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Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson gave an official notice to undocumented Caribbean immigrants that they have less than a month to start turning themselves into the Immigration Department, or they will be "removed" from December 1.
This statement was made in Parliament, bringing finality to Government's pledge to address the contentious issue since a Cabinet committee on immigration was formed in June last year.
The Prime Minister said that a subcommittee looking into the level of illegal immigration in Barbados had agreed that the current levels of illegal immigrants were "unacceptably high, increasingly difficult to control and posed potentially negative socio-economic challenges for the country".
As a result, with effect from June 1, 2009 all undocumented CARICOM nationals who entered Barbados prior to December 31, 2005 and remained undocumented for a period of eight years or more are required to "come forward and have their status regularised".
The Prime Minister said "I must make it clear that after the qualifying period has expired, those CARICOM nationals without lawful permission to remain in the island will be removed". He also stated that each case will be considered on its individual merit.
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