Starting Monday illegal immigrants in Barbados from the Caribbean
and elsewhere will have an opportunity to have their status regularised or be
deported.
Barbados Prime Minister, David Thompson recently announced an amnesty for them that runs from June 1 to November 30.
His government has been promoting a policy of managed migration.
Although no exact figures are available it is estimated that there are hundreds of illegal immigrants in Barbados.
Prime Minister David Thompson says the amnesty extended to them goes far beyond the country's legal obligations to migrant workers.
It is being offered to those who have been in the country for eight consecutive years, he said it is part of a broader revamp of the immigration system most of which requires that they mend the gaps in information.
"We are working on an immigration policy paper which the Immigration Sub-Committee of Cabinet has been dealing with and a step forward to that our contribution to the discussion at the level of CARICOM in relation to contingent rights, in other words what rights do we in Barbados along with other countries in the CARICOM region are going to offer to our citizens,
"There has been a very loose application of this so far but we believe that if people have rights, they have rights enforceable in the law courts and must be administered in a fair and balanced and just way and the idea that people can saunter around the region not sure of whether they are entitled to free medical attention or their children entitled to go to school needs to be clarified," said Mr. Thompson.
Despite Mr. Thompson's concerns the Single Market and Economy of CARICOM has confirmed that most member states have the right rules in place to process the legal movements of CARICOM nationals.
CSME Specialist Stephen McAndrew says the problem comes with fear of abuse of the work permit system.
Barbados Prime Minister, David Thompson recently announced an amnesty for them that runs from June 1 to November 30.
His government has been promoting a policy of managed migration.
Although no exact figures are available it is estimated that there are hundreds of illegal immigrants in Barbados.
Prime Minister David Thompson says the amnesty extended to them goes far beyond the country's legal obligations to migrant workers.
It is being offered to those who have been in the country for eight consecutive years, he said it is part of a broader revamp of the immigration system most of which requires that they mend the gaps in information.
"We are working on an immigration policy paper which the Immigration Sub-Committee of Cabinet has been dealing with and a step forward to that our contribution to the discussion at the level of CARICOM in relation to contingent rights, in other words what rights do we in Barbados along with other countries in the CARICOM region are going to offer to our citizens,
"There has been a very loose application of this so far but we believe that if people have rights, they have rights enforceable in the law courts and must be administered in a fair and balanced and just way and the idea that people can saunter around the region not sure of whether they are entitled to free medical attention or their children entitled to go to school needs to be clarified," said Mr. Thompson.
Despite Mr. Thompson's concerns the Single Market and Economy of CARICOM has confirmed that most member states have the right rules in place to process the legal movements of CARICOM nationals.
CSME Specialist Stephen McAndrew says the problem comes with fear of abuse of the work permit system.
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