The Democratic Labour Party has urged Parliament to proceed carefully with proposed changes to citizenship laws after a report revealed that Barbadian citizenship is being marketed overseas to wealthy clients through “birth-tourism” arrangements.
DLP shadow minister of legal and home affairs and attorney general, Corey Greenidge, said the recent report carried in another section of the press showed why Parliament must proceed cautiously as it considers the Citizenship Bill and Immigration Bill.
He said: “If organised entities are already actively marketing access to Barbadian citizenship abroad and using the strength of the Barbados passport as a selling point, Parliament must carefully consider whether additional accelerated pathways to citizenship are necessary, what safeguards should accompany such reforms and what cumulative impact they may have over time.”
He referred to the front-page news report by the Sunday Sun, which detailed how companies operating abroad are actively promoting Barbados as a destination for expectant Nigerian mothers seeking to secure Barbadian citizenship and a Barbados passport for their children, and how this travel document is being marketed on social media as providing access to over 150 countries and as a gateway to greater global opportunities.
According to Greenidge, the issue goes beyond whether any existing laws are being broken: “The issue is that the report provides tangible evidence of something that many Barbadians may not have fully appreciated: Barbadian citizenship and the Barbados passport possess significant value internationally and are increasingly viewed as desirable assets by persons outside our borders.”
He noted that the DLP has consistently argued during its submissions to the Joint Select Committee that citizenship should not be viewed merely as an administrative status or an economic tool.
“Citizenship represents membership in the Barbadian nation. It carries legal, political and constitutional consequences, and the decisions made today will have implications for decades to come.”
Greenidge added that the report shows that foreign nationals are already using pathways within Barbados’ existing legal framework to secure access to citizenship and the benefits associated with this country’s passport.
“Whether one supports or opposes those existing provisions, the report serves as a timely reminder that citizenship policy cannot be viewed in isolation from its international consequences,”
Greenidge, however, insisted that his party was not advocating that Barbados close itself off from migration or international investment, noting that it has long benefited from being an open and welcoming society.
Nevertheless, he argued that the island has a responsibility to preserve the integrity, credibility and international standing of its citizenship regime.
“Recent international developments have demonstrated that citizenship policies are increasingly attracting scrutiny from foreign governments and international institutions. Small states in particular can face significant consequences where confidence in their citizenship framework is weakened. Barbados must therefore proceed with caution whenever changes are proposed that affect access to citizenship.”
The DLP therefore renewed its call for careful scrutiny of the Citizenship Bill and Immigration Bill and for reforms that preserve the long-term integrity and value of Barbadian citizenship.
“Citizenship is among the most important legal statuses that Barbados can confer. Its value has been built over generations. It should be protected with the same care and vigilance with which it was earned,” Greenidge added.’
(JB)
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