Visa-free travel for Guyanese now in draft stage
Discussions concerning visa-free travel for Guyanese visiting and working in the BVI continue between the two countries, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley indicated last week.
“We’re in the draft stage of the memorandum of understanding. A draft has been sent to me for my feedback so I’ve taken a look at the draft and shortly we’ll be able to finalise that draft so it can then go on to Cabinet essentially to be agreed by Cabinet. So I would hesitate to share any details of it before it’s actually approved,” the Premier said.
He pointed to Guyana’s oil find and its economic transformation as factors which present tremendous economic opportunities for the Virgin Islands, including for its financial services sector.
While acknowledging that it makes sense to forge stronger ties with Guyana, Dr Wheatley said he has not been shy about having a pro-regional integration agenda and enjoys a very good relationship with Guyana’s president.
“We want to form stronger economic ties and links with nation-states in our region and Guyana, it’s only logical that we do that with Guyana. We have a strong diaspora of Guyanese here,” he added.
The Premier further suggested that it would be counterproductive to have a visa regime in place when seeking to strengthen economic cooperation between the BVI and another state, noting that this would restrict travel for tourism and business.
“We have to be realistic, if you want to form stronger relationships with the region, you cannot do that with visas,” stated Dr Wheatley.
Addressing the issue of visa restrictions for other Caribbean nations, Dr Wheatley contended that these should be treated on an individual basis and a determination should be made about whether they were still needed.
Deputy Premier and Labour Minister Lorna Smith explained last year that the issue of lifting the visa requirement for Guyanese visiting the territory was under active consideration by the government.
However, she explained that after researching visa requests over the previous two years from Guyanese citizens who wanted to visit the BVI, she was able to determine that refusals for those applications were negligible.
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Village boy preparing for independence !
Pls NO NO NOT NOW under this leadership.Pls.God take the reigns
They might not need a visa but they for sure will need a work permit. It’s crazy how on one hand they can be like we need more jobs for locals and on their other be pro immigration worker as if that doesn’t increase competition for work. It never ceases to amaze me BVI.
This is the problem. If someone is seeking a proper worker overseas it can cost them thousands, sometimes up to $5k just to get them here and run the risk of them not liking it or just leaving. Whereas if the local person is fit for the post they would get the job. This misconception that businesses only want outside employees is a farce. What businesses want is continuity and as bad as it sounds, having a worker on a permit gives certain businesses that level of continuity and consistency. A local worker can just not show up tomorrow and what can you do them? NOTHING! While your business fails. Is that fair?
I never there was anything wrong with someone working on a workers permit and anyone who works as an immigrant. Actually most of the people I worked with were immigrants. What I was saying is that the government said they wanted to create more jobs for locals, but weren’t acknowledging the fact that if you bring in more workers it creates more competition for locals. That is all I said. I don’t know how you turned that into whatever you just said.
The side ting cant be getting no trouble to come here yall need to be understanding.
PEOPLE WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND MARH NATALIO WHEATLEY OUT OF OFFICE HE IS TAKING THE BVI TO PLACES OF NO RETURN WE NEED TO STOP HIM NOW.
Why you didn’t march against the coach when he was legally selling belonger status calling it fast track.
More ease for poverty and criminal installation and the guaranteed sufferation for the peoples of these VI.
Vacation job interview go back return
Usd involved no need to worry shots usa embassy
There will be no jobs left here they coming with their skilled papers
Watch keep your eye snd ears out don’t say I didn’t tell u
Why do they want to lift visas now for strong economic ties? They will flood the place. Why was it there in the first place?
Look around. The Ghana people already here. They workers, they make babies, they babies now workers!
Might as well have some economic ties to this country to help BVI support these new people.
The Ghana people still all non-belongers, so don’t worry, Belogers still in charge!
Very stupid of you to say that.
We had value where ever we go.
Guyanese I don’t mind, but them damn JAMAICANS, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
United Kingdom lifted their visa Wavier and there is no problem,,So why there will Be an issue for Guyanese Citizens knowing the island is already know to Guyanese …..
This is so sad. They are not listening to the people. Why Guyanese the worst and most prejudice amongst us? They talk everything they see, they know it all, they think they are better than everyone else, they are fakes..I really thought they would first consider the Children under 17 who parent/s are already established in the BVI who needs a visa those kids from all nations will be first given visa free entry consideration for 2 months max to come spend time with their parents
We will come to your country soon lol if u can’t deal with it died with it
Really!!! This is Your attitude??? We don’t need ayo here. toooo much here already.
welcome to the bvi wild wild west vip need to go .
A lot of BVIlanders are just santo and PR ppl in disguise, thats where your great gran and your latino last name from. so why not? We need a lil dougla mix in it as well
@Lisa bvi Very stupid coment look at the size of the UK compair to the BVI.
Guyana rich with natural resources gold diamonds timber bauxite manganese etc.; and now oil and gas; so really do you subjects of the king think it matters?
All that and c they continue to be beggars and criminals. What they don’t have ,in general is good character. Without good character nothing good they are recipients of ongoing curses and bad Karma. There us no benefit from them worth the curses which they carry. Reciprocity is not in their DNA. Now usually good c time to encourage them to stay in their Guiana and migrate back to Guiana.
BVI needs a purge cleansing and espectable distance from most of these Caribbean countries and their destructive energies.c
No sorry keep ayo visa buddy we have all.
For the xenophobic people, If you didn’t know the UK gave Guyana visa free access and all theBritish overseas territories have the option to follow suit or not
Abi nah want come deh keep awyuh visa
PLEASE WHERE MOST OF THE BVI OLDER GENERATION WENT TO WORK AND PROVOID FOR THERE FAMILY WAS IN US AND SANTODOMINGO AND THE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM GIVE ALL THESE PEOPLE FROM SANTODOMINGO SO MUCH PROBLEM TO COME INTO THE BVI WITH ALL KIND OF RED TAPE. SO MANY PEOPLE FROM BVI LIVE DOWN THERE AND HAVE FAMILY DOWN THERE. CAN U GUYS TELL ME WHAT GUYANA DID FOR THE BVI PEOPL NONE OF OR OLDER GENERATION COULDNT GO THERE FOR WORK.I THINK THAT FORST CHOICE FOR VISA SHOULD BE THE COUNTRY WHERE OR GRAND FATHER AND GRAND MOTHER WENT AND WORK FOR A LIVING.NONSENSE.