British Virgin Islands citizens have started a campaign to protest the government’s regularisation policy and proposed amendment to the Immigration and Passport Act
Local residents in the British Virgin Islands have come together to protest the proposed new legislation using social media to galvanise support. A petition entitled “Regularization – Residency and Belonger Status” was created by a group of locals and requests that the amendments to the Immigration and Passport Act (Cap. 130)(the “Act”), as they relate to the regularisation of residency and Belonger status, be withdrawn from the order paper for May 17, 2019, to give British Virgin Islanders and Belongers an opportunity to be involved in the process.
The group was formed to coordinate the protests after a meeting with the islands’ premier Andrew Fahie ended without mutual agreement. Members have cited a lack of transparency in the process by the government thus far and a failure to carry out a comprehensive study on immigration or consult with the local population before implementing the changes as the main concerns. The group is also relying on fears of displacement of the local population and scarcity of resources in support of its claims. Qualified expatriate workers living in the British Virgin Islands have recently been granted an amnesty by the government during which they are able to submit paperwork that enables them to become Belongers immediately after they have been granted permanent residency.
Should parliament in the British Virgin Islands approve the Act, the committee has vowed to continue with its mandate and block the implementation of the new legislation.
