Public meetings coming to discuss residency, Belongership
A series of public meetings will be launched as it pertains to discussions on residents obtaining Belonger status in the territory, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has stated.
Premier Wheatley indicated that these meetings are expected to occur before a planned review of the government’s policy on residency and belongership in September.
“So we want persons to to be aware of that and to come and to participate in those meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to develop a policy. We don’t have a properly developed policy,” the Premier told reporters at a press conference on Monday.
He added: “We did have one you could say like a policy statement that was found to be inconsistent with the law, you know, part of the reason why we’ve gotten into the challenge where we are.”
Existing law is nothing new
While encouraging persons to do their own research on the subject, Premier Wheatley noted that the law which currently exists has been in place for more than 20 years.
He further explained that this law was passed by a previous Virgin Islands Party administration under the Chief Ministership of the late Ralph T O’Neal.
Premier Wheatley added that the National Democratic Party government took power soon after that law was amended to where it is today. And instead of amending the law, it passed a policy.
But the Premier said residents were told on multiple occasions since the institution of that policy — most notably by the Complaints Commissioner, the late Elton Georges — that the law needed to be amended because the policy was inconsistent with the law.
“So the COI (Commission of Inquiry) has identified and the UK has insisted that the policy is inconsistent with the law,” Premier Wheatley said.
A rush of applications
In the meantime, the Premier said while the current law as it stands needs to be enforced, concerns have been raised about the territory being overwhelmed with applications and the likely socioeconomic impact of what he called a “rush of applications” for residency and Belonger status.
“So, I would say to you that it’s important for us to go through a process where we develop a proper policy and that policy must take into account a variety of factors,” the Premier said.
Among these factors, Premier Wheatley listed the BVI’s economy, its social infrastructure, physical infrastructure and educational infrastructure as being noteworthy.
“All of these [are] different types of areas that you must consider when you are growing your population,” he added. “And then we have to come to what I would say is a reasonable, a logical conclusion about how we move forward with residence and Belonger status in a way, in my view, that helps us to be stronger and better and more united as a people.”
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of residency and belonger applications going back to 1980 should cleared BEFORE any meetings take place.
Cap the number of individuals being given belonger status every year
Take a certain quota from each nationality … most productive
After every contract now given out let the individual leave the country and then return.
Work on those already here using those with most time Of service before leaving the country .
Give two years contract no family coming but let the individual get two free airfare home for the two years contract.
Increase the gratuity percentage
Very easy policy no need for increasing tension with this subject . Not healthy for the climate .
Our leaders do not think !!!
Well in my opinion the “rush of applications” will be in keeping with the number who to this date would have lawfully been able to apply if the law was being followed in the first place. So instead of having a steady inflow of applications the dishonesty of the past administrations has resulted in 20 years worth of applications being submitted all at the same time.
On the bright sided maybe this will nudge the government to upgrade infrastructure which should have been upgraded donkey years ago.
How could there be a backlog …didn’t Andrew Fahie clear that backlog back in December 2019????
more excuses to refuse worthy people of citizenship
God already set the pace he will fix the rest trust him and pray
the law as it is qualifies all persons residing here continously for not less than 10 years to apply for residency/belongership.It would be interesting to see how any Government can avoid a class action or an individual suit by any of them if they decide to intoduce any legislation that would tend to derogate from their current legitimate expectation that the current legislation gaves them.the eyes are watching ….we are vigilant and further say not!
My friends had to wait 27 and 28 years for their belongership to be granted – it was wicked.
The problem with this approach is that if any one raises anything which upsets the current immigration/labour control mechanism, under which the productive and tax paying members of this community live, they will be victimised. People know this, so we will only get the BVI party line, which is what needs fixing.
The Brits need to impose the changes to ensure that law abiding tax payers who have been here more than, say 5 years, get secure status and the vote. That is the only way the current corrupt system will change, and people feel able to invest in the Territory, where they live.
That should also reduce the chances of more waste and theft, which is why we have such poor infrastructure and education, despite the billions of Government revenue paid in since the 1980s.
Something has to be done…my wife got her belonger years after the 5 year period passed…not fair for people that are working with the outlined requirements
I know plenty people who were turned back from Immigration including myself when we took in our residency forms after 10 years. Yet Government Ministers were allowing persons to get through using their influence. It is very sad to see how it had to take the COI report to highlight this and action to be taken.
Yeah round them up and send them home,unless they have contributed selfless positivity to a better VI.