Belongership contravenes Civil & Political Rights - VI Election Observers
This comes following the February 20, 2019, report from the UK parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committees calling on the Theresa May-led administration to set a date for all Overseas Territories (OTs) to remove belongership status, legalise same-sex marriages and implement the public beneficial ownership registries.
Under a section entitled Suffrage Rights, the Election Report notes, “Under the constitution, the right to vote is extended to persons who “belong to the Virgin Islands”, have reached the age of 18 on election day, and are either domiciled and resident in the Virgin Islands or domiciled in the Virgin Islands and resident in the US Virgin Islands.”
Rights to Vote
However speaking specifically to the belongership it states, “Belonger status is not automatically acquired by birth or through citizenship, but by descent or by having held residence status for a minimum of 21 years and, reportedly, undertaken an additional application process likely to last several more years.”
According to the report, the status “contravenes the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which seeks to ensure all individuals within its territory have the right to vote and stand as a candidate without distinction of any kind such as national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”
It says due to that, there are citizens with resident status who are not granted suffrage rights and non-citizens residing abroad with the right to vote and stand, “This again undermines the principles of equity, fairness and representation,” it notes in echoing the UK report.
Belongership elevates one group – UK Report
The UK Parliamentary Committee Report had previously stated that belongership status elevates one group, “While we recognise that the OTs are small communities with unique cultural identities, we do not accept that there is any justification to deny legally-resident British Overseas Territory and UK citizens the right to vote and to hold elected office.”
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26 Responses to “Belongership contravenes Civil & Political Rights - VI Election Observers ”
Caribbean immigrants who came to UK decades ago 'criminalised' due to 'hostile' government policy
-Ministers urged to act as Commonwealth citizens who arrived as children with ‘windrush’ generation denied access to healthcare, losing jobs and even threatened with deportation-
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/immigrants-uk-caribbean-immigration-hostile-environment-a8300236.html
and...
'Man born and raised in UK told he is not a British citizen'
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/29/joiner-shane-ridge-born-and-raised-in-britain-told-to-leave-home-office
Go fix your own household before trying to boss others around. Independence First!!!
When did countries acquire color? Countries are completely without color.
Hey Mr Walwyn, your defeat politically only made it clearer to the UK regarding this belonger status issue. Talk about digging a hole just to find out it's for you, lol.
Important is the idea of residency:- you must have the right to vote firstly and second, must reside in that country/district to vote, if this is lacking in our laws then it should be addressed.
If were are an educated, aware, prepared and motivated to succeed people then this complete inclusion-as UK citizens isn't something to be afraid of, I see it as an opportunity to build real strength as full citizen...Yes we have the history of White rule-slavery, racism and economic injustice looming as this scary figure, but there is a real possible here if this move is fair and equatable.....See above.
Well we have to make a decision and tighten our belts and as Ronald Webster said in Anguilla even if we have to eat salt we will not surrender a grain of salt to the British. This message must be sent to the British loud and clear and the people MUST unite with the government to safe guard the future of these islands.
England is a b***
This has nothing to do with Caribbean nationals. But they are so slick that they will try to pit us against each other while the white UK nationals slide in under a black on black fight. Just based on the few comments here, it is already clear that colonial UK is winning.
Why are 30 million trying to dictate the lives of 30,000. Why are we so important? Stay woke people.
Bottomline is that former slaves should not be living better than their former slave masters. The hurricanes opened ordinary UK Citizens (relief workers) eyes to how good we live compared to them in their tiny flats and nasty subway Trans every day.
Our average citizens earn more than members of the House of Commons. And that does not sit well with them.
Stay woke people!
You Caribbean nationals who have taken your independece I applaud you. But do not join the fight against the rest of your Caribbean brothers and sisters who are not in a position to seek independence yet. Do not fall for the trap. Support our cause as we emybrace you all in our country for a better living.
Use us in the BVI to continue to benefit from our position with the UK. Don't allow them to turn you against us.
BVI people respect you Caribbean nationals in your countries. We are not trying to take your rights in your respective countries. We embrace you for who you are. Help us to preserve who we are as Virgin Islanders, while still benefitting from the good economy we have which allows you to send good earnings back home to take care of your families.
See the big picture and stay woke!
cake and eat it....??