Port call for Bahamas Immigration Reform
Becoming rather vocal on what it will take to make the necessary changes in Grand Bahama, the President of the Grand Bahama Port Authority Ian Rolle reiterated a call for change in immigration policy.
Speaking with the local television station recently, Rolle said what they are looking for is to create more Permanent Residence of persons who would move their families and business ideas to Freeport.
He said he feels this can be done if the Government assists.
Looking at the present situation in terms of the who gets and what is allowed via Permanent Residency, he called for the Government to allow those business persons who come investing more than $500,000 in homes, etc, to have the status bestowed on their family members as well so that everyone can benefit.
He also wants there to be expediency on the part of the Government in getting back to these persons applying for residency.
"We need a defined process ... that is what investors enjoy ... certainty" he stated.
As for where such investors would come from Rolle said mainly from high taxed zones, places of political turmoil, and places of victimization.
While he understands that some locals not want to see this type of change, he assures that they would not be able to vote or control the country, but to have some economic activity to happen and to create opportunities for the people.
These ideas he had also posed during the recent Grand Bahama Business Outlook.
It is not new as such thoughts brought many persons back in the 50s and 60 as well as the 70s to the island hoping to start a new life with family but were suddenly turned away as work permits were expired.
This blog agrees with Mr. Rolle on his concept because the call for Bahamian women to have more children just to produce more Bahamians cannot produce them in the time required now to change Grand Bahama for the better. The economy is not good enough at the moment to sustain the sudden increase in mouths to feed therefore the other alternative is simply to import remembering that none of us are descendants of the Lucayan Indians.
Speaking with the local television station recently, Rolle said what they are looking for is to create more Permanent Residence of persons who would move their families and business ideas to Freeport.
He said he feels this can be done if the Government assists.
Looking at the present situation in terms of the who gets and what is allowed via Permanent Residency, he called for the Government to allow those business persons who come investing more than $500,000 in homes, etc, to have the status bestowed on their family members as well so that everyone can benefit.
He also wants there to be expediency on the part of the Government in getting back to these persons applying for residency.
"We need a defined process ... that is what investors enjoy ... certainty" he stated.
As for where such investors would come from Rolle said mainly from high taxed zones, places of political turmoil, and places of victimization.
While he understands that some locals not want to see this type of change, he assures that they would not be able to vote or control the country, but to have some economic activity to happen and to create opportunities for the people.
These ideas he had also posed during the recent Grand Bahama Business Outlook.
It is not new as such thoughts brought many persons back in the 50s and 60 as well as the 70s to the island hoping to start a new life with family but were suddenly turned away as work permits were expired.
This blog agrees with Mr. Rolle on his concept because the call for Bahamian women to have more children just to produce more Bahamians cannot produce them in the time required now to change Grand Bahama for the better. The economy is not good enough at the moment to sustain the sudden increase in mouths to feed therefore the other alternative is simply to import remembering that none of us are descendants of the Lucayan Indians.
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| Ian Rolle, President, Grand Bahama Port Authority |
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