Monday, April 5, 2010

UK government may impose Visa restrictions on Dominica and St Lucia



The British government has announced that it is considering introducing a visa requirement on visitors to the UK from Dominica and St Lucia, after carrying out a Visa Waiver Test on seven countries in the eastern Caribbean.

The Visa Waiver Test determined the risk that these countries' citizens potentially posed to the UK in terms of illegal immigration, crime and security, to help decide where visitors visas may be required.

The results of the test showed a strong case for introducing visa regimes for Dominica and St Lucia. The government will now work with these countries to ensure that they take action to address our concerns during a six-month mitigation period, which started yesterday.

No final decision on visa regimes will be taken until the end of the six-month period, and all relevant factors will be considered.

Already, three-quarters of the world's population need to apply for a visa if they want to visit the UK.

Written Ministerial Statement by the Home Secretary

Today my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (David Miliband) and I are announcing the final stage of the UK’s first global review of visa regimes in relation to the seven countries of the Eastern Caribbean - Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

A visa regime is a very effective immigration, crime and security control measure. As part of our overseas defences our Visa Waiver Test helps us determine whether our visa regimes are in the right places.

Travellers from every country beyond the European Economic Area and Switzerland were measured against a range ofcriteria including illegal immigration, crime and security concerns.

The Test has been taken forward in close collaboration with other Departments across Whitehall. New full visa regimes were introduced on Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland, along with a partial regime on Venezuela, in 2009.

Having initially considered the Eastern Caribbean states on a regional basis, we decided to examine them individually to ensure any potential regimes would be aligned correctly. Our evaluation highlighted a number of concerns with two countries, Dominica and St Lucia.

We recognise that we have close historic, economic and political ties with Dominica and St Lucia and are aware that the introduction of a visa regime would be a significant step.

It is a decision we do not take lightly. As a result we will now enter a six month period of detailed dialogue with the Governments concerned to examine what actions will be taken to address our concerns and mitigate the need for a visa regime to be introduced.

During this period, Dominica and St Lucia will need to demonstrate a genuine commitment to put into effect credible and realistic plans, with clear timetables, to reduce the risks to the UK, and begin implementing these plans by the end of the dialogue period.

Additionally we have written to the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines to advise that, while they will maintain their visa free status for the time being, the decision will be subject to a further review.

The UK Government remains committed to operating a firm but fair immigration policy. It gives a high priority to treating all foreign nationals coming to or present in the UK with dignity and respect, and the highest legal standards.

However, it expects all visitors to the UK to play by the rules. The UK will always welcome genuine visitors, whether business, tourist, student or family, but will continue to take all steps necessary to protect the security of the UK.


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Comments:
Thiat was going to happen. With Dominica selling passports to all kinds of characters it makes sense that the UK is queasy!!!! Imagine Dominica is a security risk. Thank you dear PM!!!
 
God help Dominica! We have suddenly become a country of 'illegal immigration, Crime and Secutity Concerns'. Congratulations to the ruling DLP.
 
Is it only today Dominicans going abroad and Living illegally??????????? Many of the Dominicans who now call themselves Americans, English etc... Came to these countries and overstayed(as they say there are more dominicans overseas than in Dominica)so to talk crap about illegal and passport selling causing this is nonsense. The UK government has been changing it's immigration rules ovfer the past 6years almost yearly this is to try to address the high level of immigration which the UK has had mainly down to its membership in the European union(EU) which allows free migration of EU citizens to the various countries. England being the richest decided not to impose restrictions on some of the poorer EU countries as to how many people could migrate to the UK, this resulted in a very high rate of migration from those countries and British citizens have gotten angry about this and therefore for the government to show that they are doing something they have gradually been adding more restrictions to Non EU countries for people wanting to come to the UK and it was only a matter of time till they considered putting visas on countries which are small and easy to take advantage of, they wouldn't do it to america/canada/australia (all of those countries have high levels of illegal migrants staying in the UK)because of possible sanctions. It's ALL UK POLITICS and nothing really to do with Dominica.
 
You people need to know the facts which your leaders running the welfare of Dominica is keeping away form Dominica who need to know the truth, honesty is the best policy and the leader/PM/need to be honest with dominica. illegal migrants is not the issue, the truth is that the sales of your country's passport and criminal who cannot obtain documents from the embassies in their native countries, do you know how difficult it is for Chinese to live China, the Chinese, Arabs, Nigerians and the Mexicans, Haitians, Venezuelans and others took advantage of Dominica and rubbed Dominican of their privileges, Hell yes the sale of your country's passport which was found in Afghanistan, and other terriorist camps, and all the Most Wanted Criminals roaming the streets of your country is the reason, the UK is implementing Visas for dominicans as a means of securing it nation from so called people who are not dominicans traveling with your passport Before the UK took that drastic decision to implement Visa for Dominica, your leaders were notified of the decisions which your leaders need to go on it's national radio station and five the facts instead of withholding the facts from you people, your PM closer allies are all communist leaders, the relationship with your PM and Chavez,this is a relationship of convince for Chavez, at this present moment who knows how many of your passport are being sold to Libya, Russia through Chavez, put this is you all pipe and smoke it, funny enough two PM died in DA within a short period of time, the devil is in control of your nation, this speaks volume for itself,to blame it on Dominicans residing in the UK illegal this is not true, what about that ? which country in the world would someone become a resident or a citizen within six months or lest after entering the country, only in Dominica thank you. the sale of your counties birth rights to, one more thing to all of you dominicans saying that St Kitts is selling passport look about you all self and not islands that is far better that your county
 
Anonymous before the last one. Stop trying to fool people."It's ALL UK POLITICS and nothing really to do with Dominica." according to you. If that is true then why of ALL the countries in the world ONLY Dominica and St Lucia was singled out.

I agree with the last writer that it has everything to do with the wanton sale of Dominican passports to crooks and persons of ill repute. The same thing that happened with visas to Canada.

But, the Dominicans living in Dominica are VERY happy with their government. Let them take what they get!!!!
 
Something Dominicans at home need to know the very same tear that Our Late PM, Mr Douglas Passed away when he left the Olympic en route to Jamaica and Dominica.

There was a press conference with him, where some of the question were related to the Montreal Riot in the Computer Lab where Mr Douglas was a study and also the sale of Dominica's Passport, he was asked the reason for selling the passport for which he replied that Dominica is a Sovereign Nation and no one can tell him what to do.

There was an offer to Mr Douglas saying that the Government of Canada would compensate the Country for whatever money that they are making from the sale of Dominica's passport for which he did not reply to the offer, what he did was to expressed his live for Canada.

Not too long after that interview the Government of Canada, Citizenship & Immigration Canada issued Visa Requirement for Dominica, go to CIC website and take a look as to how many Native Dominica are migrating to Canada, not too many of them.

It show the quota for each country, many of us in Canada knows exactly that the reason for the Visa is the sale of Dominica's passport which started with Miss Charles and is still continuing with this present administration.

One Dominican contacted me and told me that he received and Email from a Francophone Group another city in Canada, and something came to his attention the name of a Dominican Boy by the name of Bishara Etienne which attended the same High school in DA and is now in the USA.

This email came from a group of Haitians, i am wondering if this person resided in DA and was given the name and ID of this young man.

I can remember reading in the 90s where the Dominican guy who worked in the Registry along with some other person, were stealing dead peoples ID in the registry and people who were not Dominicans were obtaining documents to travel to other country.

I am subject to correction if i am wrong, so please Dominicans living at home the image of Dominica is tarnished due to the sale of DA passport to criminals, imagine many of this people who obtained DA's passport.

I guarantee never ever step foot on the island, there are more Dominican passport out there than the population of DA. I have to voice my opinion.

I am a born Dominican and will always remain a true Dominican, Dominican need to travel out there to no how some of us who migrated to other countries are being ridicule, (example when introducing yourself as a Dominican and to get this reply ) " Oh do you speak Spanish, when reply no, other question is it the small Island selling the Passport" .

So all the ill will that Dominica is facing right now is due to the passport sale and bad leadership, today i read that the Haitians are fleeing DA.

Anyhow they all have bad reputation where ever they reside, go to AMW website, see all the nonsense they were doing in Guadeloupe for which they did not like DA people residing there.

When DA get to number (0) letter (zero) they all will flee, they are not welcome in Guadeloupe, Dominican Republic, Florida, Little Haiti, .

Not even in Montreal Canada where they speak French, if Haitian speak Creole, why is it that they need a translator, since Creole is their first language.

I do hope that Mr Jean Francois Jean Marie that Haitian Voodoo Priest wanted in the USA is not hiding in DA, since DA is not conducting any criminal record on anyone seeking refuge in the island, and also i would like to know what are the requirements for changing first and last name in DA.

Sorry for my family and the innocent people in DA who a blindfolded from knowing the truth, Mr PM, Dominican deserve to know the truth.

Dominica's reputation is garnished all over and the PM is making things worst for DA his his very close ties with Chavez.

Earlier this week someone asked how many Nigerians are residing in DA,all crooks and criminals are fleeing their native country with a one way ticket to Dominica for safe haven.
 
Food for thought - St. Kitts sells passport under the same economic citizenship program and St.Lucia does not. There is more to this people so get off your high horses and give the PM a break. He has already admitted that the program needs to be reviewed and taken the necessary steps. Also, people from all countries enter other countries under false pretence and DA is no exception. There was nothing wrong in the PM asking our people to refrain from such practices.
 
All countries in one way or the other sell passports... Look at all the Chinese/ Arabs etc... who for opening a business or buying an American or English Port get their residency and then citizenship from these countries. Why do you think with all the problems with pakistan, and the Arab states, the bug countries still give these people residency and their passports??? It's all about money at the end of the day... If Dominica were a big trading partner importing loads of UK goods there would not be even a consideration of implementing visas no matter what. America has lifted their visa restrictions on more suspect states which maybe have more problems for their national security than Dominica ever would but at the end of the day those places are where american firms go for cheap labor for manufacturing,(remember CHINA). So we small islanders should not be quick to put our neck on chopping blocks for the big countries... They have no moral compass these countries and it's all about money and power.
 
I think that Dominica should require british nationals to obtain a visa before entering Dominica. Every nation has a right to determine who visits their country and have a right to determine who holds their passports. I am a Dominican with an American passport so What is the big deal about deciding to extend passport privileges to other nationals. A hamas leader was killed and the killers held british passports which were obtained illegally. They were not Dominicans.
 
i wonder who is that jack a** that is trying to deny the fact that the measures being taken by the british government is due to the sale of Dominica Passports. It has nothing to do with UK politics. It has also to do with the countries that we associate with. China, Venezuela....... Thanks to Skerit for making Dominica a sh*t hole and taking it to the levels of dirt. Good for all dem labour party supporters. The way you make you bed that's how you lay in it
 
I feel sorry for all the native born dominicans who still resides in the country. this issue has nothing to do with you all. its all about skerrit and his phony dominicans who are committing crimes in these countries and tarnishing the good name of my country. but especially the young generation of dominica whatever backlash you all receive good for you all, because you all were too damn stupid to vote skerrit back in power. all i've got to same praise god am out of this country and i dont have to suffer under skerrit leadership
 

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