for certain categories of workers to ensure that we continue to attract qualified talent to the BVI and for ease of business operations, planning etc for commercial entities. Everywhere has rules and we cannot make everyone a ‘local’, it’s as simple as that. You are either a visitor, worker on permit, live 10 years become a resident or decide to make BVI your permanent home and after 20 years you become a belonger. I see nothing difficult about it.
I wonder what y’all would do if all immigrants stopped working for a week. The island heavily relies on immigrants and government believes it will always hold power over them. Go ahead and try and implement this policy. But remember whenever you go outside that you will most likely have to interact with an immigrant. The police force is filled with immigrants. Most companies have at least one immigrant working there. Basing your whole culture on protecting a bloodline that is slowing being changed diversity and people leaving. Maybe work on fixing the roads and improving the education within the island before you make it harder for people to belong. If you keep trying to make a divide then that divide will always exist.
You are an immigrant who seems to have two lenses by which you see things: envy and jealousy! Imagine we have rules at home and guests kicking up about the rules; well guess what leave if you cannot live by the rules.
We have been too slack in this place! A major loophole in labor & immigration is that there was not a proper tracking system of when people leave the Territory. So someone is on a work permit, leave to go live and work in another jurisdiction; being paid in that jurisdiction with the scam of living and working in the BVI. The Financial Services industry is a major culprit of this.
I agree with the 10yrs residence; 20 yrs Belonger Status. Work permit should be a maximum 7 yrs with renewal each year up to 7 yrs. Immigrants for some reason feel entitled that it should be automatic and indefinite. As for Labor and Immigration, get a COMPLIANCE arm in each department or it can be shared between both departments. You will be surprised by the amount of fraud and false statements in those work permit applications from fake qualifications, made up past workplaces and references. It would also help if officers are not taking alledged under-the-table fees for processing.
I urge fellow VIslanders to review the draft and make their thoughts known to the elected officials. We have no more time for being complacent with our internal affairs.
Yes I am an immigrant. But I also am 4th generation. Meaning my bloodline is deep. I’m related to Smith Rapsat Frett you name it. But even though I have cousin and a sister with a Belongers. My process to receive a Belongers seems to have taken a while. At this point just get rid of the entire process. You have actual bloodline to the island 4th 5th 6th generation bloodline, nah that’s not good enough. People act as though though they don’t have a single person in their family who would be an immigrant to the island even though they have a bloodline connected to the island. This is why so much property is being unused. Cause y’all let bloodlines die.
Well just prior to de updeislun folks, BVIsl anders went to St Thomas and we so glad happy for the 29 days we got to earn couple dollars. We owned our transportation …sail boats,and motor, boats..fish boats,,.we are ownership folks..always!!!
Yep 29 days was the longest we got and they would come in the middle of the night to get you if your name did not show up on the departure list on the 28th day out of St Thomas.
Bvislanders always had pride and dignity so we were not making bad blood doing things like these updeislun folks practice.,we good and always was good with the USVI and theUSA….lawd..just imagine..this BVI gone from 0 crime, having to populate itself with police from every where foreign and local because of these immigrants and they have the gall,gall, Cohones to get huffy because in many ways we have expressed disdain for their uncouth behaviour…what a ting!t!
Would the advocates of this new Belongership policy object to the UK legislating a similar time period for British Citizen status, ie, having to wait 20 years after the initial application.
In my World of reality, there are no BVIslanders I know or imagine that would be clamoring for UK citizenship if they didn’t have it,
As an Overseas territory, citizebship comes
with the package and but we are not going to I v the UK in droves or even daydreaming about such a venture in desperation to put food on their table and a roof over their head.
They trample and travel and would be doing just that without UK as they have done in the past..
UK did not make BVI a destination of employm ent and good living.
The people of the VI,yes VIslanders did it by themselves with their character sensibilities and hardwork. Mainly their human character which gave way to investors feeling and knowing that they and their property is safe and that we are not savages unlike some others demonstrated then and now unabated.
As a local I support this 100%. Next step is to stop issuing work permits for every little thing.
Goodluck with that.
Are they just re-stating what was said to be (ahem) illegal! in the first first? LOL
To be fair I feel like residency should be 10 years and belonger should be 15 years. This will make the process smoother and easier and will be less harsh on immigrants. I am an immigrant myself studied in the bvi from primary to college but yet I have never been granted an exemption. I would say that instead of fighting and saying make it 36 years and oh bring back old law to kick us out after 7 years and re apply it don’t make sense the bvi is so under developed I have so many ideas to make this place a better place but yet I can’t because oh I’m not from here. Locals here wanna make this place like North Korea and keep ppl out fine do that then stop going USVI and giving birth to kids, stop using flow and Digicel and only use cct, stop using first bank and banco as all these establishments are actually bought by us outsiders if we go away this place will be grounded and left with slow cct network and a bank that doesn’t issue visa debit cards and all these food places that yall like will be shut yall be left with yall fried plantain and rice and peas and I know the new gen can’t live based off rice and fried plantain and no access to good internet. So please people stop fighting each other and let’s work together to make this place better my country is far more advanced than this place but the reason I wanna be here is I see this beautiful place as my home and I wanna do something for this place and for it’s people but I can’t because my hands are tie
I will be like Jesus, 1
Earthly pleasures vainly call me;
I would be like Jesus;
Nothing worldly shall enthrall me;
I would be like Jesus.
Refrain
Be like Jesus, this my song,
In the home and in the throng;
Be like Jesus, all day long!
I would be like Jesus.
2
He has broken every fetter,
I would be like Jesus;
That my soul may serve Him better,
I would be like Jesus.
3
All the way from earth to glory,
I would be like Jesus;
Telling o’er and o’er the story,
I would be like Jesus.
4
That in Heaven He may meet me,
I would be like Jesus;
That His words �Well done� may greet me,
I would be like Jesus.
1
Earthly pleasures vainly call me;
I would be like Jesus;
Nothing worldly shall enthrall me;
I would be like Jesus.
Refrain
Be like Jesus, this my song,
In the home and in the throng;
Be like Jesus, all day long!
I would be like Jesus.
2
He has broken every fetter,
I would be like Jesus;
That my soul may serve Him better,
I would be like Jesus.
3
All the way from earth to glory,
I would be like Jesus;
Telling o’er and o’er the story,
I would be like Jesus.
4
That in Heaven He may meet me,
I would be like Jesus;
That His words �Well done� may greet me,
I would be like Jesus.
Just stop granting status. When people fed up just leave. Belonger status and Redudence and you cant find a dam job….Home is a very viable option.
A place I call home after living here for years with no status. I work, i pay my taxes, i abide by the law. BVI this saddens me your government cannot see further than the end of their noses. UK should STOP granting any type of residence and UK passports to BVI people and then you will see how it feels to be undervalued and under appreciated in a country many of us call home. If I was a voter I would be asking my government what is it that you are afraid of because your actions will do the opposite to what you say.
You come to the BVI to work I don’t think most of the people of the BVI have a problem with that, you talk about paying taxes no matter where you work you have to pay taxes. I know a lot of you that work under the table and don’t pay a cent tax. You want status in the BVI but at the same time you are building your house back home so as far as I can see you are using the BVI as a stepping stone. Most of you have bad things to say about the people of the BVI you see it on the blogs all the time and it gets worse every time this subject comes up. What the government should do is give the work permits for 5 years and after those 5 years you have to leave and reapply unless you have a business in the BVI and I don’t mean selling along the road side. The BVI is too small for this population growth, in a few years we will be the crime capital of the world. It’s a privilege to be here not a right you don’t have the right to be a citizen if you don’t like the laws of the BVI please feel free to leave.
@Anonymous the people of the BVI were building houses before you lot arrived in the BVI, the BVI will survive without you, people with a different mindset.
Yeah and my family built most of East End. But today the majority of construction workers are immigrants and the contractors Locals. But the people putting hammer to wall and doing most of the labor are immigrants. If you wish to change that then provide locals with construction jobs. From what I hear is that the youth don’t want those jobs. Being mad that immigrants are doing those jobs doesn’t make sense when this country has allowed it to get to this point. Y’all are way past the point of change when more then 1 out of 2 people are immigrant.
I wonder why every issue is always between expatriates and locals.
People migrate every day and this will continue until the end of the age. Locals leave peaceably with the foreigners among you. Life is very short.
There is but one and only one specific demographic immigrant group that is and has been a thorn upon arrival and continued presence. This has diminished the quality of life here in these VI.
My assumption is that they are tolerated because of an allegiance to the fact that they are Black and descendants of former slaves. The result has been a detriment to these VI socially financially and educationally.
This group is not vital nor has it ever been vital to the development of these VI. With or without them development would happen but with a better quality of life for all here,and less expenses. They are for the most part takers scammers beggars with no remorse nor expression of gratitude..but armed with a bizarre sense of entitlement
It is unfortunate and a disservice to our Government employees whose salary increments are years in arrears, resulting in a quality of life for them, below poverty while the vast numbers of incarcerted criminals who are consistently
of this group, they,the majority of the VI prison population, comfortably housed with amenities,in the now overcrowded VI prison, some for a lifetime.
A moratorium on Immigrants from some of these
offending Islands would be a relief financially and socially to these VI,
So immigrants from the DR?
DR Immigrants are Black and are descendants of former slaves!!!
As of Jan 27 2024,Jamaica has reported 65 murders.
US travel advisory upgraded to level 3
Today Feb is the start of the yearly Black History Month in these US.
As of Jan 27 2024,Jamaica has reported 65 murders.
US travel advisory upgraded to level 3
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Today Feb is the start of the yearly Black History Month in these US.
idiots, both sides feel they are more righteous than the other. Wahahaha!!
When you buy a house here you have to jump through so many hoops (police reports, letters from your employer and banks, show your financial statements, etc). Then you live here 10 years. Spend money, help others after Irma, become part of the community.
NOW you ask we fill out more forms and become a resident for another 10 years THEN fill out the same stupid forms and wait ‘for Cabnet’ to tell us we are a belonger?
It would be more efficient for the government to just tell us ‘We Don’t Want You Here’ before we spent so much money and emotions on this place.
This whole mess is insulting to the good people that you should be welcoming here as part of the community.