Dominicans told they could be included in US visa renewal waiver programme

Dominicans have been told that they shouldn’t give up hope as the country could be included on the United States visa renewal waiver programme.

Under the policy, citizens who reside in the approved countries will not have to travel to Barbados to renew their US Visas.

Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines were excluded from the list.

Joaquin (Wa-Keen) Monserrate, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean said the program is reviewed every year and Dominica could be included the next time around.

“It was perceived on a wide range of issues that some of the countries we were working with more closely would go first in that tranche,” he said.

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19 Comments

  1. zandoli
    November 20, 2018

    For someone who had lived in North America for almost 40 years, let me interpret that statement. This is total BS and no one should expect Dominica to be exempt from the visa waiver program. These types of words are designed to make one feel better without having the guts to tell them “no” to their face.

  2. budman
    November 20, 2018

    so let’s look at why Dominica A&B and SVG were not included. couldnt be the passport sales because SVG doesn’t do it. whereas SKB and SLU were included in the waiver program and they sell passports. couldn’t be historical relations with the US as none has had a longer standing relationship with the US than A&B has. the US had not one, but 2 military bases in A&B since WW2. so what could it be? ahhhh. the Venezuela vote. Dom, A&B and SVG all voted against the US in the Venezuela matter. so now its time for pettiness. smh.

    • Agirl
      November 20, 2018

      Good analysis. I hadn’t thought of all that. THanks budman.

    • UDOHREADYET
      November 20, 2018

      almost every country has a form of Citizenship by Investment. The only person factually making DA a suspect place in UWP due to officials false short sighted self serving statements about the program and the government. you’re doing it to yourselves but still complaining that its other people doing it to you. It’s self inflicted.

    • UDOHREADYET
      November 20, 2018

      also your comment about Venezuela is nonsensical, we do not import oil from the US, the first people to help was Venezuela in the last two storms and hurricanes. china is the one helping with roads, schools, hospital and infrastructure. what in your bran hasn’t registered that the US isn’t really helping, DA gets 10 time more help from England. Name one single broad reaching positive project with real impact that the US has in Dominica ? people like you think about visa for yourself while your entire country is in dire straits, you pay your taxes elsewhere!

      • budman
        November 21, 2018

        dude are you off your meds? did you read my comment carefully and took the time to understand it? wait..huh?

      • Child of Itassi
        November 22, 2018

        I know your intended alias is “You doh READY yet”, but you spelled it “You doh READ yet”. Apparently, the latter is accurate.

  3. November 20, 2018

    My little take…Get it..It’s corruption all around,,all over the globe..It’s not only found in Dominica…Like it is not found here in America…Woooshhhh
    The politicians and their comrades got the world in one hell of a mess…
    AND IT IS ALL OVER…

  4. November 19, 2018

    Wooh..These folks know how to give a polish statement,We know why we were not included,Nice for going us hope,

  5. Ras
    November 19, 2018

    Is the US policy on visa renewal trying to tell us that it will make life difficult for citizens of countries whose governments make decisions that they perceive to be in the interest of their citizens and not in its (US)? History is replete of examples of Uncle Sam wielding the “big stick”. We can’t forget the despicable adjective that its leader used to describe some developing countries – including Haiti!

    • d-a born
      November 20, 2018

      That’s why Dominicans need to hold our leaders accountable. Can’t be selling passports all willy-nilly and not expect some sort of repercussions. Whenever some sort of sanction is placed on a country, it’s mostly the little people that feel the pain. People shouldn’t be mad at the US for protecting it’s borders. As for Trump, he’s a madman.

      • November 20, 2018

        In this case I don’t think it’s about passports, I think it’s about our ties to the Maduro regime.

      • budman
        November 20, 2018

        St. KItts and St. Lucia sold passports too. SVG does not. so the passport argument not going anywhere. especially since St. Kitts has had at least 2 passport scandals already.

  6. Maybe
    November 19, 2018

    Dream not under Trump they might not get Visa

    • Senjo cia
      November 20, 2018

      Stop looking at cnn and making foolish statements.

  7. My little take
    November 19, 2018

    As a positive person I always look for the positives of any statement and as such the only positive or hope I get from Joaquin (Wa-Keen) Monserrate, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy is, hopefully Dominica will soon reject Roosevelt Skerrit and his corrupt government and hopefully the new government will implement changes that will make the US and other countries will feel safe again and as a result things will change. These are diplomats and they speak diplomatically.

    • DA/AMERICAN
      November 19, 2018

      They also trust the UWP for blocking and burning the Salisbury main road, thereby preventing students from attending their classes. They trust UWP because the forced the embassy to release an advisory against visiting Dominica because of political instability. They really trust and like UWP. this is what you call diplomatic language.

      • Jonathan Y St Jean
        November 20, 2018

        Da/American, get out from under the rock where you living. In France, the US cities, Britain protesters block roads to bring attention to their causes. This may be news to you but it’s really old news. To harbour an international criminal being sought by Interpol is a real crime not blocking a street. When it has weather phenomenon in large cities like snow, floods etc these cities shut down and students miss classes which they make up for at later date. Talk sense man

  8. Green Gold
    November 19, 2018

    This sounds like good news and we most definitely welcome it. Keeping fingers crossed.

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