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Government has reiterated that its new immigration policy, which took effect from June 1, 2009, is not a witch-hunt designed to discriminate against CARICOM nationals.

This is according to Minister of State, Labour and Immigration, Senator Arni Walters, who has added to the comments made earlier this week by Prime Minister David Thompson at the beginning of the 30^th Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads in Georgetown, Guyana.

“There should not be any fear that if they turn up during an amnesty period that anybody in the Immigration Department is going to hold them and seek to send them back.  That would go against the purpose of the amnesty,” he explained.

Speaking to the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS), the Senator said the Government was not inhumane or uncaring to the needs of this group of persons.

However, he stressed that the island’s small land mass, in conjunction with an increase in the illegal immigrant population, posed severe challenges in the provision of social services, including education, health, housing and employment.

In some cases, the Minister pointed out that these critical services were “bursting at the seams”, in an effort to provide adequate care for nationals and non-nationals alike.

Through the amnesty, he indicated that, Government was seeking to “get a handle on these numbers” in an effort to better rationalise local resources, so those who qualify are able to benefit properly.

 “We are hearing stories which we don’t want to…in terms of, for example, slum housing conditions. If you are going to provide facilities for your guests or visitors, they must have the same level of comfort that Barbadians would be entitled to. There should not be any discrimination, either in terms of the social services or employment…that is not the type of regime we would wish to have in place,” the immigration Minister asserted.

The amnesty offers undocumented CARICOM nationals who entered Barbados prior to December 31, 2005 and have remained undocumented for eight years or more, that is, before January 1, 1998, the opportunity to come into the immigration Department and have their status regularised.

Persons also have to show evidence of employment, proof that they have been living here for the stipulated period proof of any dependents and that they pose no security risk.

Following the qualifying period, “those CARICOM nationals without lawful permission to remain in the island will be removed.

According to Senator Walters: “That is a specific group of persons we have identified at the moment, those before 1998… One would suspect that any person coming in after 1999 would have arrived here on a work permit, as a visitor and had the appropriate extensions or as a CARICOM skilled national. If you are documented, then there is no problem. If you are undocumented and you’ve made a deliberate decision that you will hide away, we will have to take the appropriate action.”

The Labour Minister also maintained that Government’s new immigration policy for undocumented CARICOM nationals was not contrary to the provisions for the free movement of persons as set out under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

He observed that these provisions allowed for certain categories of workers to travel throughout the region, including musicians, university graduates, media workers and artisans, among others.

Senator Walters said these persons would have the requisite national or Caribbean vocational qualifications and the relevant documentation.

However, he pointed out that some persons travelled to Barbados on a particular work permit, yet sought to move into a different area of employment. This, he declared, posed a serious problem for the authorities.

“If an employer applies for a work permit for someone, that individual cannot change employers. That work permit is for a particular type of employment. You cannot come here on a work permit for a carpenter and move from firm A to firm B and call yourself a mason…The moment you move from that employer to become a mason, that work permit is invalid,”  he noted.

            Senator Walters reiterated that Barbados remained committed to the free movement of persons under the CSME, in accordance with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, stressing that Government’s new immigration policy was not intended to ostracise or target any group of CARICOM nationals.

However, he contended, Barbados must still maintain an adequate level of security in the face of rising crime and related border security issues.

“You can’t have a situation where someone gets off an aircraft at the airport or a vessel in the port, and upon serious investigation shows that he does not have a penny to his name, or he has given a fictitious name… “…There’s no point coming here believing you can circumvent the process and get access to social services, such as housing, when there is a waiting list of some 15 to 20, 000 persons already, or go on welfare when there are other persons who require those services,” Senator Walters stated.

Barbados Water Authority (BWA) customers whose bills are in arrears, will soon receive colour-coded ones with printed warnings, as the authority prepares to alter its bill format through the introduction of two new types.

            According to the BWA, the first new bill will resemble the regular one in colour, but when opened, the words “Disconnection Pending” will be visible in green.  This bill will be issued to customers whose accounts have been in arrears for thirty (30) days. It will inform persons that all arrears should be settled as soon as possible to avoid these accounts being moved into the “Due for Disconnection” category.

            The second bill will be a “red” one, which, when opened, will reveal the words “Due for Disconnection” written in red.  It will also indicate to recipients that their water account is already due for disconnection and that all outstanding balances should be settled immediately to avoid this action.

            Customers whose accounts are current will continue to receive the ‘regular’ water bill without these printed warnings.

            The BWA has advised that several payment options are still available for monthly customers, including: the BWA Customer Service Centre, Probyn Street; all branches of the Barbados National Bank; all Post Offices; the Barbados Public Workers Credit Union Ltd., Belmont Road & Broad Street and all SUREPAY outlets.

Bills may also be paid online via the Royal Bank of Canada, the Bank of Nova Scotia and First Caribbean International Bank. Customers paying at the Authority’s Customer Service Centre may also use debit or credit cards to settle their bills. (CG/BGIS)

The Barbados Water Authority has announced its new tariffs for domestic, commercial and shipping customers in keeping with the new rate structure for potable water, effective July 1, this year.

The new rates at which metered domestic customers will be billed are still structured in four blocs and calculated per cubic metre (m3). They are as follows:

•      0-8 cubic metres -   $2.48 per m3 - up from $1.55;

•      9-20 cubic metres - $3.10 per m3- up from $1.94;

•       21-40 cubic metres - $4.66 per m3- up from $2.91 and

•       Over 40 cubic metres - $7.78 per m3 -up from $4.86.

The new rate structure for fixed rate customers will range from $29.44 to $117.76 per month, up from between $18.40 and $73.60; while the rate for commercial customers is now $4.66 per cubic metre (m3), up from $2.91 and the ships rate is $8.08 up from $5.05.

The minimum charge for both domestic and commercial metered customers is now $32.00, up from $20.00.

            No changes have been made to the sewage tariffs which remain 1/3 of the water bill for domestic customers and 2/3 of the bill for commercial ones. (BGIS).

While Barbados has not had to deal with any terrorist threats at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA), Government is fully cognisant “that the risk exists and is a very real one.”

This observation has been made by Minister of International Transport, George Hutson, who said Government is working assiduously to ensure that this island’s air and sea ports remain on the cutting edge of technology.

Minister Hutson, who was addressing G4S Security Services’ annual Aviation Ground Security Operative Training Course, said Government had recently signed a consultancy arrangement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to review and upgrade technical training as well as security systems at the GAIA. The exercise is expected to be launched next month.

“The policy of this Government is to ensure that the GAIA remains on the [cutting] edge of technology in relation to all of its systems and operations. Mechanisms are in place for the continuous review and enhancement of these systems. …Strict attention will continue to be paid to the security of our borders, especially the airport as a port of entry,” he stressed.

Deeming the pre-board screening process, as currently carried out by G4S, to be “an early and crucial stage in the defence of the airport facility, its users and aircraft from any threat,” Minister Hutson maintained that once effectively exercised and demonstrated, this should reduce passenger anxiety.

He also highlighted the correlation between professional service at destinations’ ports of entry and repeat visitor arrival. He noted that professional treatment of passengers and a customer-oriented approach by G4S staff would enhance the experience of travellers and reflect positively on the company, the airport, and by extension Barbados.

 “We must at all times remember that for the first-time visitor, the first experience you get of a country generally tends to be at either the airport or seaport. That first impression and experience will, in many cases, decide whether you will return to Barbados or not. Of course the same thing could be said about the last experience. Persons could have had an excellent holiday but if their experience on leaving the airport is not as it should be, then chances of getting that person back again would be difficult,” the Minister warned.

In addressing the training, Chief Executive Officer of the GAIA, Joseph Johnson, commended G4S for their excellent service at the airport, and their compliance with international obligations which helped to ensure that Barbados remained one of the most secure airports worldwide.

A total of 92 security officers underwent training during the week. It was facilitated by Aviation Security Trainer with G4S United Kingdom, Angela Christie. (BGIS)

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