Opinion Column: ‘More Questions Than Answers’

January 27, 2014

[Opinion column written by Chris Famous] Let us take a few minutes to address the issue of commercial immigration in point form.

On Tuesday, January 14th the Ministry of Home Affairs hosted an information session on commercial immigration that left Bermudians with more questions than answers.

As Minister Fahy was hesitant to answer questions directly, the event was facilitated by Madeleine Sumption from the Migration Policy Institute.

She outlined various forms of commercial immigration. The obvious benefit of commercial immigration is inward investment. The cons of commercial immigration vary according to the type implemented and include:

  • Possibility of us losing our visa-free travel status
  • Investment being rescinded once citizenship granted
  • Increased housing costs – both rental and sales – when commercial immigration is attached to home purchases
  • Difficulty in validating that all requirements attached to the sale of citizenship are met
  • There are costs associated with the validation and monitoring.
  • The potential of corruption within government
  • Giving away the right to vote to an outsider who has no connection to Bermuda
  • Once citizenship given, it can’t be revoked
  • The risk of opening our boarders to criminals
  • If an investor is primarily focused on obtaining a passport but only can acquire it through an investment, there is the potential for not ensuring that an investment project is viable in their rush to get a citizenship.
  • UK will have to approve any schemes involving citizenship
  • No other jurisdiction has similar market conditions as ours and therefore there is no proven model for us to follow. The true pros & cons cannot be fully assessed prior to implementation as a result
  • As our industries are so limited to IB and Tourism, there is a real chance of us over-saturating the market and adversely impacting existing businesses
  • Possibility of outsiders buying up land and stockpiling to manipulate market prices

Ducking and weaving

As predicted, Minister Fahy ducked many questions from the audience including:-

  • Is this the best that OBA can offer?
  • How do we protect jobs for Bermudians, if we are increasing the number of persons that will have access to job opportunities?
  • How many citizenships are we prepared to sell?
  • Why would we be giving passports to people the US and UK will not give a visa?
  • We have many forms of commercial immigration already in Bermuda, why are we even considering adding the selling of citizenship to the mix?
  • How can we trust the OBA that this is not a done deal? Considering all the other broken promises?

As the types of commercial immigration are endless, so are the cons and the questions.

We therefore cannot have a national discussion on the topic without OBA first stating their establishing the parameters.

Landless Kittitians and Bermudians

Following this meeting, OBA MPs and supporters attempted to justify why we need commercial immigration. Perhaps the OBA need to talk to the people in St Kitts as commercial immigration has not benefitted the ordinary resident.

Prime real estate has been snapped up by Non-Kittitians, with land now priced at a level far beyond the reach of the ordinary citizens. Persons purchasing this real estate add very little to the economy, as they merely have this land as speculation for resale to other non-Kittitians.

As it stands now, nearly 40% of Bermudian land, is owned by non-Bermudians.

Ask yourselves these questions;

How many Bermudians can now afford to buy property in our island?

Do you wish to be able to buy property in your own island?

Does the OBA care about this wish of yours?

- Chris Famous

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Comments (22)

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  1. Jus' Sayin' says:

    For once I find myself agreeing with Mr. Famous. I think that we would be much better off giving status to PRCs & long term residents (for example), as their investment in Bermuda is more than just monetary.

    • Mazumbo says:

      The risk of opening our borders to criminals?
      How you think this Island was formed?
      LMAO

      • Hmmm says:

        Volcanic activity.

        • Mazumbo says:

          No when they would go to a high point on the Island ,start a big bon fire and then lure ships to get shipped wrecked and then loot the ship.
          Just a small part of our rich History.

        • Come Correct says:

          Lol Nice.

  2. Sandgrownan says:

    Who is Christopher Famous and why should we care what he thinks?

    • watching says:

      Wow…personal attacks…so mature.

      • swing voter says:

        it doesn’t make it right but yeah….I’ve heard it before under reverse circumstances and the behavior was never addressed….he gets a pass on this one as he’s a private citizen….and doesn’t hold public office

    • Mazumbo says:

      Does it matter who he is, what matters is what he is saying is right, factual and true.
      The problem is we expect to hear from notable figures who get paid for saying s–t, I endorse private citizen’s who don’t hold an office to speak the truth ,after all we pay taxes for some of these dreamers who don’t give a s–t about the average working Bermudian and have a hidden agenda for their Elite Foreign Investors.

  3. Sideliner says:

    These are serious cons linked to selling status & we, as a people, need to be forever mindful of the long-term implications for doing so.

  4. Take it Easy! says:

    I kind of agree with Mr. Famous. Its just sometimes he is a little bias when it come to certain things in the political field. Which makes me think he has his own personal agenda to follow. If u no what i mean.

    • hmmm says:

      a little biased…..nearly fell over, that was the understament of the year !

    • Mazumbo says:

      So what your saying is that even if someone is right you still have reservations because of political affiliation, color of skin, religious belief or what type of food they eat goes to show how warped people are.
      Just Pathetic.
      I guess you wouldn’t except the truth if it hit you in the head.

      • Hmmm says:

        Chris has said politics is a game of chess and he is playing it here. He is completely biased.. 100% for one political party Have you not followed his diatribes.

        What he says is intended to garner support, not help Bermuda.

  5. Stephen Thomson says:

    What I like about the OBA is that they are willing to “think outside the box”. Clearly, Bermuda is in dire need of this type of entrepreneurial thinking.
    Our population is aging. Virtually all countries have some form of immigration and path to citizenship. If we don’t figure out a way to grow our Bermudian population, our children are going to be unfairly burdened with funding our island and our debt with less tax payers….not to mention caring for a very large elderly population…us. PRC’s are the obvious portion of the population that have given 25 years of their life to our island. These are the people that have committed themselves to Bermuda and clearly deserve citizenship. This is an area that needs immediate consideration in the interest of Bermuda.

    • Tommy Chong says:

      While SOME of our population is ageing our schools are full of new citizens that will make up for the number of ageing ones. What I DISLIKE about the OBA is instead of coming up with ways to help our upcoming population better succeed their think tanks are all about assisting foreigners. Bermuda is already overpopulated & doesn’t need any help with increasing the population because procreation does that already.

  6. hmmm says:

    • “Is this the best that OBA can offer?”
    So the meeting was based on commercial immigration this question is irrelevant. It obviously has merit if you are asking for it’s ranking.

    • “How do we protect jobs for Bermudians, if we are increasing the number of persons that will have access to job opportunities?”

    The population is decreasing, have you not been following.

    • “How many citizenships are we prepared to sell?”

    The commercial immigration is being explored, questionnaires put out. Without knowing exactly what form it will take how can they answer that.

    • “Why would we be giving passports to people the US and UK will not give a visa?”

    Please rephrase this, not sure what this question is asking.

    • “We have many forms of commercial immigration already in
    Bermuda, why are we even considering adding the selling of citizenship to the mix?”

    Because it is an unexplored option that is achievable at low cost. Please list the other forms of commercial immigration so people are aware.

    • “How can we trust the OBA that this is not a done deal? Considering all the other broken promises?”

    Many people do trust the OBA. Please list all the broken promises…although this wouldn’t be the place to discuss things apart from the commercial immigration, if we address each concern will you then trust?

    Come on Chris… I, a member of the public had a stab at those, most are irrelevant to the meeting and I can see why they weren’t responded to in full expansive answers.

  7. swing voter says:

    A few words for Chris ….. remember Oprah?

  8. Unbelievebale says:

    This from a person who wasn’t even at the town hall meeting.

  9. Valirie Marcia Akinstall says:

    If we are looking at the forest to the trees, Bermuda cannot embark upon a viable commercial immigration policy WITHOUT the active engagement of the UK. Whether that be the Home Office and/or Foreign Ministry with the Governor representing the UK – period.

    You cannot issue Bermuda status WITHOUT issuing a Bermuda passport, and who owns the keys to the castle? Or, another way of saying it, who’s your daddy?

    The UK Government will restrict the issuing of UK passports exclusively to the UK. Goodbye Bermuda passports. Goodbye Bermuda’s privileges of issuing that passport to commercial immigrants.

    So, we give the appearance of a democratic process to convince the UK Government that this is an issue being propelled by the will of the people, it’s the people’s mandate. No, it’s an OBA mandate not supported by the major of Bermudians.

    To the Governor, there is a public resounding “NO” to this initiative, so please let the Home Office be transparently aware that it’s a forced initiative that could do irreparable harm if forced upon us, and it’s gathering lightening speed before your December 2014 deadline to issue all OTs’ passports from the UK exclusively.

    Why does the UK have such political and diplomatic power in Bermuda? Because it is their constitutional obligation and responsibility under the Bermuda Constitution Order 1968. And we did not need the expense of foreign consultants to tell us that.

    And Mr Famous, if individuals keep an open mind when reading your commentary they will be able to position their own thoughts, questions and even positive remarks, as proponents of OBA initiatives, into a more proportionally balanced and reasoned response.

    London, England

    • Susie Quattro says:

      Actually, there is a public resounding “yes” to this initiative. From people who want jobs created for Bermudians, anyway.

      • Valirie Marcia Akinstall says:

        Evidence, Susie?

        Saying yes to jobs, does NOT mean that the major of Bermudians are saying yes to commercial immigration.

        Show the evidence that the major of Bermudians have said yes to commercial immigration, Susie? Do you even know what is being offered to both parties, or you just don’t care as long as there are jobs on table?

        Even if the two, jobs for Bermuda status, are inexplicably linked there are other major factors that deeply concern Bermudians.

        London, England