PLP Call For Comprehensive Immigration Reform
This “knee jerk reaction” shows that the “OBA is not a party that learns from their mistakes,” and the PLP “continues to call for joint comprehensive immigration reform rather than this piece meal approach,” Shadow Minister of Home Affairs Walter Roban said.
Mr Roban’s statement follows after the Government announced that they plan to make changes to the law to provide pathways to Permanent Residency and Bermuda status for some long-term residents.
The Government said they will amend the laws with changes to include any person who is ordinarily resident in Bermuda for 15 years becoming eligible to apply for permanent residency, and any permanent resident who is ordinarily resident in Bermuda for 20 years becoming eligible to apply for Bermudian status.
Chart provided by the Ministry:
In response to the announcement, Mr Roban said, “In typical OBA fashion, Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy announced revised Immigration Policy that would award status to residents who have been in Bermuda over 20 years, and award PRC’s to those that have resided in Bermuda for 15 years.
“This knee jerk reaction, likely in response to the defeat at the polls, and in contravention of their pre-election promises, shows that the OBA is not a party that learns from their mistakes, but rather one that seems intent on repeating their mistakes with the goal of securing long term power.
“The Progressive Labour Party continues to call for joint comprehensive immigration reform rather than this piece meal approach being employed by the OBA government.
“We have expressed our intention and desire to work with the OBA government in developing immigration policy going forward, yet they have refused to extend their hands in the spirit of collaboration.
“The constituents of Devonshire North Central voted solidly for Diallo Rabain, in repudiation of the OBA’s Bermudians last policies. Premier Dunkley, Minister Fahy, and the OBA government would do well to listen to the people when they speak.”
The intent of bringing this now is to get more OBA voters to offset PLP strength at this time.
Why not OBA run on this “Pathways to Status” platform in the next general election and, if they win, they can implement it as they would have earned to right to do so.
Yes. They really want all those votes. In Tuckers Town, Fairylands and Paget. That will almost certainly win them the next general election.
The PLP are about their interests…..not human rights.
If it does result in more OBA votes, that would be because the PLP have made it clear they would rather see them kept as second class citizens in this country, even though many will have been working and contributing here longer than most 1st time voters.
@ Walton Brown
Bie’ you’re a perfect example of, “the pot calling the kettle black”. (Get a life and cease attempting to cause problems!)
They use to tell MLK and Malcolm X the same thing.
The PLP were offered a seat in cabinet and refused it. They’re like whiny kids who change their mind every five minutes.
Exactly…They were offered a seat, they refused…THE PLP REFUSED A SEAT.
THE PLP REFUSED PARTICIPATION when offered.
Onion Juice your warped sense of things is the opposite of reality.
Exactly. They can’t complain about the OBA wanting to collaborate.
Excuse them for refusing…. The last time we were offered a seat, it ended up being on ship to be enslaved in the western world….wha ya dumb?
What are you, like ten years old?
Must be in the hundreds if he were on a slave ship.
You had a choice…
Marc Bean promised there would be no collaboration when he took leadership, why would Walton talking about collaboration when the PLP has already said they won’t work with th OBA???
No they didn’t ! Stop making things up.
Tell your Boss to call an election and see what the voters think of this oba idea.
Well, 2 days ago Mr. Bean said the voters rejected OBA policies… since yesterday, Bernews’ ongoing poll shows that out of nearly 1500 so far, 75% support this initiative. That’s more than there were voters at the polls the other day.
Its you OBA supporters that are most active online especially on the blogs so stop acting dumb like you dont know exactly how to interpret that figure. Christ any idiot can simply go off of the comments here to see its overwhelmingly an pro-OBA rant fest…
I’m not an OBA support, I hold no membership to either party… I just have zero desire to see this country slide backwards under the PLP’s promise to destroy our financial standing again. Too many are sacrificing as the OBA tries to fix the financial and economic desolation the PLP policies left us with, to make those sacrifices in vain by allowing the PLP take us back there again. Marc Bean, David Burt, Walton Brown, Zane DeSilva, Kim Wilson, etc… they all sat on the cabinets as financial rules and regulations were ignored. Marc Bean says he is cleaning house, but then says that it is PLP internal matters… except those internal matters have damaged or destroyed thousands on this island… he demands transparency from the OBA but offers none himself. All the while you cheerlead for them, praise them blindly… you demand accounting for the OBA, but none from the PLP… why… I mean, honestly, why???
I truly am fearful for Bermuda’s future bases on the disgusting comments on this blog. Blaming followers of the other party of acting the same way does NOT excuses such comments.
BOTH Political Parties have a lack of faith in the voter base on the Island. Reading these comments explains a lot to me why. After calls for transparency, the OBA Government attempted to update the people of Bermuda, but I believe they have now been worn down and are just getting on with it (damn if you do, damned if you don’t).
The PLP admitted the same in the past when they claimed to “having to deceive us”. A portion of our voter base is just clueless, and both Political Parties know this. So what we end up with? A half a$$ed political representation, and governing system.
Let me make it clear before the haters arrive, I am NOT affiliated with any party, I am a born Bermudian (many generations), I am black, in my mid-forties and have voted for BOTH of Bermuda’s current political parties.
With this I am ASHAMED at the way politics is progressing in my Island, and only fear with this unstable volatile environment, there will be NO WAY we as a country can attract much needed future investors or improved tourism.
I usually am an optimistic, but I, even have been worn down.
Keep this dirty political fight for power up, and all that will be left to rule will be ashes.
Best of luck Bermuda.
If that’s the new poll then tell sour Milk and his sheep to call the election. He should win against Bean and the boys.
Do you honestly think that Bermuda can afford another PLP Government? Look where the first one got us.
They will win the next election though. The bye elections indicate people are ready to vote in a party that couldn’t account for $800m and created a huge deficit that despite increased revenue and decreased spending (without redundancies) is still huge.
The PLP believe that new “status”voters would (pretty much) unanimously vote OBA (i think they are accurate in that belief)and that does include many from the Caribbean.
Did they ever ask themselves why the rest of planet earth black,white,other- educated and not so much and would likely never vote for them with their present policies and beliefs? Racism and other isms’ are used to explain but never ever ever a finger pointing back at themselves.
That is a PLP safe seat. It’s like the PLP hoping to win Smith’s South.
so you think all employers woul rather have no Bermudians working for them? Are you an expat?
Really PLP you are just smarting as the OBA beat you to the punch on this one. You would have had to do this had you remained in power.
Not with standing the above how awful to make a political inciteful issue over something whose basis is found in human rights and creates fairness for people of all walks of life that have contributed to what makes Bermuda special and great.
Please stop the rhetoric as you guys are really on the wrong side of this one
This does not speaks to equality which I believe was the foundation of the party when the great past leaders began it
Don’t forget your roots or it will come back to haunt you.
Keeping it real.
PLP had fourteen years to do this and did zilch. All you did was drive people out of our island by the thousand. You are completely useless and now you are moaning because somebody else is actually doing something. Boo Hoo.
It took 200+ years to end slavery … I would have thought that would have required some urgency also…but that’s in the past
Completely irrelevant.
It’s sad to think that any human being of any race would have thought Slavery was a good idea. However, we can not charge the past nor should we try and forget it. Nonetheless, we should take a look at the past, learn from it so that we do not repeat it. Unfortunately, some people in this country use it to fuel their own agendas and selfish need for power at any cost.
Many in this community have become historians, lecturers, authors and professors and are filled with knowledge on the subject of slavery and the past. However, they pretend that slavery was a European only idea, and conveniently pretends or dismiss the fact the Slavery was alive and well in many African countries well before the Europeans landed there. The saddest part is that many look the other way TODAY and do not acknowledge that slavery is still alive and well (30 MILLION PEOPLE+) in many parts of world ESPECIALLY in Africa.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/10/17/this-map-shows-where-the-worlds-30-million-slaves-live-there-are-60000-in-the-u-s/
A much better statement than Walton Brown’s embarrassing display.
Whats embarrassing is how blatant your pro-foreigners party’s “strategy” is for boosting its odds at the polls through the gifting of Bermudian voting rights to NONBERMUDIANS.
OBA is not pro foreign….That is one of the dumbest statements you have ever made, and you’ve made quite a few.
Everything that you people don’t agree with you consider dumb? I found that Ian’s statement rings the truth.. This is not new what the OBA are doing…something similar happened before.
Nah that’s not the dumbest…
Give your tiresome, xenophobic rantings rest, and think of the people actually affected by this proposal: many of whom, I’m sure, are your friends, neighbors, and colleagues; many of whom know no other country than Bermuda, have worked hard here all their lives, and love it as much as you do.
You’re not any more special than they are. Cool it with the rhetoric and scare tactics, and have some respect for your fellow man. It’s the Christian thing to do.
Maybe if the PLP had been more pro-foreigner, we would have the high rate of unemployment we now have. It took 3 to 4 times the number of foreign jobs to leave for us to loose the couple thousand local ones. Where most of the foreign jobs were in the IB sector, most of the local have been in the trades sectors… and that is because those foreign jobs created the higher demand on our local trades to renovate their offices and homes, and the homes of the locals that rents to them. So in order for us to get those couples thousand local jobs back, we are either going to need 3 – 4 times that in foreign jobs to return or for those couple thousand locals to retool themselves for the IB sector.
I didn’t decide to be born here. I didn’t decide who my parents were. I work hard. And I like to think that if someone else dedicates their life to making Bermuda a better place then we at least give them a shot at being able to live here. It’s not as though there’s a massive social safety net and we’re attracting unproductive people.
This isn’t a UK or Canadian problem where immigrants land on the shores and are entitled to benefits earned by the taxpayers. Anyone who has been here for 15-20 years is a productive member of society (work permits renewed, paid into payroll tax, etc).
The least we can do is be reasonable and provide a pathway to live here, which in many cases means young adults living in the country they grew up in. What I would like to see is an analysis showing numbers of people who would qualify.
And one more thing… declining population means we won’t be able to pay the pensions for our ferry operators, police officers, etc. The numbers are simple, we need more people paying into these social security systems.
Other than empty platitudes do the PLP have any specific immigration proposals? What exactly would the PLP do?
Please PLP publish your immigration reform policy so the community can read it. Do you have a policy? Anything? Maybe Status after 99 years?
If any exist, then, “bring it on!” It would be great for everyone to view…
No, the PLP have to talk about it in the media, then have 36 town halls bashing the OBA (each planted with key disruptors and hate stirrers), then claim to have a PLAN, a plan to plan a PLAN, more town halls, bashing the OBA.
The PLP are holding this country back. They have put us in mental chains, fueled by fear, divisiveness, extreme drama and bogeyman politics. Unlock those chains people and discover the real world.
Their position is to keep talking in circles so that no policy ever gets enacted. “Collaboration” is a convenient ruse to kick the can down the road.
In the meantime, while we sit down and enjoy Walton’s ivory tower comforts and have out college style seminar where we “talk, talk, talk”, more children are at risk of being yanked from Bermuda and more families are at risk of being torn apart.
We are all immigrants!
Born here or not…at some point…even our foilage…came here in bird poop….by golly!
I know it…
You know it…
Our gene pool needs new blood!
Now…if I were to add my two cents…I am of the opinion…we should be more selective in what genes we add to our illustrious (not),genealogy.
Oh yes…we could very easily make improvements….
We can no longer rely on Igor to fetch the brain…no…not after assisting Young Frankenstein with that A-B. Normal brain…and then dropping it!
No.. I’m thinking …perhaps some gene structure derived from genius…Einstein etc. .then perhaps cloning frommit!Don’t get me wrong procreation is great fun…we can still go through the motions…but at some point new blood is necessative…personally …I look for..pretty smile…plesant personality…and smart.. Like lady ga ga!
Hey Nabba jabba- you got your point across with some great well written funny-Salute my brother!
“Our gene pool needs new blood!”….. so true, but clearly it is too late for those who are unable to think for themselves and instead are led by the nose by the hate-mongers.
PLP calls for comprehensive immigration reform.
That’s exactly what they got yesterday.
Exactly. You can’t just enact comprehensive immigration reform in one fell swoop. It’s almost like a shock to the system. The Immigration Dept alone couldn’t keep up with the changes if you included status applications and work permit policy changes at the same time. No diss to the Dept at all. I just don’t see how those folks could process all these changes all at once.
Oh boy, this is going to be the noise item of the week. Lets have a meeting. Lets have a petition. Lets have a march.
How about we simply do what is reasonable & comply with what already exists with the rest of the civilised world?
You forgot the other alternative, “lets just riot!”
Remember there isn’t anything for him to loose…
I guess you’re stuck in the triangle drifting? Please fill us in as to which parts of the civilized world have their immigration set up the way our government proposes it to be set up. Also before you do please look at my post below so I don’t have to waste my time repeating it.
If you want to mention other countries please go ahead and I can bring evidence that you are wrong on those also.
Other government’s immigration plans are more comprehensive so why should we except one thrown together in such a loose manner? With our economy & society in the state it’s in we really need more than what’s been given.
Every country but North Korea.
But most importantly our competing BOTs – Cayman, BVI, Anguilla, Gibraltar, etc all do at various lengths.
Actually, I take back my comments. Bermuda, even with these new rules would STILL be out of line with the mainstream. They are still too strict.
Ask the local Caymanians how they feel about their liberal immigration policy…. They are miserable!
We’re talking to different Caymanians then.
Yea, you have to really dig for the ‘real’ ones….catch my drift?
Why does the PLP think that the OBA has to collaborate with them? The entire time the PLP was Govt they COMPLETELY ignored the Opposition OBA and any advice or ideas they had.
Remember when Alex Scott’s Independence Commission didn’t even have the decency to publish the UBP’s submissions when the final report came out?
Or the “we don’t care what you think” from the Lt. Col? So much for collaboration. The names may have changed but the mindset remains. These changes have also been necessary because the PLP amended the law without realizing the effect and created the pathway to status. Why should they have the answers now, but if the PLP want collaboration, publish the reforms they want so everyone can see them. Honesty and transparency works both ways.
These new rights won’t make Bermudian find jobs and think the number of people getting statusis, look around what ethnic do you see everywhere? If OBA and PLP will collaborate do it for Bermudians not for the ones w ho whine about the are poor
Mike Fayh said, “a failure to abide by baseline international human rights standards”
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/11/07/irish-skilled-trade-workers-feel-cheated-by-canadas-new-immigration-rules.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/10/28/nannies-migrants-ask-trudeau-to-end-work-permit-limits.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2015/11/21/grieving-dad-in-immigration-tug-of-war-in-wake-of-wifes-death.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2015/07/16/foreign-students-denied-work-permits-over-distance-learning.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/2015/04/02/temporary-foreign-worker-describes-his-fight-to-stay-in-canada.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2015/03/27/mass-ejection-of-temporary-foreign-workers-loomsmass-ejection-of-temporary-foreign-workers-looms.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/04/01/foreign-workers-warned-not-to-dodge-deportation.html
I’m currently in Canada in school for IT, I decided to go back to school in August. I have a full work visa without restrictions valid for the duration of my study visa. With the amount of time I have spent in school post secondary level in Canada I am eligible to apply for Permanent Residency as soon as I can demonstrate Canadian work experience. My program has a work experience tied to it so I can easily fulfill that requirement. After receiving PR as long as I am resident in Canada for 4 years worth of days in a 6 year period I can apply for Citizenship if a Canadian sponsors me.
Honestly not sure what to make of what you just posted.
It’s complete nonsense. It’s also not reflective of Canadian immigration policy. In any event, the new Liberal Government has promised to repeal some of the meaner aspects of the Conservatives’ immigration restrictive reforms from their time in office.
I was able to work in Canada for two years after graduating without any problem (though I was in Quebec where they had slightly different rules – but same general openness with French requirement superimposed).
I would recommend you check with CIC on that work visa of yours because it does have restrictions. Almost all employers need a LMIA in order to hire someone with a work visa.
I would be happy if OBA proposed a LMIA because that would make their plan truly comprehensive which it is not at the moment. This merged with the rest of the process described is suitable since you are eligible and nothing is guaranteed. There are thousands more that are eligible like you but not all will be excepted because there is a vetting process. If you do choose to go through the process you will find it is longer than you think and easier said than done. I know some who were in the same situation as you who are still waiting back in Bermuda because their visa expired and their PR application is still in process.
Thanks i took a quick read up on it, seems to be for applying for a work permit. I’m pretty sure the one I have is open but occupation restricted (don’t have my passport on me to check).
It seems I have a permit issued under the “Post-Graduation Work Permit Program” which you can have for the duration of a program of study, or you can apply for one within 90 of receiving notification from your school that you meet the requirements to graduate and you still have a valid study permit at the time of application. In my case my program is longer than two years which would make me eligible for a 3 year work permit. These work permits are coded with LMIA exemption code C43, and employers hiring holders of open work permits under PGWPP are exempt from LMIA.
Those stories all come from Canada. It is not representative of immigration policy from around the world.
They also stem from policies introduced by Stephen Harper’s Conservative Government which reversed decades of a Canadian consensus on open immigration policies. Many of their immigration policies were mean and spiteful, with challenges making their way to the Federal Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the UN Committee on Human Rights in Geneva.
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are now having to work extra hard to reverse 11 years of damaging and harmful policies grounded in nativist and exclusionary thinking: he has his worked cut out for him- http://www.cicnews.com/2015/10/canadian-immigration-liberals-win-election-106361.html and https://www.liberal.ca/liberals-unveil-new-plan-for-immigration-focused-on-family-reunification-middle-class-growth/. Sounds familiar?
However, if you REALLY want to compare to Canada, try reading section 5 of that Country’s Citizenship Act. Citizenship comes to PRCs who have lived in Canada for 4 of the 6 years preceding their application.
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-29/page-2.html#docCont
———————–
Grant of citizenship
5 (1) The Minister shall grant citizenship to any person who
(a) makes application for citizenship;
(b) is eighteen years of age or over;
(c) is a permanent resident within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, has, subject to the regulations, no unfulfilled conditions under that Act relating to his or her status as a permanent resident and has, since becoming a permanent resident,
(i) been physically present in Canada for at least 1,460 days during the six years immediately before the date of his or her application,
(ii) been physically present in Canada for at least 183 days during each of four calendar years that are fully or partially within the six years immediately before the date of his or her application, and
(iii) met any applicable requirement under the Income Tax Act to file a return of income in respect of four taxation years that are fully or partially within the six years immediately before the date of his or her application;
(c.1) intends, if granted citizenship,
(i) to continue to reside in Canada,
(ii) to enter into, or continue in, employment outside Canada in or with the Canadian Armed Forces, the federal public administration or the public service of a province, otherwise than as a locally engaged person, or
(iii) to reside with his or her spouse or common-law partner or parent, who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and is employed outside Canada in or with the Canadian Armed Forces, the federal public administration or the public service of a province, otherwise than as a locally engaged person;
(d) if under 65 years of age at the date of his or her application, has an adequate knowledge of one of the official languages of Canada;
(e) if under 65 years of age at the date of his or her application, demonstrates in one of the official languages of Canada that he or she has an adequate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship; and
(f) is not under a removal order and is not the subject of a declaration by the Governor in Council made pursuant to section 20.
I don’t think the issue is government’s plan of granting PRCs citizenship as they were here during Bermuda’s still prosperous period. It’s the plan to grant any permit holder who was here during the decline of economy that’s the issue. Thousands of these people are not part of the IB sector and should have been gone long ago but under PLP their permit kept being approved. If OBA is pointing out the mess ups of the PLP they should point out all not just the ones that suite their agenda. We need more job creators and many on permits that have been approved over and over again are not those type. I would rather OBA create an entrepreneurial path to citizenship with the stipulation of hiring a set number of Bermudians. Allowing others PR that are not job creators while many are still unemployed will allow for a decrease in available jobs. The mojarity of work permits in Canada require a LMIA and ours should also. The LMIA was not something created by the Harper administration and is not something the liberals plan on removing. The LMIA is something all parties agree is necessary.
So you are citing stories on policies from a Canadian government that was considered to be the most un-Canadian government to ever hold office… a former government that was heavily critize do for enacting such immigration policies and was just recently booted out at the polls.
Bipartisan and collaboration….new vocab now that they are the opposition again.
Get on with it OBA. Live or die on your record – as it should be.
Mr. Walter Brown and the PLP members who support his call for Civil Disobedience, no doubt will be calling upon the peoples of the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom to demonstrate by way of Civil Disobedience – as a result of all those Bermudians (many of whom were PLP Members) and previous Bermuda residents that have left Bermuda and taken up residence in their Countries (estimated to be between 5-6000, because of the actions and inactions of the PLP Government during their 14 years in power.
And paid zero in tax to obtain the free benefits many are now enjoying.
If the OBA agreed to do a comprehensive reform, I’m pretty certain the PLP would complain about that as well. We’d hear, ad nauseum, how Bermudians weren’t being put first, and how there wasn’t enough consultation, etc.
What the OBA are doing right now is not a bad thing. This is for people who’ve devoted a good part of their lives to this island. People who think of Bermuda as their home in ways no where else is. They’re sticking it out here while Bermudians are jumping the ship left foundering by the 14 years of PLP leadership.
We need a viable opposition. Please, please, please, PLP. Stop the kneejerk reactions. How hard would it be to say ‘Okay, this is a reasonable change to the immigration rules, but we feel further reform is necessary. This is what we believe should be done, and this is how we propose doing it.
It’s no help to anyone simply saying ‘Unfair. Unfair. Unfair.’ Offer alternatives. One’s that will benefit Bermuda and we can afford to enact.
They stuck it out here for 14 years because they were making money while others became unemployed.
Are they the ones who are going to make jobs for the unemployed Bermudians?
When does this start so OBA can prove their point about needing them?
How many people were here for these 14 years under PLP’s oh so xenophobic reign?
How did they survive PLP’s xenophobic wrath?
The PLP want ‘collaboration’ and ‘deliberation’ so they can delay the process as much as possible and hope no one notice that NOTHING is getting done.
Have you ever read Walton’s original motion in the House calling for the joint select committee? He wanted decisions to be made with a 2/3 majority. Ie, give the losing party the right to veto all govt policy.
In what country does that happen??
do you hear that? its the sound of the WAAAHHHHHHHmbulance
The vast majority of these ‘new’ Bermudians fit the OBA voting demographic.
I wonder if the OBA and their supporters would still do ‘the right thing’ if the vast majority fit the PLP voting demographic.
If the PLP wanted to, it could broaden its appeal to a wider part of the population.
How do you know they fit the OBA voting demographic? Do have details on all those to which this would apply? If not, stop making divisive comments.
Because we are not dumb… This is not a new event.. the UBP did it in the 60′s… Now because you change the name to OBA we are suppose to believe otherwise? A lot of shystiness has gone on in this country and still goes on today… I applaud people for speaking up on it!
Because the PLP has no interest in helping all Bermudians. It’s a tea party. The only thing the PLP stands for is that it hates foreigners and hates white people. That’s all it is – a one-dimensional hate party.
@flicked, You have no idea what you are talking about. You have no way at all of knowing what any of those people look like our where they are from. Plus as the Minister stated 680 something people have applied. That number alone cannot sway any election in favour of any political party. Get real.
I know exactly what I am talking about….the UBP did the same thing in the 1960s. 680 votes in a few marginal districts is more than enough to sway an election.
The OBA, their supporters, their paid political consultants and advisers would have examined the likely result this action. They know the original of these new Bermudians and their likely voting tendency.
We can play dumb, but we all know the truth. The majority of these new Bermudians are of European descent and most likely will not vote for the PLP. This is the reality…we can play dump all we like, but the reality does not change.
You’re asuming they won’t vote PLP. Why is that?
Because the PLP would rather see them kept as second class citizens, even though many will have been working and contributing here longer than most 1st time voters.
Maybe the PLP need to make their way into the 21st century and adapt their views to fit modern society for ALL not just a small segment of the island. Maybe then, just maybe they may find themselves with a larger voting demographic.
So much nonsense. Be careful what you wish for. First, Bermuda is hardly a desirable location for the mobile and wealthy. We cannot even get them to come as tourists, let alone choose to live here. Maybe sixty years ago, but those days are long, long gone. There’s no line up of potential evil-OBA voters to acquire Bermudian citizenship. People with a choice couldn’t care less about Bermuda, and with sitting opposition members calling for civil disobedience, it won’t be long before the international business community starts drifting to far, far greener pastures. Then the goose will really be cooked. This is a question of equity. People who have lived many, many years in Bermuda, because of family, because of employment must be entitled to status. This isn’t the United Arab Emirates where you can live and work a lifetime and still not be granted status. But in the UAE, there is a guaranteed income, (much less with the current price of oil…) and still, that is called inequitable by every nation. Minister Fahy is behaving honourably, and to the highest standard of international immigration practice.
Well said.
There was nobody living in Bermuda before the SV wrecked—
Let’s be like America with its open borders…
the people of Bermuda have learned from 14 years of PLP mistakes….never again
The unintended consequences of the UBP immigration policies resulted in 1977…and the Commission of the Pitt Report..
The OBA appears to going down the same road….
Also plp made us all slaves to their spending!
Indentured slaves…
They just don’t get it…
The OBA doesn’t work in a vacuum….they have in my opinion a professional team not reflective of Bermuda advising them… they operate like predictors… they spent all of last year conditioning the uneducated or weak minded educated, according to their manifesto “black man” that their birthright means nothing…..
now that many are convinced that it means nothing… ..they move it for the kill .
so when the argument is rightfully used that the birthright Bermudian should be considered when drafting the immigration policy for the jurisdiction….. it becomes mute to those blacks males who will most likely be effective most…cause they are convinced it has no value, so if some else wants it. let them have it..
the job is done….
The government wants to give away our land, provide job security and opportunity for foreigners at the expense of Bermudians.
These people have homes and rights wherever they come from .
Giving away our voting rights by allowing the base to be expanded.
Wish I could vote in their country
Most of these people live and enjoy a better standard of living in Bermuda that the
Average Bermudian.
What a scam
This gov’t is not protecting its people – And many expats who are gaining by this decision – tell me that.
FOOLS – FAhy -and S Richards (who should know better)
Thanks Senator Fahy for helping to rebuild the Bermuda economy so all Bermudians can benefit.
The money to pay for schools, hospital and Government as well as private sector jobs only comes from the foreign currency Bermuda earns from people choosing to locate here.
Restrictions don’t create jobs. People do.
Unless there is increased economic activity Bermuda will not be able to pay the $700,000 per day debt service.
Thanks also for your responsible action in respecting Bermuda’s international obligations under Human Rights conventions.
PLP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where is all De Money???????????????????????????
You have killed Tourism, You are trying to kill International Business,
BUT YOU HAVE KILLED MY COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ENOUGH OY YOUR RHETORIC…
After all these years, we still don’t understand that we reside here at Her Majesty’s pleasure. I hate bible quotes, but one rapidly comes to mind. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge”