‘Fast Track' initiative postponed indefinitely - Premier Fahie
Premier Fahie made the announcement soon after speaking at a Town Hall meeting in Valley, Virgin Gorda (VG), at the Catholic Community Centre where he told members of the public that the initiative always had good intentions, however, the backlash is a political issue.
Pure Heart
“In respect to the people of the Virgin Islands and for the process of listening to their views and reshaping our agenda, the submission days for the ‘Clear path to regularization: Residency and Belonger Status Programme from May 27 to 31, 2019, has been postponed,” Premier Fahie wrote on the Premier’s Special Projects Facebook page soon after the VG meeting.
Further he said, “Applicants are advised to complete the preparation of all necessary documents to apply and await further instructions due to possible reshaping of the programme.”
Premier Fahie speaking at the Town Hall meeting said, “My government members have been verbal on [these] indifferent forums, and I don’t dictate their thoughts but there are certain things that I understand in life, growing up in a family where you had to change things… you cannot lead with emotions.”
According to the Hon Fahie, once you set a goal and the goal comes from a pure heart and is one that will help people, “once the Lord knows your heart he fixes it,” he said to loud applause.
“By no stretch of the imagination, I want to tell you tonight, for me, most of what we’re taking up is political. Because if I did it in the fourth year you would have heard everyone say he looking votes,” the Leader of Government Business noted.
“If I did it in the third year you would have heard everyone said he knows election coming. If I do it in the second year you would have heard he start to look ahead, and we did it in the first year you hear what is the rush?” the Premier said to loud laughter and applause.
VIP Gov’t taking on issues – Premier
However, Premier Fahie noted that his administration has not shied away from taking on the tough issues in the territory and bringing solutions. He pointed out that banking will be returning to the people of Virgin Gorda after several months without any banking services.
“Those were not small negotiations, but we were hitting some dead ends,” he said in relation to the negotiation for Banco Popular to set up operation by August 2019.
Over the past two weeks, the Premier’s ‘Fast Track’ Residency & Belonger Status Regularisation Programme had faced protest and verbal backlash which resulted in the blocking of the 2nd and 3rd reading of amendments to the Immigration and Passport Act designed to kick the progress forward.
Premier Fahie in taking up suggestions from the community has said that one of the main reasons for seeking to address the issue of regularisation, is to unite the Territory to face unforeseen challenges that may lie ahead
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13 Responses to “‘Fast Track' initiative postponed indefinitely - Premier Fahie ”
Moreover, immigration is an important but increasingly a hot button and divisive issue across the globe, ie, US, UK….etc. In fact, Theresa May just resigned as UK PM because of Brexit; the genesis of Brexit was about immigration. If I were the Hon Premier Fahie, I would appoint an ad hoc committee to review immigration and make recommendations. In politics, timing is important. An issue may not be sellable in January but may be December or it may sell not sell in 2019 but could in 2024.
Further, from Day 1 of VIP taking hold of power, I suggested that the Premier conduct routine operations and initiate a stand down to capture the current conditions on the ground before ploughing full speed ahead. Situational analysis completed, a strategic national development plan ebooks ve developed; the national development plan should be the blueprint from which government operates. In fact, the VIP should have had a rough national development plan in hand even before taking hold of power. All it would have to do was smooth it out and complete the fleshing out. A pilot does not leave an airport without a flight plan or a captain leave port without a float and a national leader lead without a strategic national development plan. Leading and making decisions from the seat of the pants/skirt is disastrous. Squandered political capital is hard to regained
The subject matter incorporates both levels micro and macro sociology... it deals with various levels of individual agency, and interaction of systems at a macro level. Firstly, an empirical investigation is necessary followed by critical analysis. Simply put, this provides a body of knowledge regarding acceptance of change.
To be continued!
Suggestion: use your indigenous masses to conduct field work free of cost.
Let’s lead like eagles, not careen off the cliff like buffaloes.
How can we ever forget the way the previous leaders hoodwinked us all, and so often, by rushing through bills. Such educated men and women they were, yet still we are now paying for the unwise decisions they made. And they don’t care because they lined their pockets well.
When will we ever learn?