British official optimistic on visa issue

UK Home Secretary Alan Johnson. Photo credit: www.family-doctor.org.uk

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – A senior British official on Monday said he hoped there would not be a need for imposing visa requirements on Dominicans wishing to visit the United Kingdom in the near future.

“I certainly hope that during the six-month mitigation period everything will be done to ensure that at the end of the process … a visa requirement is not necessary,” Britain’s High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Paul Brummel, told reporters following talks with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

His visit here comes less than a week after London announced it had written to five Caribbean governments, including Dominica, indicating that while their nationals will continue to enter the country without a visa, the matter is being re-evaluated.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson, in a statement published on the British government website, said London had written to the five governments “to advise that, while they will maintain their visa free status for the time being, the decision will be subject to a further review”.

Johnson said London had also written to the Dominica and St Lucia governments, highlighting a number of concerns and giving them a six-month period to deal with them.

The Home Secretary noted the close historic, economic and political ties with Dominica and St Lucia and said London was aware that the introduction of a visa regime would be a significant step.

“It is a decision we do not take lightly,” he stressed.

“As a result we will now enter a six-month period of detailed dialogue with the governments concerned to examine what actions will be taken to address our concerns and mitigate the need for a visa regime to be introduced,” Johnson said.

Brummel acknowledged that the two countries have had a “very long history of very productive collaboration, (and) we are working together with the Government of Dominica positively in a wide range of areas and I would certainly expect that to continue.

“What has happened since the announcement made by the Home Secretary is really a demonstration of the strength, the positive relationship in that the immediate response was a letter from Prime Minister Skerrit to the British government … assuring us of the cooperation of the Dominica government”.

Brummel said his talks with Skerrit on Monday re-affirmed the position.

Apart from Dominica, the other affected countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

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16 Comments

  1. Anonymous
    April 14, 2010

    Any1 mention dominica in uk nd the 1st responce u get is “dominican republic?” them pple dnt even kno theres such country,nd i hv never heard on news bout dominicans doing anything in uk,so i doubt very much that it has anything to do with the people influencing such decision.as for blaming the government,who knows,skerrit needs to make the information public.as for uk,they want to make the country an all white british country so,i doubt any1 is to blame.

  2. micah
    April 13, 2010

    a to h*** to the british!!! bloodsicking at its finest!!!!

  3. veronique
    April 13, 2010

    it would be rather interesting to know what were the concerns.

    its shamefull for london that after the caribbean people have help developed the so called GREAT BRITAN, that now we are being slap with visa restrictions.

    Mr. Johnson what really is the big secret that you wont even declose the reason for your dicision and what exactly need to be put in place within the six month period

    dont worry we have a very competent PM and i know he will do all in his power to prevent such restrictions.

    • hmmm
      April 13, 2010

      yes we helped develop great britain but our contribution is nothing compared to the Indians and Africans and Polish people who moved there as well. all the caribbean is remembered for nowadays in britain is for crime (Jamaica). wen these people think of caribbean first thing they think of is jamaica. and another thing …LOOOADS of people STILL dont know about dominica in the UK…

  4. April 13, 2010

    UK!! For your info I am a British Passport holder,all I said was the info I received is that the Dominican PM was being blamed for all this. You are too Partisan,why do you believe Dominica is going down the drain,which drain,the ones being built with the NEW ROADS? LOL LOL. Little Tommy Talker? Ithought it was TUCKER!! Boy you sound so peeved,that is just what I said,The PM must be real powerful for people to blame him for the rest of the Islands, What does Political Science have to do with our Ministers? The PEOPLE voted them in to represent them,it was their choice.TaTa.

  5. ehbeh weh
    April 13, 2010

    I am still looking for the rejoicing eh…why is that UK person so bitter?? You didn’t get a ticket to come down and vote, get over it. Your party lost anyway, so u didn’t have to waste ur vote. I really want to know what ‘the dominicans in UK’ are doing to solve this problem, as you say if this turns favorable is the ‘people in uk’ efforts. I am sure you are one of them who caused this restriction, by going on a everlasting vacation in UK. The problem is those people in the UK that caused it, because u guys went there and stayed like you have british passport. Well some of you ( i bet you are included) maybe legal now, but u were still the part of the problem, is allu that cause it. Not Skerrit ( yes he have all his dayfoe but…)because Skerrit is not the PM of the other 5 countries involved. This time is a national problem, not a government problem. Take your bitterness and invest in angostura or something.

  6. Cassandra
    April 13, 2010

    “Dominican Lover” before you let fly with prejudice it may be wise to remember that this is taking place while a Dominican born Lady, our very own Patricicia “Baroness” Scotland occupies the seat of Attorney General of that very same “wicked” country that bestowed these honours on her! It is always prudent to reflect before you speak.

  7. Nathaniel Peltier
    April 12, 2010

    It would be interesting to know what were the concerns Highlighted by the British. If it is a matter of people wrong information well I really feel sorry for us Dominicans.
    I would really like to know all the facts of the letter.

    • hmmm
      April 13, 2010

      BASICCAAALLLYYY it cant be us dominicans becuase THE AVERAGE BRITISH PERSON DONT EVEN KNOW ABOUT DOMINICA! so it cant be somthing DOMINICANS are doing wrong ..otherwise everyone wud be talking about dominica having a bad rep. and secondly, all over the caribbean we got ppl staying in the UK illegally. so if it was that then the whole caribbean wouldve gotten slapped with visa restrictions. now all mr pm (who we worship sooo much) has to do is tighten his citizenship regulations n wat have you ..trust …they know EXACTLY why britain is taking that action against us…dont be foolish

  8. April 12, 2010

    Engras, do not rejoice, this is no victory for you to be rejoicing, believe me it will happen and it soon come, we Dominicans in London and all over the UK is contacting our representatives with the concern, so if something good come out of it, this is not because of your PM, who as far as we all know in the UK in taking Dominica down the drain, your PM have no influence on any other Caribbean island, other them China, Russia, Middle East, Kirghistan, Venezuela and the rest of the communist countries, not forgetting the Haitians, this is what you need to put in your pipe and smoke… don’t you think that he is being watch thank you, i rest my case, do not rejoice, do not rejoice, there is no victory yet, and any Victory if there will be one is all because of we Dominicans in the UK, LITTLE TOMMY TALKER SING FOR HIS SUPPER, one last questions how many of your ministers in Dominica have a Degree in Political Science, please educate me

  9. Dominican lover
    April 12, 2010

    Zor tou sort, the british just duh know how to let go. So waht they never treat us good in the first place.

  10. April 12, 2010

    You mean all the Hype and blaming of Prime Minister Skerrit for “the definite imposition of Visas” this is what it is all about? Well Skerrit well strong to have influence on Five Caribbean Islands.”It is better tto keep your mouth shut than to open it and look like a Fool”. “Hot Seat” put that in your pipe and smoke it.

    • hmmm
      April 13, 2010

      read properly meh’son skerrit only has influence on dominica’s situation. they’re tryna say that from the UK immigration review alll the caribbean countries were looked at and even though the other countries get a pass..the issue might be revisited in the future….

  11. April 12, 2010

    What are the concerns mr. Johnson?

    We would like to know if it is the peoples’s fault or the Government fault.

  12. April 12, 2010

    slap!!!!! it on them Dominican for the most, teach the a lesson

  13. Anonymous
    April 12, 2010

    eh?

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