Still no reviewer appointed for Belongership reform
After coming to an agreement with the United Kingdom (UK) government months ago on steps needed to address urgent Commission of Inquiry (COI)-recommended reforms in the territory, the two sides are yet to settle on someone responsible for overseeing one of the most controversial tasks.
Recommendation B33, arising from the COI report suggested that the Cabinet, including the governor, appoint a ‘suitable reviewer’ to address the concerns related to residency and belongership in the BVI.
“We have not yet appointed a reviewer. The governor and I have to agree on a reviewer … That hasn’t been done as yet. I hope that that will be done shortly,” Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley told reporters at a recent press conference.
In the COI report recommended that the review could be led by a senior public officer and said as part of that review, the position concerning the length of residence required before becoming eligible for Belongership based on tenure should be clarified and confirmed by statute.
The framework agreement for implementation of the COI recommendations stipulated that the review of the existing policy and processes for granting residency and belongership status should have begun by September 1.
A completed report by the reviewer is expected to be submitted by November 30 and this report is expected to presented to the governor and the Premier.
Premier Wheatley did not give any indication as to what may have led to the delay in arriving at a ‘suitable reviewer’ or whether he and the governor had arrived at an impasse over the situation.
After employing a policy for years of a 20-year residency requirement before Belongership applications can be considered, the government recently reversed this policy and committed to adopting a 10-year residency requirement instead; which is in line with what the existing law prescribes.
Cabinet, according to the agreement, is expected to approve and enact recommendations of the public officer-led review by January 31, 2023.
Meanwhile, Premier Wheatley, in a statement issued recently, noted that both the government and the governor have been guilty of lapses in meeting deadlines identified in the framework agreement.
Furthermore, Dr Wheatley has consistently argued that the status of belongership is not a right for migrant workers or others who have met the qualification to apply, but simply a privilege granted by the government.
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BVI immigration law stipulated a minimum of 10 yrs. residing in the BVI since the 1960’s. The illegal policy by the Immigration Dept. of 20 yrs. residing was the beginning of the corruption that infected the various BVI governments for the next 60+ years.
7 years max and they have to go back out and reapply
It’s good that this is being dealt with. Residency should be attained by way of 10 years being consistently resident in the BVI, no criminal record, gainfully employed/own a business, good character etc. The issue of Belongership is much more sensitive and should be properly considered. I think 10 years after attaining residency, persons should be eligible to apply for Belonger status if it’s based on time spent and by Marriage can remain at 5 years but with a proper system to weed out marriages of convenience. I think that persons residing for over 10 years should enjoy the luxury of being resident without the requirement of immigration time, that would help the economy etc. The BVI cannot give out Belonger Status to everyone living here for 10 years, the place is too small for that. Residency gives people a sense of being a part of and they work their way to the next level which is Belongership after that. Perhaps the term ‘Belonger’ may need to be looked at but otherwise it should not be granted to anyone lightly.
… but then no one would ever invest in the BVI! The economy would become stagnant.
So how come they are investing in Caymans where have the same laws?
If you allowed Belongership without the right to vote no one would give a hoot , the real problem is politicians of a certain group of families maintaining their grip on power by influencing the voting demographic and maintaining ill education among those who can vote.
Why is it ok for the Belonger to go to PR or St Thomas, drop their load there and it instantly becomes a citizen. Then when it becomes 18 it goes to the US for free school and welfare money. Never pays US taxes and then goes back to the BVI and becomes a politician or Civil Servant living off the government and again never paying US taxes. The Belonger complains of those who have every right to be a citizen in the BVI but never says shit about their illegal citizenship in the US. Such a disgusting and racist lot you all are.
Because that isn’t the law in Cayman. You can reside for 9 years but after 8, you can apply for permanent residency.
As far as I am concerned it should 30 years unless you are married to a Virgin Islander.
@Why, I don’t blame them for having their children in PR OR STT. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO GET A DECENT EDUCATION. PRE K TO 12TH GRADE AND GET A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE EDUCATION.
You sound like a damn stuttering ram goat begging the cat to share some of his CATNIP with you. I don’t blame anyone for going to Puerto Rico or ST. Thomas to give birth. Mother and children’s personal information is CONFIDENTIAL UNLIKE HERE. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE REFUSE TO ASK FOR SERVICES BECAUSE EVEN BEFORE THE CLIENT LEAVE THE AGENCY, YOUR NAME AND PERSONAL BUSINESS IS PUT OUT ON THE STREET. 5 YEARS AGO MY UNCLE WENT AND GOT A MARRIAGE LICENSE, THE HOUSE PHONE RANG, MOM ANSWER THE PHONE, THE CALLER SOMEONE THAT WORK FOR THE AGENCY SAID YOUR SON IS HERE LOOKING FOR MARRIAGE LICENSE.
You like another Wheatley. them appoint you yet?
That is only partly true! We all know many people seeking Belonger status are doing so for much more than just a vote, let’s cut the f**kry! Every small nation has a right to decide how it grants citizenship.
Why don’t you jail your wealthy politicians for stealing all the money that could have been used for providing education to your dumba** offspring. Ok for you to have US citizenship but no one should be citizens of the BVI. You want to keep the citizenship to a small racist group. That’s called apartheid and we all getting tired of the uppity negro.
It is quite obvious that you did not get the memorandum about when you make an assumption, you end up eating cat litter from the litter box. You stupid, lack of common sense dumb person sounds like the green eye monster sounds like you are jealous of the children that was born in the US. AND ANOTHER THING YOU DUMB ISLAND A**, BEFORE YOU REFER TO PEOPLES CHILDREN AS DUMDA** OFFSPRINGS, CHECK YOURS THAT WAS CONCEIVED AND PUPPED IN THE BUSH OKAYYYY.
Cayman actively seeks investors and nonworking residents and grants them immediate residency status.
stop lying about people having to just leave cayman after a few years. It is just not true. Not at all true.
perhaps the UK should send all of us back to Africa , and have us all REAPPLY then we will hear how racist they are ( song )
U gasso do it too
As expected. They welcomed the new applications to appease the uk with no intentions of processing them anytime soon. They’ll probably sit in some boxes somewhere for years with all this bureaucratic red tape. Finding loop hopes to continue breaking the law.