Comments on: Barbados announces amnesty for illegal CARICOM immigrants

By: Angela Mundy from Trinidad and Tobago

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:01:27 +0000

I am a born Trinidadian. My Maternal parents, my Paternal parents are both Barbadian. Are you saying to me that if I choose to live in the land of my forebears that I am an illegal immigrant?. Coincidentally, this phenomenon applies to a number of Trinidadians.

By: Marcus from Saint Michael, Barbados

Fri, 29 May 2009 02:02:06 +0000

Barspecs, everyone knows that it is an AMNESTY being offered. Everyone knows what an AMNESTY is.

I couldn’t care less but for the record -

We have heard that no amnesty is being offered to Europeans etc (although some pundits such as Peter Wickham say otherwise). However, the focus of this amnesty (and the deportation that your butt will get if your application is turned down, or if you are found after Dec 1 2009) is squarely on Caribbean nationals.

Look at the narrative and the debate around it – no one is talking about rounding up Europeans.

Now, I do not personally care about deporting Europeans so this is a moot point, but it seemed like you had an axe to grind while being semantic about it.

By: barspecs from Saint Michael, Barbados

Fri, 29 May 2009 01:55:57 +0000

Some people just don’t understand what has been offered: an AMNESTY to illegal CARICOM immigrants who meet the terms of the requirements: but no amnesty has been offered to other illegal immigrants, European or otherwise.

By: We have xenophobes too! « Club Soda and Salt from Texas, United States

Sat, 16 May 2009 13:05:00 +0000

[...] Posted by clubsodaandsalt on May 16, 2009 I’m waiting around for my flight to Barbados right now, and I’m looking forward to a restful week (and a new passport that lets me travel through Europe visa-free after June). Fortunately for me, I am a Barbadian citizen, as apparently other CARICOM nationals are now seen as a threat by the DLP, and they are being threatened with deportation: [...]

By: Ashmita Maharaj from Saint Michael, Barbados

Fri, 08 May 2009 05:02:21 +0000

I wondered too why this was only targeted at CARICOM immigrants. Yes, there is a difference between integration and illegal immigration, but when you flatly ignore the non-CARICOM illegals it looks more like a witch hunt than anything else.

I suppose Europeans et al. add more to the landscape than CARICOM nationals?

Meanwhile, how’s that economy over in Barbados doing? Last I heard Standard & Poor’s was saying that the dollar was headed for devaluation. Methinks illegal aliens is a lovely distraction…

By: Randy D. from Saint Michael, Barbados

Thu, 07 May 2009 21:00:20 +0000

Ok so what about the Europeans who are in Barbados illegally? Like the English tourists who come, yet never leave? Is it like Animal Farm? All illegals are equal, but some are more equal than others?

By: Global Voices Online » Barbados: Illegal Immigrants from Texas, United States

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:36:40 +0000

[...] Barbados government has offered to regularize the status of existing illegal immigrants – Bajan Dream Diary “wonders how effective this amnesty will be in tackling Barbados’ illegal immigrant [...]

By: Marcus from Saint Michael, Barbados

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:54:12 +0000

Just how does one go about proving they lived in Barbados for eight years? Especially if they were squatting or what have you?

By: Jay from Massachusetts, United States

Wed, 06 May 2009 02:07:12 +0000

This is also what I wonder the very fact is that as the days go buy Barbados’ illegal immigration population continues to grow & the Government doesn’t seem too serious about actually conducting operations to keep the population down.

I believe there should be absolutely no immigration amnesty whatsoever considering the fact that even the Prime Minister himself mentioned that unemployment amongst Barbados citizens is on the rise.It is also an insult to those who chose to do things the right way by keeping their status up to date with the Immigration Department.

I can’t believe this Government is basically saying,”The longer you’ve evaded our immigration laws & broke our employment ones,the better your chance at staying in Barbados permanently”.