Hot Air And Trial Balloons-REDUX: Now We Have A Green Paper On Immigration Policy

A few days ago, I speculated about the way the government was dealing with immigration policy (see 'Hot Air And Trial Balloons'). I see in the Nation, September 11, that all is now clearer. The government has prepared a 'green paper' (a document for public discussion and comment). The newspaper report indicates that the paper has also been sent to CARICOM leaders for their feedback.

This was made clear while the PM was in Florida last week--not sure which parish that is and who is the MP. Maybe a similar announcement has been made on these shores, but I have not seen it.

One highlighted aspect of the paper will be to deal with a law that gives illegal aliens automatic citizenship of Barbados if they are resident for 10 years continuously.

The article indicates that the government is 'vowing to implement its immigration plan by next January'.

What I wrote on September 7 was:

What does make sense is that the government wants to have a good sense that it can be tough on immigration, but the question is how tough, given the obvious sensibilities in the region. These are naturally based upon any sense that a particular nationality is being targeted; in that regard the noise has been loudest from Guyana, but also loud from St. Vincent. Sensibilities are also raw when it seems that moves toward regional integration are being sacrificed for narrow national interests.

So, where are we? The Barbadian public has sided with the PM. This has frozen the opposition because who wants to walk in front of that bus? But, still the real action is yet to be taken. It is a political game that is underway and as the year passes the likelihood that the policy will not see the light of day before the year's end and the end of the amnesty seems to grow.[My emphasis.]

If some aspects of how government is working are so clear to those who do not do much more than take a cursory interest, why not save the people's time and make things clear? Seat of the pants government is always fraught with unnecessary bruises and blisters.

****************************************************************************
I cannot find the article online but it's entitled "Alien Law Check" and appears on page 3.