Walwyn’s citizenship call a polarizing issue – Sowande Uhuru
During the Umoja radio show aired on July 4, 2013 Wheatley said he didn’t think that it was a coincidence that Hon. Walwyn had his own credentials being questioned as a bona fide Virgin Islander even while running for election.
During Territory Day observations held on July 1, 2013 at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park, Hon. Walwyn expressed that he felt all children born in the Virgin Islands should be given automatic citizenship as obtained in the United States of America. He also indicated that he wasn’t in favour of the British Nationality Act that governed the policy.
Wheatley expressed that besides the honesty that came with the Minister’s statement, he felt it was somewhat problematic.
Echoing statements made a few days earlier by his father, Douglas Wheatley, Natalio Wheatley said, “The British Nationality Act is something that we here locally have no control over. That’s not something that our local legislators have the power to change.”
As a result, he questioned how constructive the Minister was in making the statement, “I wonder what the Minister of Education hoped to achieve by bringing that up, I still can’t quite figure that particular reason out.”
He debated whether Hon. Walwyn may simply have been venting, challenging the UK government on the issue or even expressing the feeling that the Territory should become independent since it was a suggestion the Minister had hinted at previously.
“I think an unintended consequence of that… is that people perhaps who believe that children should be given citizenship automatically, got into a division with people in the community who don’t think that should be the case.”
Wheatley said he found the outcome ironic as the Minister had stated that he deemed the British Nationality Act to be divisive.
According to Wheatley, Hon. Walwyn should continue to encourage people who migrate to the Territory in hopes of themselves becoming citizens, to work hard, pay their dues and put in the work instead of stirring up the emotions of people who believe that children should be given automatic citizenship.
Citizenship, he said, is not a right but a privilege extended to persons coming to the Territory. “Should we encourage people to feel as though some injustice has been done against them and encourage them in feelings of bitterness as a result of this injustice that has been done to them or should we promote the very positive story that many migrants have in coming to this Territory?” he asked.
While stating that perception counts for a lot, he said there were people who migrated to the Territory and were very thankful for the opportunities presented to them in coming to the Virgin Islands.
Wheatley stated that focus should also be placed on developing an immigration policy that speaks to assimilation in the Territory and asserted that this is where local legislator could play a role.
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29 Responses to “Walwyn’s citizenship call a polarizing issue – Sowande Uhuru”
...always trying to divide the country, pitting island people against locals, media houses against one another...we do not need deeds kind of evil politicians around..We going do tis ting come 2016 vote he out he is a divider
FIND YOUR OWN NAME, PUNK!!
Class prejudice lives! it's thriving very well here.
First, there are two methods or means of acquiring citizenship: Jus Soli(right of soil); birthright citizenship, and Jus Sanguinis( right of blood). Further, Jus Soli is observed in a minority of the world's countries. Of the approximately 194 countries defined by the IMF, ~thirty (30) or ~15% grants automatic birthright citizenship. A sampling of these countries includes Canada, USA, Antigua and Barbuda (vacillating), Brazil, Barbados (vacillating), Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Jamaica, Argentina...etc. Moreover, since 2004, no European country grants unconditional birthright citizenship.
Increasingly, more countries are employing a modified form of Jus Soli, i.e., that is they are require at least one parent be a citizen of the country, be a legal permanent resident or that a parent has resided in the country for a specified period of time among other requirements. Countries employing modified Jus Soli includes Australia, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, South Africa, UK, Barbados (proposing change), Ireland, Antigua( proposing change), New Zealand...etc. Further some countries are abandoning Jus Soli altogether.
Moreover, it is important to focus on the UK for a second. In the UK, since January 83, consistent with the British Nationality Act at least one parent must be a British citizen or be a legally "settled" in the country. This is important that the VI is not an independent country but an OT under the UK's umbrella. Consequently, the VI under its current union has to adhere to the UK's laws. However, it does not mean that the VI cannot agitate for a change. Thus, far Virgin Islanders have gotten gotten a bad rap for a UK law that the VI has little leverage over. It is important to note that the UK is part of the EU and since 2004 no European country grants automatic birthright citizenship; this is an interesting tidbit. Nonetheless, this is a simmering human rights issue and I'm not averse to agitating for a change.
Another finding of my probing is that citizenship is a privilege, not a right, afforded by a country. Consequently, they can set whatever conditions they desire for persons to qualify for citizenship. The VI needs a serious round table discussion on this obvious divisive issue.