PLP: Suspend Applications, Work On Reform
The PLP have called on the Government to suspend all applications for Bermuda status that fall under section 20B, and work to produce a comprehensive immigration reform law.
Shadow Minister for Immigration and External Affairs Walton Brown was speaking this evening after the Opposition’s Bill seeking to amend the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1957 was defeated in the House of Assembly on Friday [June 6].
Saying that there are 1,878 Permanent Resident Certificate [PRC] holders, 1,237 spouses of PRCs and 2,960 children of PRCs, Mr. Brown said, “We have no doubt the OBA have shifted their policy with politics, elections and the vote clearly in their mind.
“We call on the OBA government to suspend all applications for Bermuda status that fall under section 20B of the Bermuda Immigration and Protection and Amendment Act 1956, hold to the policy that has been in place for 25 years and then work to produce a comprehensive immigration reform law and policy that takes into consideration the needs and wishes of Bermudians and those of our long term residents.”
Mr. Brown’s full statement is below:
The OBA government revealed a new position on Bermuda status grants in Parliament last Friday, which could allow thousands of status grants to be made within the next year.
Prior to the 2007 general election, UBP leader Michael Dunkley made a campaign promise to offer Bermudian status to 8,000 PRC holders.
In the run up to the 2012 general election:
- Mr. Richards stated: “Lie Number 1: The PLP say the OBA’s policy is to end term limits. The OBA policy…. is to suspend term limits for a period of two years.” Bernews June 22, 2012
- OBA deputy leader Michael Dunkley denied that the OBA would offer status to PRC holders
After winning the 2012 election, OBA Minister Fahy, a former UBP senator, undertook the following:
- Abolished term limits which were put in to protect Bermuda from non-Bermudians attempting to gain status
- Attempted to give the children of PRC holders the right to gain employment
- Introduced the pathways to citizenship for children of PRC holders
- Proposed commercial immigration
In July 2013 Ministers Dr Grant Gibbons and Trevor Moniz both denied that the OBA would ever grant Bermudian Status to PRC holders
In May 2014, the ruling by Chief Justice Kawaley presented a legal loophole for PRCs to obtain Bermuda status .
Understanding that this ruling could potentially allow for thousands of non-Bermudians gaining status, the PLP immediately presented a bill [PDF] to plug this loophole and ensure the law was aligned with what had been government policy for 25 years.
On June 6th, 2014 every OBA MP voted against this bill. Among the comments made during the debate:
MP Sylvan Richards: “We await further advice from the Queen’s Counsel and government advisors.”
Minister Shawn Crockwell: “The government is looking at this with a strategy.”
AG Trevor Moniz: “This economy needs more people…we are examining the possibility of commercial immigration.”
Minister Bob Richards: “We have to enact every strategy we can think of …commercial immigration….we need to increase demand for Bermuda property……our job isn’t to fix the Opposition’s glitch.”
MP Suzanne Houlshouser: “ This is purely about who can vote.”
Notably silent was Premier Dunkley, who failed to speak on this vital national issue.
Here are the number of residents who fall under PRC category:
- 1,878 PRCs
- 1,237 spouses of PRCs
- 2,960 Children of PRC
We have no doubt the OBA have shifted their policy with politics, elections and the vote clearly in their mind.
We call on the OBA government to suspend all applications for Bermuda status that fall under section 20B of the Bermuda Immigration and Protection and Amendment Act 1956, hold to the policy that has been in place for 25 years and then work to produce a comprehensive immigration reform law and policy that takes into consideration the needs and wishes of Bermudians and those of our long term residents.
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- Weekend Reports, Photos, Videos, Links & More | Bernews.com | June 9, 2014
- Video: Walton Brown On PRC Holders & Status | Bernews.com | June 10, 2014
more blah blah from the defunct and failed plp
Very thought-provoking and insightful response there “nuffin but nuffin”…
If all that is essentially gained is the right to vote which party is operating with vote clearly in mind?
These people are here…working..owning property…contributing to our society and economy. Why shouldnt they have their say via the vote?Opportunities are not being taken from Bermudians. That arguement is false and designed to mislead.
The right thing to do is provide status. The PLP doesn’t like it because they believe it affects them on election day. That is wrong.
The White Paper July 31st, 2001:
The ongoing debate and issues regarding “LONG-TERM RESIDENCES CONTINUES ON”
As far back as 2001 “THE WHITE PAPER OF 2001″ indicated The Minister of the day,(PLP) had made a serious effort to deal with the many complex and sensitive issues relating to Long Term Residents.
During those years the numbers touted by Government at the long term resident forums have been substantially reduced from a fear-mongering 3500 to 5000 applicants for Bermuda status to a more realistic approximation of 1500.
There were restrictive nature of categories for the granting of Bermuda status, particularly in the elector category which discriminates in favour British/Commonwealth nationals and against the Portuguese, which make up the second largest category of long term residents in Bermuda, and other nationals. The PLP addressed this concern which assisted in giving Portuguese persons long-term residence in Bermuda.
@Watching is correct in saying that “Nowhere has the PLP said that NO one should get status.” PLP are merely saying this matter requires careful review and revision.
In fact it was the PLP that actually gave the Portuguese some permanence in Bermuda by creating the PRC. The UBP/OBA were the ones who actually sent many Portuguese back to Azores. This is evident by the White Paper of 2001. It was PLP whom moved to provide a more stable long-term residence for the Portuguese population and others.
Recently, the loophole as outlined by the Judge, in the court case, requires careful review and revision. NO matter how one attempts to make a “LAW” bullet proof, there is always a possible loophole that lawyers find. Laws are also interpreted differently by many Legal Minds, and often they can find away around just about any law. Laws often require review and revisions.
The PLP are merely requesting that this matter be examine carefully, and that the long-term impact be evaluated. This is reasonable and fair. We must take a serious look at this matter and more so consider the long-term impact upon the society, social factors, land and economy. Keep pushing this forward !!
Watching is correct in saying that “Most PRC’s have status in another country, so they do have options. Plus the parents ALL knew status was not an option when they decided to come to Bermuda. No one is being hoodwinked when they were told they had no claim to status. This is known as a fact.” SO careful thought to all these matters has to be considered.
Since this debate keeps coming back to haunt Bermuda, a comprehensive immigration review is a must moving forward.
Bermuda must take time to consider a “Comprehensive immigration reform law and policy that takes into consideration the needs and wishes of Bermudians and those of our long term residents.” Any country thinking in logic sense would do just that !!
This matter must be looked upon in an intelligent way, and not emotional way.
Why dont you debate the points made or respond in a mature manner, or is that too hard for you.. I here over and over again how the PLP is full of hate and hate filled comments, but whenever political matters are discussed, we have the same UBP/OBA posters posting childish immature comments.
If you don’t support the PLP, thats fine, you have the freedom of choice, but is it too hard for some of you to comment without attacking???????
edit,, hear
That same UBP you keep bringing up NEVER and I say NEVER put in any sort debt certainly not like the PLP has us in, always a balance or plus budget so keep bring up what the UBP did to us, NO DEBT in fact when the PTP (PLP) took over the country had a very plus account as I recall.
Really, we are in more debt under the UBPoba government in less than 6 months, while it took the PLP 14 long years. We have also had our credit ratings lowered 4 times under the UBPoba. The UBPoba has also increased our debt ceiling levels, higher than the PLP has ever done. I think there a lot of details your over looking…Lets be honest in our debate now…..but keep up the spin…
Approve them all, get the vote anyway you can…Plop fornicated in the trees so what’s the difference! We cannot go backwards!
Here is my real life story:
I was born in Bermuda, together with my two siblings, to two hard working Portuguese parents. I recall it being difficult for my parents to make ends meet while we were growing up, but they stayed at it, saving their hard earned money to give each of their children the best opportunity to succeed. Fast forward 45 years – both of my parents are PRC holders, but shamefully they are still without status. This is despite all of their contributions to society. Us three siblings are each Bermudian, having successfully gone through the application process after demonstrating that we’ve met the eligibility requirements.
So where does that leave my parents? I would suggest that they are only but a statistic in this over-exaggerated waste of time and effort.
I encourage anyone genuinely interested in this topic to look a bit further into the numbers. What are they really saying?
If you have 1878 PRCs, and two of them are my parents, then are they being double counted as a spouse of a PRC in adding on 1,237 PRC spouses potentially impacted?
And their three children, are they being counted as three children of PRCs that are also potentially impacted?
On this basis, the stats would suggest we are 7 immigrants looking to get status… when in fact there are only 2.
Just a little food for thought.
Do what’s right Bermuda! These same PRCs have been contributing to Bermuda just as much as any other hard working individual over that period of time. It is a shame to continue to deny them the privilege of calling them Bermudian.
This is NOT commercial immigration. So please don’t confuse the two.
Thank you for sharing this, and let me assure you that all Bermudians who believe in true equal rights are behind you, and would support your family’s claim. The PLP however have left behind the harsh true nature of what equal rights demands, for the easier notion to sell of protectionism. I have been listening to them for the better part of 2 decades, and in that time, what they have been saying has become less and less focused on the country and more about the votes. Their election rallies focus less on appealing to minds, and more about targeting their followers emotions. Stirring their emotions about the past, so to have a potential influx of voters who’s past is not emotionally compatible with theirs, in some cases conflicts, has concern amongst their ranks. They believe that this citizenship influx will balance the scales out of their favour, and quite possibly so, it will have an impact on this country. But it is the right thing to do, for those who have contributed so much of their life to Bermuda. How can anyone who has spent their life working in this country be any less Bermudian than someone who got their right o vote, because of the random chance of who they were born to.
@Ricardo Cardoso
You and your family are experiencing in your face the STENCH Racism in its purest unadulterated form.
The day will never come , when the people of different nationalities; ethnic and religious back grounds of this divided planet being motivated by Money; Greed; lust; Power; Possessions and Hate will never ever learn to just to get along with one another.
Would think that we would know better or is it the national past time.
Makes you kind of wonder why this country is experiencing hard times, as the Cannons roar.
May be one day they will all put down the sword and pick up the pen.
sad but true as the fox eats the chickens
Celebrate INTERNATIONAL DAY.
Why shouldn’t they get status? Because you the perception they will vote a certain way? The fact that they have been here for so long, some even born and raised here it only seems right that they should be allowed to be on a path to status.
That’s exactly it. Remember, when Bermudian politicians talk of ‘status’ what they are really talking about are ‘votes’. The PLP thinks that most people who stand to be granted status look a certain way, and will therefore all vote a certain way too. That is why status is their ‘red line’, even if only some of them are honest enough to admit it.
LET ME BE BLUNT
IF YOU ARE BORN HERE YOU ARE BERMUDIAN BY BIRTH RIGHT or a “British overseas territorial citizen” take your pick.
But does birth right mean you have earned the right to be Bermudian more than someone who has contributed for over 25 years. The notion of entitlement is a weakness, it does nothing to advance or improve society or community.
Not in all cases, I was born, lived, & educated here.
a bit of my history…..
My Great Grandfather worked & lived here had his status. my Grandmother was Bermudian by birth & at an early age was taken back to Azores( due to family illness), once she was married with small children she & my Grandfather travelled back to Bermuda, when my Mother was 3 years old.
My Grandparents were never told that her children had status, so they applied like everyone else for work permits. My Mother didn’t find out until I was born that she was titled “Bermudian”. for years paid for work permits
. As I was born after the fact my Mother got her Status. I was deemed of no country until I was 18 years old, I was a child no nation until then. I don’t have no clue or have any idea what Azores looks like other then a vacation when I was 7. Bermuda has been my only home.
I have lost many of my family & friends due to shady immigration changes, laws. I feel the ones that have put in the many year in to this country & only have PRC are being treated unjust.
PLP
saying “SUSPEND HUMAN RIGHTS!”
No!
“OBA Standing strong for human rights:)
Mr. Brown please provide full list of all the present and past PLP MP’s, Branch Chairmen, Senators and Party Executives that hold or have held St. Kitts citizenship.
Don’t forget, Bahamian, Jamaican, US… They don’t let the fact that would happily hold citizenship in other countries keep them from preventing other people to hold citizenship in our own
The Progressive Labour Party today as well as while under the leadership of Dr. Ewart Brown & associates. They’re all described perfectly by this statement once given by the late President Ronald Reagan: “The Govt. is like a baby’s alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other”.
Just stop the fullishness!!!! PLP and OBA just keep using this PRC BS to rope in votes! Give these PRC what they’ve been waiting for for countless year and cut the crap!
There is no way that amount of p.r.c. Holders…stop fooling the people with these numbers and do the RIGHT thing ..
Here’s an idea, how about more people that is able to buy homes and can finally say they are Bermudian, Same people that have been on this island for 20 plus years…….Now these people will be able to buys home and help to revive this island. Guess your hate is to blind to see this. It is a non issue and PLP is not fooling anyone. It is not like these HUMANS stepped of the plane last night and is applying for status. They Helped developed this island, BORN!!!!!! on this island, here went school here in all levels, and you AHOLES want to treat them as second class citizens cause the sad truth is that you are so out of touch with that group that they will never vote for you. That is the all of it, So PLP makes it like its the end of the world and that thousands of people is going to step of a plane, while the truth is that they where here all along.
What a dog’s breakfast of a press release, and issued by the supposed intellectual of the party at that. A few things:
1. At no point during the 2007 election did Dunkley or the UBP promise to ‘offer status to 8000 PRC holders’. That was an outright lie then, and remains so today. What a pity that Mr Brown, who makes so much of his own supposed integrity, would choose to resurrect it.
2. Fahy never attempted to give children of PRC holders the right to employment. That was one proposal in a report by the Work Permit Stakeholders Group, which itself was formed by PLP Minister Patrice Minors, but completed its work under the OBA. The Minister did not adopt that recommendation, and never once expressed support for it. So another lie from Brown.
3. The Junior Minister said on Friday that about 1500 might be affected by this loophole, yet Brown continues to inflate the number in his scare-mongering.
4. The press release calls on Government to suspend all applications for status under s. 20B. Yet that is precisely what it said on Friday that it has done.
Come correct next time Brown.
Also let’s not forget that this is under debate right now because this loophole was created under the PLP.
It’s all very unfortunate, but the PLP have none but themselves to blame. They are a party full of lawyers yet they were obviously not thoroughly checking the wording of their own legislation.
To stand up in indignation now and blame their opponents is disingenuous and unproductive.
What loophole.?
Exactly – it’s not a loophole.
June 8th 19:51pm. ref. to O’Brien: “I have known a vast quantity of nonsense talked about bad men not looking you in the face. Don’t trust that conventional idea. Dishonesty will stare honesty out of countenance, any day, any week, if there is anything to be got by it” – Charles Dickens, novelist(1812 – 1870)
Typo: 10:51pm and not 19:51pm
Would you rather the Opposition just sit there and let the government continue to lie to the population repeatedly without holding them accountable??? I guess so,,
Read O’Brien above with respect to whose lying.
they said blah blah blah about jetgate as well..
how did that turn out?
The OBA clearly have some plan afoot . and once again have broken a pre campaign pledge to suit their own needs.
Yes, their plan of having the PLP screw up their own legislation is working perfectly. Face it, the PLP gave these people the right to gain status and given how much time they have spent here, contributing to our country, they should be welcome to it.
Like the PLP EVER followed through on all their election promises during their 14 year reign of terror (e.g. Bermuda College free – then they pulled it). Remember when Paula Cox said our economy was recovering….liar….the list is almost endless
It is the right thing to do….simple plan.
CF – explain why it is the wrong thing to do.
Why do Walton Brown’s numbers relating to PRC’s differ so much from the numbers that Sylvan Richard’s mentioned in the House on Friday?
What will the PLP do after the PRC’s are likely given status and have the right to vote in the next election? They seem to be assuming that those PRC’s will not be voting for the PLP for some reason. At this point with this unexpected twist in events the PLP should be starting to court this significant group of potential voters that will seemingly be up for grabs next time. At the moment they aren’t exactly doing that, more so the complete opposite. Maybe the PLP have done enough research to have determined that the vast majority would never vote PLP anyway, based on utterances through the years.
In typical PLP fashion, they would have the OBA suspend a persons legal rights because they made a mistake. This is a human rights issue, they put the law on the books, to then say to someone, you are not allowed to do something the law says they can do is a violation of their rights. To tell someone they cannot apply for something they have the legal right to is illegal. The PLP gave these people the right to gain Bermudian status, if they didn’t want to, perhaps they should have appointed a better attorney general and taken the time to write the laws properly. In proper fashion, the OBA are exploring their legal options, rather than running head long into further legal messes that could cost the taxpayers needlessly. Course if that would happen, the PLP would just criticize them for wasting tax dollars. Face it, we are more than likely about to receive an influx of Bermudians, and for my vote, I’m not that bothered, they have work and contributed here longer than those who only have to wait for their birth right.
I would have thought the PLP would be trying to welcome them as they will be potential voters, or is it because they have spent their political life looking down and treating them as second class citizens because they do not consider them as ‘true bermudians’, that they are realizing they have already lost most of their votes
I think immigration laws in Bermuda need to be changed. I was born in Bermuda and lived all my life there but can’t apply for status because my parents are foreign. It’s absurd that a person born in a country is not given citizenship. But a foreign person can marry a bermudian and get status after 10 years.
The reason you do not have status is successive Goverments mollycoddling stupid people whilst trampling the most basic of human rights. Personally, I would like to see an Expat Strike until justice prevails.
Didn’t your parents know that their kids wouldn’t be able to be granted citizenship?
People go where the money is to make the best of their prospects. Thats why modern Man walked out of Africa all those thousands f years ago.
plp = pathetic lying people
I do not like long posts, but could not resist responding. You say PLP=Pathetic Lying People. You might be on to something. In another daily, MP Walton Brown suggests that MP Jeff Sousa should not sit in Parliament. There was that over-used word: transparency. So, I go to the following website:
Parliament.bm/Members of Parliament/Register of Interests
Guess what? Walton Brown is the ONLY MP, on both sides, who has not completed and submitted a Register. When can we expect his Register to be submitted? He has had over a year to complete it. Is he procrastinating, or hiding something?
And before you all reply to say these are two different matters, my point is this – transparency is all or nothing in politics. You cannot preach about it today, then select something to hide tomorrow. Some voters do their research, and THINK on the results of said research.
Didn’t the Government, on Friday, state that are suspending all applications until a robust review is completed?
And the 8,000 figure remains a lie, just as it was in the 2007 election.
PLP / BIU YOU ARE NOT THE GOVT…………get it yet?
Ooey-ooey plp, you lose again.
After reading this latest plp press release of nonsense, one can easily see the fact that the only real concern the plp have is, which way will the new votes go?? And they know the answer, which is not making them happy!!
The plp are once again are putting themselves in front of what is good and fair for others!!!!
We need to do the right thing and give those that have contributed to this society and have stayed out of trouble with the law their status, if they are eligible, and we need to do it now!!!
PlP = pot loving party
PLP translated in American Indian means (walking bird party so full of crap it can’t fly) really suits them
We need more people to move to Bermuda and we need to ensure the ones who are here STAY.
I know of one applicant who has done more for Bermuda than anyone I know. To prevent him and his family from becoming Bermudian after 30 years here is crimminal, particularly because the only real reason the PLP don’t want him is the concern that he won’t vote PLP.
Disgusting.
The PLP do not give a damn about the future of this island, they only care about regaining power.
Can someone pleas explain what the issue is with granting people status who have been in BDA for at least 25 years, paying taxes and been employe during this time?
What exactly is the Oppositions opposition and what are their fears for granting basin human rights to these individual?
You can lead a man to cabinet house…..but you can’t make him think…
Hey plp…If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for all most of your trouble,you wouldn’t sit for a week!
Week….sorry….month…
It’s going to be hard to “take back” those already given status per the Chief Justice ruling. At this point I’m not sure what an appeal will do as the wording of the law is pretty plain.
And where are people getting their numbers? SOMEONE in government should have an EXACT account of how many eligible PRC holders are out there. Please stop making numbers up and quote actual facts on eligible people rather than just throwing out numbers.
Personally I think the idea of second class citizens is ridiculous anyway. Either you want them or don’t want them, there shouldn’t be “partial” status/citizenship.
I think you will find the reason we are in this mess is because of Brown and burch wanting to become Independent and the uk govt saying you can but you must grant anyone who has lived in Bermuda 10 years or more citizenship and also have a referendum. That’s why they kicked out do many people and we are left in this mess. PLP think politics is a big game to be in power. I suggest befmudians start putting the country first not the color of their skin. I’d grant every prc status just to make sure they don’t leave as well.
Nowhere has the PLP said that no one should get status. In fact it was the PLP that actually gave the Portuguese some permanence in Bermuda by creating the PRC. The UBP were the ones who actually sent many Portuguese back to Azores. However many don’t want to admit or concede that because that would mean actually giving some credit to the PLP.
Most PRC’s have status in another country, so they do have options. Plus the parents ALL knew status was not an option when they decided to come to Bermuda. No one is being hoodwinked when they were told they had no claim to status. This court judgment is in collaboration with what has been a UBP/OBA/UBP mission to grant more status to a demographic that will only vote for them.
I think this statement by Mr. Brown makes sense. Put things on hold, and do a thorough immigration review. In this review perhaps those that find themselves currently stateless will be given status. But why make it a rush job? Take a pause, and do an immigration policy review.
Correction to one of your PLP credits, the PLP did indeed creat the PRC (or Permanent Resident Certificate), but they did so by changing the name from what was the LTR (or Long Term Resident) that existed before them. They really didn’t change a thing, just a name, they didn’t extend their right to include a voice in how the country was run, or the ability for their children to gain status. And would people stop claiming that this is some OBA initiative to pad their votes, this was a PLP law granting people this right. Repeating a lie over and over does give it truth and revoking a right is a lot harder than invoking it, even if it was an accident.
back in the day the people from azores were in limbo they were not considered white or black some had been here 20 plus years and were good citizens when the plp made them prc holders it was fine
any one having lived here for 25 years give them status but they should been made to give up their other passport
as far as investment in the island there will be none because are laws are too dam crazy
It doesn’t matter who created the “loophole” (as many call it). The law has been interpreted and immigration has been caught with their pants down on a bit of legislation that was largely ignored and forgotten about.
I’m guessing that the volume of the opposition is due to the fact that they feel, rightly or wrongly that status grants might skew their voter base? It’s interesting that it took at least a month for there to be any discussion of this issue. I would have figured that on day 2 the opposition would have been revving up the FUD machine. But uncharacteristically things have been quiet from both sides until last week.
There really needs to be some discussion about long term residents and their expectations having spent 25+ years of their lives in Bermuda by choice and by happenstance. Some choose to come here and leave a life behind, some come here and leave and some don’t make it past the first month.
Either way, those who have applied should be given the opportunity to at least have their applications considered even if they stop accepting new ones.
Can’t wait to see what their gonna pull out of the ‘stir the S&^% hat’.
So many folded topics in there.
I need a rum………
It strikes me that Bean and Co are in panic mode over this, an issue of their own making. People in limbo over many decades is clearly a human rights issue and should be so treated – I am sick and tired of a two tier society and these people that have in so many ways made this country affluent should be given their fair share, in other words status.
Like my daughter used to say ” I broke it, daddy fix it”
Through out history this country has done some really dumb/stupid stuff.
“You reap what you sow” !
I’m confused! Was it not the PLP who enacted this legislation to give these PRCs status. This was the right thing to do, and I congratulated them on this. Are they now saying that they messed up, and they want their own legislation voided? What a way to run things!
Don’t pat them on the back too much, they didn’t do it on purpose, they just didn’t read the existing laws properly before they ran theirs in. Opps.
Wasn’t quite like that – the PLP enacted the legislation to create the PRC category. Little did they know that there was a further provision to allow permanent residents who were in Bermuda before August 1989 the ability to apply for status in conjunction with an application for naturalization as a BOTC. So if the PLP hadn’t created the semi-citizen category of PRC, section 20(B)2(b) wouldn’t apply. So it was just an oversight and nobody spotted it until a couple of PRCs contested it.
Chickens have certainly come back to roost on the hot potato of long term residents. The UBP didn’t do anything to deal with it when they were in power and the PLP when they extended PRC rights complicated the matter.
At the end of the day they should just give these people the opportunity to apply, look at each application on its’ merit and grant status if the application warrants it. Many of these people are likely ready to retire or already retired and since the law stipulates being resident before 1989, their dependents aren’t likely to be offered the same opportunity to get status via this route.
Most PRC holders are full time working people such as police officers and health care workers who have been in Bermuda for 25+ years. During this time they have paid social insurance, payroll tax and struggled to pay bills like the ‘average Bermudian’. But after all of these years and their contribution to society they are still treated like second class citizens.
I hope the true number of eligible PRC holders that can apply for status are given the respect they deserve and their cases heard!!!