We have read the pleading from journalist Ricky Singh directed at the government of Barbados in recent weeks with some concern. Our first thought after reading his scribbling was that as a nation we have come a long way. If the late Prime Minister Tom Adams were alive we are confident he would have surmised that Mr. Singh’s was meddling in the affairs of a sovereign country. No doubt Mr. Singh has long become a naturalized citizen and to declare him persona non grata AGAIN would go against the constitution of Barbados. Who gives Mr. Ricky Singh the right to question the government of Barbados about its immigration policy? Should he not put his syndicated column to better use by highlighting the horrors which are being perpetrated on Guyanese at home?
By his own admission the visitors to Barbados who request a visa extension do so at the discretion of the Barbados Immigration Department. The Nation newspaper has the gall to print his feeble attempt to create pressure on our government. The irony is that Barbadians when they tried to publicize their views on the issue of our open door immigration on VOB 92.9 and letters to the editor at the Nation newspaper, they were branded xenophobees.
The government of Barbados has spoken with clarity on the matter of our current and future immigration policy. The torrent of immigrants, legal and illegal who were allowed to enter Barbados unchecked under the previous administration has now been checked. The Barbados government in fairness to the problem has let it be known that a Cabinet sub-committee has been formed to make recommendations on a comprehensive immigration plan. We suspect that the sub-committee will create a fair immigration policy. It is a characteristic which Barbadians have been known for through the years. This time around however we will make sure that our drums are beating the loudest!
Mr. Ricky Singh please use your commonsense, do you think if the high number of immigrants is said to be placing a burden on our services that the immigration authority will be routinely renewing visitor’s requests for extensions? Your unrealistic expectation is even more unreal in the prevailing depressed economic conditions.
Ricky don’t despair because your blind loyalty to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas by thinking that Barbados should freely open its borders to ALL has support from the Don Marshalls and Peter Wickhams. if you remove your head from the darkness you would realize that little Barbados was the only country with the open door policy you seek. Free movement of people can only work if the other CARICOM countries agree to do the same. As it was the traffic flow was one way. The illogical argument that Barbadians emigrated to Guyana in the 50’s will not cut it with the BU household. As we understand it back then Barbadians were asked to report to work in Guyana i.e. there was a demand.
Mr. Singh please write an article under this by-line next week – Ever so welcome wait for a call!
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