Article: Here we go again: More Immigration Tough Talk
Jamell Robinson
Here We Go Again: More Immigration Tough Talk
With our new Immigration Minister installed, we have a new round of hollowed tough talk from the Hon. Vaden Delroy Williams much like his predecessor Hon. Sean Astwood. Before getting to the meat of the matter, I pose this question based on his press release: Are Haitian Nationals the only illegal folks in the TCI? Far from it. Hon. Williams in referencing illegals sloops is quoted as saying “The time will come to consider stopping the first-time work permits for Haitian nationals if this continues”.
This seems to always be the go to move to combat this but the issue is those folks are allowed to work under the table illegally and will not be applying for work permits in the first place which makes that move null and void. There are way more non-Haitian nationals living and working on Grace Bay illegally than the amount on the two boats that recently landed here. I am sure a number of boats have landed in the TCI since Hon. Williams took up the post of Minister of Border Control, so why the tough talk now? I suspect it might be because the New Governor has eased his way into Hon. Williams’s territory under the guise of National Security.
I will remind Hon. Williams of the many things we were promised as it relates to Immigration and Border Control and at no time tough talk was a part of it. I will highlight Five (5) of those Promises directly from the Change Document:
1. A PDM Government will commit to begin to prosecute those involved in the encouragement of the entry of illegal sloops and the hiring of undocumented workers.
2. A PDM Government will engage the Regional and International Governments, in particular the Haitian Government to deal with this matter as a matter of urgency.
3. A PDM Government will establish a Border Protection Unit which will encourage cooperation between agencies with responsibility for some aspect of border patrol and protection thereby maximizing the best use of our resources.
4. A PDM Government will ensure that the UK, which maintains responsibility for internal security, meets its obligations.
5. A PDM Government will support the establishment of Consulates to address the needs of the different nationalities within the Turks and Caicos Islands.
What have we actually gotten in almost 3 years?
1. I can’t stop the Sloops
2. Approximately 4 weeks of joint Roadblock Stop and Search Operations due to additional funding not being provided to the Police Force to continue Operations i.e. no supplemental budget increases
3. No establishment of a Border Protection Unit
4. Only a 2% increase in expenditure for the Ministry of Border Control for the 2019/2020 Budget Cycle.
It’s about time that the people the Turks and Caicos Islands receive Real Leadership with Real Plans for Real Change in Immigration.
Stay Blessed TCI
Jamell Robinson
