Minister for Justice, Immigration and National Security, Rayburn Blackmore, says that a new system is being formulated for the issuance of visas for Haitians and things are moving in the right direction in that regard.
His remarks come in light of a suspension on visas for Haitian nationals earlier this year.
“We are just waiting to have the administrative system put in place and in due time the public will be apprised as to the direction,” he noted, while addressing the matter on state-owned DBS Radio’s “Talking Point” on Monday.
He added, “As I said, the intention is to have a proper vetting system and if persons were issued visas of work permits to work on a farm, we have to know where that farm is, and we have to ensure that we do not facilitate an enterprise whereby persons come into the country, legally and leave illegally.”
He added that with the new system, Haitians can apply themselves from Haiti via Quick Pack and there will be a vetting process and then the application will be returned to applicants via mail.
“So that is being done to ensure that we have a proper checks and balances and management of the process going forward,” he noted.
Blackmoore said the system has been reviewed and the intention is to make it as transparent as possible.
“The intention is to have a system where by it can be more transparent, number one, and whereby we can have a quality system because that is critical going forward,” he noted.
Blackmoore added that Dominica cannot have a closed-door approach non-immigrants but noted that controlling the border is critical.
“As I have said before, the controls of your borders is very critical because Dominica does not operate or exist in a vacuum. The partnerships that we develop with our friends, which have been historic, are critical to our advancement, at the same time we cannot have a closed-door approach to non-immigrants. That is critical,” Blackmore said.
Earlier this year, the government suspended the issuance of visas for Haitians, but many questions remain unanswered as a damning memo purportedly from the Labour Commissioner, Matthew LeBlanc, dated January 12, 2015 to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit received much attention.
In that memo, LeBlanc stated that his many efforts at dealing with the matter of irregularities in the issuing of visas to Haitian nationals have been “vetoed,” and called for an investigation into claims of irregularities at the Labour Division.
But the Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit indicated that there will be no investigation into the issuance of visas to Haitian nationals in Dominica, pointing out that “certain systems” are being put in place by the government to prevent “certain things” from happening.
it is just a mess that my comment
Have you seen the Dominica Visa, It is a cheap stamp that anyone can replicate lets modernize and customize our visa please.
I fully understand the concept whereby we are not interested in the criminal, only the snitch.
We do not need a transparent system. We need a transparent investigation into all the corruption which has been going on.
It was just a few years ago when the present system was put in place by the same administration.
Why didn’t you guys set up a transparent situation.
We need to are priority and standard
In DA lord help us.
Am back in a long time
Lol wat a statement lol i cant understand them sentences. Lol i live in uk for 10years and i cant comprehend them sentences.
Mr. Minister, whatever you say enters one ear and out the other. You’re the same Minister who told Mahaut People that government will not take away their homes and relocate them, to expand the “Choke Point” that is Mahaut’s main road. You also promised a cruise ship birth in Canefield. Judging from your track record as the former Minister of Communications and Works, I take your statements with a canoe of salt.
Cut the crap and present a financial statement detailing income and expenditure for the “Passport Selling Scheme,” that your regime touts as the economic savior of our nation. Maybe then, I might be more likely to listen to your drivel.
‘There will be no investigation…’
Well, that doesn’t sound suspicious at all, nope, not at all, not in the least
Sometimes, Skerro just seems like a real-life parody of a small nation’s dictator.
What about the Dominicanas? Is there the same protocols in place to affect their movement and employment in the county? Hope we do not continue to carry the colonizers system: Light Skinned in right, and Blacks get back.
Additional people in a small country could contribute to the population and poverty. Do not be deceived otherwise.
Visas for what? As visitors or to stay in Dominica?
To my knowledge visas are for visitors; not for landed status.
Dominica being a small country, it does not need too many immigrants and those who do not contribute to the economy, who will be dependent on the government for their livelihood
There are many unemployed D/cans. See to it that they are beneficially employed. Nationals must be first employed and given precedence of employment and purchasing land.
Reach out to them. Have a town hall meeting or visit them right at their homes to talk to them and counsel them. Inform them in no uncertain manner that they are obligated to contribute to the economy of the country.
You could also commence with the youths while they are students. Do not merely educate them and forget all about them. They need to be educated and counseled in this respect that they may become useful nationals also for their benefit.
Why are government minister always speak in code like we have no clue what they talking about. “Certain systems are being put in place to solve the problem”
What the hell was the problem and what is that so called system. has been tested, proven that is works? what the hell is it?
Whoever the Hatian gave his twenty thousand dollar for Dominica passport need to give the man his money back, I know the individual he is looking for the fraudster, passport seller, you need to give the Hatian man his twenty thousand dollars, Hatian do no r want to stay in Dominica, they use dominica, once they get the passport they move on the greener pasture and better opportunity living their Hatian passport all over the place, Visa for Hatians and the criminals and Chinese mafia all they need is to show the money and bam bam bam Dominica citizen, as me ald grandpa used to mm say, the cow always jump out where the fence is low
I love my Haitian brothers and sisters. They are hard working. I love their work ethics. In the spirit of Caribbean brotherhood, please us not treat the Haitians any less than others. In fact they contribute to our economy here. Very vibrant in farming and the service industry.
my friend I don’t have problem with people coming to this land and make a living at all but my problem is it look to me is only this people that can work we has work hard to get Dominica where it is for people to now come and have the best I need to know when r we going to be first class on our land when you all talk about this people working hard they maybe working harder then you and your family but not me and my family am 44 years and I have worked hard when Dominicans started to move to Antigua to work Antiguans were looking at us as hard working people because we came from a land where we were working hard for $35 a day to $120 and that’s just the problem with these people that come to Dominica as soon as they can pay there way to some people life become good for them I need you to take r walk around in Roseau and please tell me what kind of business these people doing on the road with the books in there hands every day picking up money can Dominicans say whats going on in…
You are telling me that after your Government refuse to investigate RACKETEERING of VISA and PASSPORTS?
Give me a break.
I don’t trust skerrit, Hugo Chávez daughter is the richest individual in Venezuela, these people only want to get rich at our expense.
Venezuela’s richest man is Gustavo Cisneros, with a net worth of $4.4 billion. Chavez daughter no where near the top 3 people.
Our best investment is to attract our Dominicans and Dominican diaspora back home.
Firstly, remove import duties to Dominicans willing to move back home.
2. Create an environment to motivate our youth back in Agriculture and Agro-processing and the pillars that increases revenues to our country.
3. Every child born to a Dominican parent or Grandparent should be encouraged through an Ancestry laws program that allows them to come in for 5 years. As long as this person has a good character allow them to come home to build this country.
We are making a mistake by investing in Haitians, Chinese and Spanish. Our history is unique, our forefathers bleed for this country, endured brutal slavery. This land belongs to the Kalinago people first and foremost (I am a black man so I respect their rights) and Afro-Dominicans.
Let us build what is ours together.
All these are good . Keep in mind Dominica never had Muslim ancestry; not until you renounced your Christian faith to become one and others may have followed suit. You are making it one..
I love this comment, some people place to much emphasise on politics than stating the true fact of nation building. Continue with great comments like this
hey!,,,,,,!,!!!, this land belong to everyone who has the right to i t. ”not kalingo people first”, am a Dominican negro, my great great grandma was a black Arawak, so oo, ?……..??…..?…and I can prove that sooooo???
I only follow comments like yours,
Some people based their comments only on politics,
It’s a shame how our Dominican people don’t have nothing ng good to offer than just be this gruntled over politics.
JAm back in a long time
I met a Haitian in America who lived in Dominica
For some time, and it was so much of an insult
To hear him demeanor our country when in reality
It’s Dominica that’s the stepping stone to America.
He said to me that Dominica is the same as when Columbus that DA is backwards and he went on and on its a shame to see how they use our country
To get where they wanna go and then talk bad of
Us how sad we allow them to take advantage of us
And then rebuke us in the latter end
The land belongs to DOMINICANS, and we are all equal!
i agree with blackmore that we cannot have a closed door policy when it comes to immagration but i think when a call was made for an investigation the answer that there will be no investigation creates a lot of suspitions. and I DO NOT see why we have to import people to work on farms when there are so many young men sitting smoking grass and sniffing what ever resulting in so many robbries . some of these young men ;s parents have lands that they cultivated to support them to manhood and iether died or are to old to continue but the land remains unused .Walk around the villages ,start at wesley ,woodfordhill morning noon and night they can be found hanging around . It was never like this .young men please pull your pants up stop exposing your under wear and work for a living
I know this was coming into effect after all the Haitians who bought land fruadulantly from some well known people. So they are now trying to sideline the Hatians but the cat is out of the bag already.
We will soon hear who sold land to with false land titles.
This is such a mess how they register it!!
Yes Blackmore. We note the onslaught on the people of Salisbury, pleading, begging Skerritt’s DLP Govt for Years for access to their farms. All they are asking for is for the repairs of their farm access roads, which are in a dilapidated condition. They want to earn their living, by continuing to work hard, producing the crops that make us all healthy.
We also note your reluctance and the rest of the Cabal from investigating the Racketeering going on, for some time now, with our visas to Haitian nationals. Racketeering, all over the world is a serious criminal offence.
Yet you all turn a blind eye, refusing to bring to justice the perpetrators of those crimes. Those crimes are being committed, authorities are aware of them, yet will do nothing about it.
FIFA officials are now in big trouble. For what among other criminal offences For Racketeering. In Dominica, it is OK. No investigation. Big Boys involve, nuh? Is corruption the order of the day in DA?
So are there any controls on the Dominican Republic neighbours who come here ? Is it a Black thing? Poor Haitians.
This administration care lest about poor black peopls and their struggles, what I am seeing in Dominica today, is Chinese taking over,the president of Dominica caled on Dominican took boycott a businesss place in Dominica with over hundreds of employees for which they did, not bearing in mind that they employees are Dominican working to put roofs, food, clothing and shelter for their families, today the Chinese are all over the place taking over dominica and selling reject, fake goods all over the place and no one is calling on them to boycott the Chinese restaurants and stores. Spanish speaking are also taking over Dominica and they afe being treated far more better than oru Hatian brothers and sisters because of their skin colour. Skirrit and his gang of tugs give a rat, about black people, perfect example other than Skerrit and his boys, how many black people is in the Dominica Trade House Photo, and all the other photos where skerrit sold Dominica and is still selling Dominica
Mr. Blackmore, the fact that there was no investigation and sharing of information with the public on the visa “racketeering” is a clear indication that the public should not expect transparency from you or your government. So the public expect you to talk but not live up to the word “transparency.
By the way since you are Minister of National Security can you, the Prime Minister and the Police Chief explain and your PM tell us what is the status of the following?
GON Emmanuel Firebombing case – December 24, 2010 to August 10, 2015 -1,690 days (4 years and seven months) without a solution.
Corp. Patrick George Firebombing case – January 23, 2011 to August 10, 2015 – 1,660 days (4 years and six months) without a solution.
GON Emmanuel case against Steven Isidore – November 19, 2010 to August 10, 2015 -1,725 days (4 years and eight months) without a solution.
The public want to know
Transparent Blackmoore take the poor Dominican on that ,not me you guys are scams.
Salisbury people are are played paid
Political poppets of the opposition government.
Just wait your turn Lennox.
You will get your turn to play on the field.
Both parties are no different it’s a power thing
Don’t fool who don’t know better.
What would be better if the uwp was in power.
No different! Same dam thing! One of a kind
Two of the same, these people don’t care about
Me or u, what matters is they are entitled to be of
Privilege that’s the game. Who cares!!!