Premier calls for immigration transition
The BVI must undergo an immigration transition if it is to properly address and overcome some of the residency and Belongership obstacles that it has continued to face over the years.
This is according to Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, who shared recently that the BVI has been functioning on a decades-old approach to its immigration policy.
However, Dr Wheatley explained that the population has expanded quite a bit since then and may have outgrown a strategy that was first adopted as far back as the 1970s.
Dr Wheatley pointed to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) review on the issue of Residency and Belongership that was conducted by Kedrick Malone and said residents will soon be able to participate in a series of meetings across the community as the government seeks to establish a new immigration policy.
“We understand now that there’s time to make a transition to ensure that persons who have been in the territory, they have their children in the territory… [that] we ensure that we’ve properly integrated persons who have served this community for a number of decades,” the Premier said.
According to Dr Wheatley, among those considerations is a number of young persons graduating from school and returning to the territory. They are expected to help in ensuring there is an adequately trained workforce which can take up opportunities in the community.
He added: “So all of these things would have to be discussed and considered in the context of an immigration policy and, of course, a labour policy as well, because both of them work together.”
However, Dr Wheatley cautioned that the conversation surrounding an immigration policy is one that needs to be had in a responsible way and not in a divisive and ugly way as has happened in the past.
“We have to have it in a way where we look out for the best interests of the people of the Virgin Islands,” he said.
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LIMIT WORKPERMITS…IMPLEMENT THE 7 YEAR EXIT PLAN
Poor people drain/burden the system and run-down all the countries worldwide
Interesting words. How about doing what’s right. It’s ridiculous that you have people here in this country for over 20 years with families who are still unable to get proper legal status. Ridiculous!
Do the right thing, and while you are at it, fix that problem with people who have birthed children here in the BVI and are unable to get birth certificates for their children.
Now, I don’t understand why this government and the ones in the past has to be always running around the islands holding meetings every time before it makes decisions. IMO, this is a terrible way to govern.
They were elected to do a job. IMO, they cannot do that job seeking the approval of everyone before they make decisions. As an elected government, they should have already have policy positions in place.
For God’s sake, have a backbone for once. Take a position, make a decision for once, and get on with it.
In doing so, it does not mean to suggest the community should not be consulted or informed about government decisions, no. It’s the manner of decision making that is wasting time and needless.
How about having a press conference to abreast the public of the government’s positions and inviting the public to give their feedback rather than running around the islands seeking approval for everything?
That is not the proper way to government. Nothing..nothing will get done with this approach, and when and if it is done, it will be some long needless drawn out process.
Do what’s right by these people who have been here for decades and are helping building this country.
That Order in Council hanging over the country’s head should not be removed until this matter is fully rectified among others.
Citizebship by Investnent
Or
Monaco Model
We have plenty data and evidence to conclude who is/ will be an asset and likewise who are proven and obvious burdensome and detrimental to worthwhile living in these VI.
Further creation of yet another one of several purgatories in the Caribbean simply for the purpose of fulfilling racial self hatred unworthiness and self destruction is pitiful and and insane.
Worse,is the habitual blaming the UK and Caucasians.
When considering this Immigration transition, perhaps look at what is happening in the state of Florida. Immigration laws were amped up and in a day construction sites were shut down. Mexicans were seen packing their cars and UHauls and moving out, either back to where they came from or to another state where Immigrants are more welcomed. Farmers are suffering, Lawn care companies, construction, etc. All those jobs that require being out in the heat and cold, sweating, working hard, back breaking work is not being done by Americans. So if we are worried about expats coming here and taking our jobs, consider the tpes of jobs, and are we training up locals to do construction work, not just calling themselves contractors. Can they cut bush? Are they going up on a roof or under a house to check on equipment? Are BVIslanders taking the Red Cross course for home care workers? When grannie needs 24 hour care who will do it? We say send them back after 7 years or after 20 years they should have no expectations. OK but did you put succession planning in place, do you have their replacements with locals doing the jobs? Thoughts to ponder Perhaps?
Your manager is at HMP
Start charging ,all the expatriates in government. Half of work permit including the police force, half of everything they are given free.
Let continue to build the government revenue.
‘immigration transition’ What does it mean???
A native Virgin Islander to the Nth generation
How does the government determine that there is no local capable of doing a particular job therefore a work permit should be granted for that job. After several years of renewing that work permit how can there still be no local capable of doing that same job?… I don’t think its right that we continue to just let anybody from anywhere skilled or unskilled just come here and stay forever till they feel they should have every privilege a bvislnder have in the BVI.
How can a people be so blind…coward if you ask me.
@hmm, you sound like one of those tolians that don’t like people, that s**t don’t stink. you all need to stop this dividing of the nations. who build road town back in the days? where all the work force in the bvi comes from. you want to work them out like donkeys then get rid of them. im sure if the US treat us that way all of the bvi landers that is in the US will have to come home. bvi moms running to the US to give birth just to have a US passport. what you need to do is stop spitting in the sky. you sound like a expat hater but im sure expats build what you living in and maintaining wit as well.
Charge yuh crusty foot them
Shut down immigratiom
@lucky…..you sounds real salty. Expat people go to the US to get children too and some of those children belong to tolian people too. Talk that.
I tired of hearing how expats built the BVI so therefore we should be forever grateful to them and continuously welcome any number of them into the BVI. Let’s be real these expats only here because we spend US currency and it much easier to get in here than into the United States to live permanently. The way these expats speak is as if they come here to do the BVI a favor or something so the least we can do is bend over backwards to our own detriment to make them feel comfortable. They already getting what they here for the BVI owes them nothing.
after making 5 years
U can apply a year after
Work is always around and new ppl can apply
If they that left choose to return they can apply again after 12 months
Tis is a big big world. There is no shortage of workers such as those we import from up island. Sooo we choosing quality of reputation and character.
My wife and I wanted to by a retirement home in the BVI. We want to live there full time. We have our own income and are not a burden to anyone. We just want to sit on the deck and watch sunsets in the sunset of our lives. But I’m not gonna plunk down all that money not to be able to live in my own home full time.
Immigration is racist and xenophobic, we have made the planet smaller with advances in transportation we can go anywhere now, we are citizens of the world. You in the BVI should be able to go anywhere, work anywhere, live anywhere. So we’re looking at Nevis, Dominica, Grenada and other places to invest, buy and contribute. I can purchase my citizen ship there and live there forever.
Not some the majority of them
You forgot to state, that expats get kids in the US as well, then head back Tortola.
Expats came to earn a living and thats a fact. In return they were able to build proper homes ..for themselves. Thanks to the BVI as well.
Hail up everyone their for me.
Expats are here very survival reasons.. they need to stop their nasty comments
My grandparents went yo St Thomas to work in the early 1940s as well, but back then persons were respectful unlike these expats who are coming to the BVI in recent years
We have to remember that we can only accommodate so many people and there has to be a way to manage that otherwise we face the issues that the US Virgin Islands have and we will be in bigger trouble. I think that it’s right to have a policy and to limit immigration. I also think stricter enforcement of training locals to do the work of expats is important. The system in cayman works well in this regard. I also think that 20 years is too long and that 10 years plus evidence of community involvement and investment, whether that is money, time, clean police record etc should be taken into account. If we are to allow growth we need to make sure that we are fostering the right kind and integrating persons who care about the country.
The bvi is too small for that. Give 5 year work permits for certain jobs and understanding must be done. Then that’s it. That will get rid of those 20 years talk.