Requiring a VI visa when on work permit ‘should go away’- Hon Lorna G. Smith
The issue was brought up by JTV reporter Cathy O. Richards during an interview with Hon Smith on September 30, 2024, the same day Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) announced the VI was lifting the visa restriction on nationals of Guyana.
Ms Richards said she knows expatriates not requiring a visa to enter the VI do not need a visa to reside when on a work permit and wanted to know if Guyanese would be extended the same privileges.
‘I wasn’t aware’- Hon Smith
“I have to be honest and say that I wasn’t aware because I would have thought that once you got a work permit, and especially one that is renewed every year, you wouldn’t still have to do the visa,” Hon Smith responded.
The Deputy Premier continued that her intelligence would tell her that “should go away”.
“I don’t want to say straight away but I will be speaking with the Labour Department and, of course, the Deputy Governor’s Office to ensure that goes away very quickly,” Hon Smith added.
Regarding the lifting of the visa requirement for Guyanese travelling to the Virgin Islands, Hon Smith said it is a very “significant milestone” for the VI and Guyana as it paves the way for travel, business and investments.
With the removal of Guyana from the list of countries needing visas to enter the Territory, ninety countries still require visas. Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica, are the Caribbean countries with visa restrictions.
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18 Responses to “Requiring a VI visa when on work permit ‘should go away’- Hon Lorna G. Smith”
She pusbing hard for the Guyanese, not against Guyanese ..Santo Domincans should have been first. Leave the Jamaicans stay out please. You heard in Jamaica hit man are killing anyone friends, enemies Families for 3 hundred U S. They will come here and start hitting for $1500.00 little bit a money then you wilk start seeing peopke missing,, gun down, bury in shallow grave Leave them Jamaican where them is...A hit man is a hit man any where that his trade.
The bvi is a very stressful place to live, work is even worst. You all are opening the floodgate to the world and so you all will approve every work permit for Tom, Dick, harry, Peter and paul. The BVI landers are placed in the back for a proper job in their own home town. What a burning shame. Miss i bey you all to slow down. All that glitters is not gpld
Guyana places 9th for the highest crime rate in the WORLD and Trinidad places 7th. I say we jamming. Keep it up Tola, you will bring your pigs to a fine market.