Ten People Appointed To Immigration Group
[Updated] Ten people have been named to the Immigration Working Group, which tasked with reviewing and proposing amendments to the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956.
The announcement from Government said, “The Government and community representatives seeking consultation on Immigration Reform are pleased to announce the following ten persons who will form the Immigration Working Group tasked with reviewing and proposing amendments to the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956.
- 1. Mr. William Madeiros [Chairman]
- 2. Ms. Belinda Wright
- 3. Mr. Marc Pettingill
- 4. Mr. Warren Jones
- 5. Mr. Dennis Fagundo
- 6. Mr. Walton Brown
- 7. Ms. Crystal Caesar
- 8. Mr. Rick Woolridge
- 9. Ms. Lynne Winfield
- 10. Ms. Malika Musson
“Both Government and the representatives are pleased with the collaborative approach that has been undertaken over the past few weeks – with the end result being a Working Group that represents a good cross section of the community.
“The Working Group will begin its work and will announce shortly their Terms of Reference which will form their approach as to how the consultative process will work.
“This should include the collection of public submissions, consultation with the wider public and stakeholder groups, amongst other things to ensure a balanced approach to arriving at sound policy recommendations.
“The public will be kept informed of the recommendations as part of the ongoing communications process.
“Both Government and the representatives want to thank the public for their patience as we understand this is a very important issue.”
Update: Shadow Immigration Minister Walter Roban said, “The Bermuda Progressive Labour Party takes note of the announcement of the Immigration Working Group. While we await the terms of reference under which this working group will operate, we are reminded of several key factors that must be considered.
“First, the Immigration Act predates desegregation, universal adult suffrage and the elimination of the plus vote. As a result, the law is in many ways outmoded and requires a thoughtful comprehensive overhaul.
“Second, Bermuda’s history of political abuse of immigration as a means of maintaining political power must be considered and prevented from recurring.
“Finally, Bermuda’s level of unemployment requires an immigration policy that enhances and expands Bermudian jobs and opportunities, not one that removes hundreds of guest workers from work permit control.
“The OBA’s failed approach to immigration reform has been rejected by the people of Bermuda. Now is the time for full, proper consultation that will encompass the goal called for by Bermudians across the island: Comprehensive Immigration Reform.”
There will be unpleasant information about the U.B.P. too. They were treacherous!!!!
Bermuda’s History is treacherous !!!!!!!!!!
Don’t fool yourself into thinking Bermuda is exclusive to this! The history of the world is treacherous! Dating back much further than little old Bermuda!
Anyone ever offer you some cheese with that whine?
No surprise that a certain segment have a negative outlook on our colorful History.
So theyve collaboeated a committee !! Since when do we take the advice of our own ? Better yet any report ? Oh except the SAGE report ! Or maybe because a foriegner wrote it lofl ! And we shall seeeeee !!!
Well now, you can’t say this group does not have balance. Maybe a few of them will get a better appreciation of how a successful economy needs to work.
I sure hope they will understand that a successful economy includes a priority being put on the people of the country..
Balanced? Not one Fillipino?
Congratulations on moving this forward and looking forward to the process of community consultation that engages our community on this important topic in a meaningful way.
My hope is everyone listed has accepted as a steward to listen to our community – not community leaders appointed to transmit their individual or collective beliefs.
More will be revealed when they announce their terms of reference and their community consultation process. Small group discussions with no panels, town halls or experts will get my support.
I feel like Col. Burch should have been on this list.
You must be kidding!!! One of the most bigoted people in Bermuda!!! And one who would be least interested in collaboration!!!
Burch not a team player, all in it for himself.
uh…no.
Col. Burch’s policies have significantly contributed the current immigration challenges – so no – he should NOT be part of this. Nevermind his political divisiveness…
Interesting that Pettingill is on this group. After that job posted by his company I’ll guess his stance is for more guest workers.
And at some point you still haven’t understood that for the sake of Bermudians, we need more guest workers… especially at high skill jobs, as they are the ones who will spend more more money on things like rent, utilities, services…
– and they will provide more jobs for Bermudians !
As our local employment pool is still heavily vested in the trades and services markets, we need more people for the demand of those services. So yes, as more foreigners come into the high level business jobs, they they employ and utilize the trades and services markets.
The cure for this is more Bermudians tooling themselves for the higher level business jobs. This sector, however is far more demanding for employment in education, training, experience… so for anyone seeking to go into this sector they likewise need to embrace the sacrifices needed to succeed there. Doing things like staying abroad after formal education to gain international experience, continuing education through various professional certifications, networking with the industry here and abroad to find out what it needs, working long hours and weekends (business is not a 9-5 industry, it is an industry that requires deadlines met), retooling your skills and carts on the fly as needed… these and more are what will provide a Bermudian a better chance at a place in our leading industry, and it is a path that will take decades for us to achieve true ownership in our driving economic pillar. It is also the only way we ever will.
We got more guest workers during PLP’s but they were in blue collar areas. Many of these learned on the job and were able to stay while the IB ones had to leave. The pathways part that would allow those residing for 15 years PRC would allow PLP’s these people here permanently. OBA needs to put necessary implementations in place to get the 80 plus investigations into immigration flouting underway. The whole PLP term limits was biased. They have term limits in Cayman but they are mainly geared towards blue collar jobs while PLP’s was reversed. We have many out of work or underemployed Bermudians with skills and experience in blue collar job types. In these cases it’s nothing to do with expertise or experience it’s to do with being able to pay less which has time and time again increased unemployment and poverty in America when not addressed. If an employer needs to rely in slave wages to make a profit that employer either has poor business or financial management skills and should rethink their choice of business decisions. It’s the ebenezer scrooge complex always the ones who live large who cry about not being able to pay a decent wage.
TO GOOD GRIEF: It is a very unbalanced group of individuals. It is designed that way to bring about the findings they desire, which will not be the truth.
The findings will be a screwed and wrong perception of what really went on.
Of course. What else would anyone expect you to say?
The group will have its say and so will the courts.
Now this is good.
Not a single Trimingham, Cooper, Zuill, Smith , Simons, Simmons Joel.
Think before you shout me down.
Shalom.
It appears to be a balanced and reasonable group who I think will do justice to the task at hand. The concern however is that this group is a consequence of a deal brokered by the Government and the Peoples Campaign. The PLP, who had not part in it, have already threatened to block any progress on the 2nd and 3rd elements of the reforms subject to review.
I thought Walton Brown Jr. was a PLP Member of Parliament. But, I’ve known to be wrong before. I guess I didn’t get the memo that he now sits in Parliament as an independent.
Well perhaps you can tell me who’s caucus he belongs to? One of the PLP’s have all but dismissed him, so in effect he independent in all but name!. Tell me who in the PLP appointed him to this group, or did he independently pave his own way onto it, in fact, who of the PLP other than Walton Jnr was involved in the negotiations between Govt and the Peoples Champaign?
You are absolutely correct Ms. Furbert. Which means Marc Bean was lying, or he’s not in charge. Which is it?
Good point…..since the PLP have already promised to be obstructionist, I wonder how does Marc Bean feel about Walton Brown being in this group?
What was the job post?
@ Laverne. Where does it say Walton Brown is Independent? I must have missed that. There is no memo or it would also say Marc Pettingill is an Independent. No wonder Bermuda can’t get out of the 1960′s with your type of mental approach.
Ignore her. She’s just looking to provoke for no good reason.
So who is the PLP’s/BIU’s unofficial snitch in this collection??
The Chairman.
@Sage, i want you to read this too, is the old UBP/OBA unofficial snitch in this collection too? that’s the other side asking the same .so let back to what we want to accomplish , BDA future, we are a country that disagree,Democracy,sometimes we socialize differently, BUT of course work and party together sometimes.. lets keep it that way.. Go Bermuda
Serious.
No, he’s not on the list.
Most of this list are PLP. Starting with the chairman.
Just fact.
So it would have been somewhat helpful to know who made the announcement.
It would have been helpful to have had a bit more detail as to how this group came to be and also the criteria used to select the members, oh and who made the selection. Seems to me that many spend their days moving from one board to the next, sort of professional a government /political/activist?, cabal.
@Albie – sorry about that! The Govt made the announcement, we edited to reflect that!
So it would have been somewhat helpful to know who made the announcement.
It would have been helpful to have had a bit more detail as to how this group came to be and also the criteria used to select the members, oh and who made the selection. Seems to me that many spend their days moving from one board to the next, sort of a professional government /political/activist?, cabal.
Please explain how it is a balanced group when people such as Lynn Winfield is so extreme and self righteous in her beliefs? At least Mark Pettingil has the ability to see both sides. It will be interesting to read their bios and see what determines how they are suitable for this job as some names do not resonate as being visible in the local community.
Very astute in my opinion. Give her a voice but she is one amongst 12 so very unlikely any belief she may have will be heard or taken into account. That way CURB can’t say they weren’t involved, but in Paula Cox’s vernacular, she will be politically neutered.
To have credibility, the group must comprise of divergent opinion.
When you remove the ‘talk show’ mentality from the argument, most contributors, including Ms, Winfield, saw the need for immigration reform; it was Govt’s approach that was being objected to.
This consultative group does offer a reasoned forum where hopefully a sensible consensus can be reached. Govt’s concession is less the capitulation that some have described it as, rather a sensible step to reach an agreement.
“Pettingil has the ability to see both sides” LMAWO! You serious? All Pettingil knows how to do is twist sides into his favor no matter if it’s the right or wrong side and has no scruples about defending the wrong side.
At least Lynn can see the morality in an issue. Much of her beliefs come from historical accuracy which puts her in the position of being self humbling not righteous. The self righteous are the ones who refuse to admit their ancestors brought about the privileges they inherited through the subhumanization of others.
How come the fake hunger striker didn’t get the Chairperson spot?
because she’s a fake !
No LaVern thats a shocker ?
the fact that the elected government and none elected premier gave in to a group of bullies by making them believe they have won. I withdraw my support for the OBA and will look at them no differently than I do the PLP. it is simply because I do not want to participate in the continued destruction of our home. Sad day in paradise!
You’re not alone on that stance
Sebring,
As usual you will likely maintain that position until 24 hours prior to the next general election and then lemming like go in and vote OBA once again.
Get Pettingal outta there !
Put Dr.Eva Hodson in there !
right
^ sarcasm x 2.
Have open meeting at Victor Scott and Warwick Academy !
careful coffee there are a few villages out there with an opening
Backbone for mayor.
Is that Walton Brown the same Walton Brown who stated “the time for collaboration is past” during the recent mob rule activity?
There needs to be a group of individuals that are a fair representation of all of Bermuda, some of the listed individuals have strong political ties, can they be objective ? Do they have personal agendas ? Who is going to ensure rules of democracy are followed ? Do they have concerns for the un-employed youth in this country who want to work ? How about our youth who are in school both here and abroad, whom we expect to take their place in the community ? We are most grateful to the guest workers, and we realise that for some time to come we will still need some guest workers in the higher levels of industry, and business.
Lynn Winfield?!? A foreigner who married a Bermudian and opposes other folk from getting Bermudian status? Lmao gtfo of here.
It sounds like this process will now take decades given all the public consultation, information consolidation and opinions to be sought.
Why have an elected government when the government is not permitted to make a change that will benefit. While some decisions may not benefit everyone today governments try to look at the longer term picture and not how to give people one season of results.
I am uncomfortable at how little is changing in Bermuda given so many cries to bring about change. If everything has to go through lengthy public debate then nothing will be done on the issues that need the governments time.
Good luck with this and I will not wait to see what comes of this until I see it announced. This is busy body politics. Too many noses and not enough people getting changes done.