“New Bermudians, with their new-found security, could seek to purchase real estate…”

“I truly hope that the existing government programme will be expanded to include status”

— Michael Fahy (September 5, 2023)

Let us be clear: the One Bermuda Alliance plan in 2016 was to grant mass Bermuda status to thousands of long-term residents and persons on work permits. Hence why Bermudians of all complexion were staunchly against that proposed legislation. Hence why Michael Fahy’s party lost seats in 2017 — and then even more in 2020.

On the contrary, what is proposed and being executed by minister Jason Hayward is to expand the workforce in order to create more economic activity. That is in addition to granting permanent residency to those who have been here for a required amount of time. As a positive comparison, per the 2021 Employment Brief, in 2017 under the OBA, our total working population was 33,659 versus 34,378 in 2019 under the Progressive Labour Party.

Clearly, we can grow the working population and increase economic activity without giving away mass status, which leads to other logistical challenges.

Housing

In the Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands and British Virgin Islands, they have grown their populations via granting of status and massive increases in work permits. However, that has come at the cost of their generational populations now becoming permanent minorities in their own countries. As an example, in the Virgin Islands, non-belongers make up nearly 70 per cent of the population.

In every one of those islands, the cost of living has grown.

“One of the challenges particularly many persons are facing, one of the concerns persons expressed to me [is] the issue of high food costs and the issue of electricity and a fuel surcharge that seems to be stifling many families and businesses within this territory.”

— Marlon Penn (Virgin Islands MP)

You see, once a person is granted status, they are then able to purchase as much property as they wish. So this means locals are left to compete even more for less and less available property to purchase.

Reminder again of the words of Michael Fahy.

“New Bermudians, with their new-found security, could seek to purchase real estate…”

Is this what we want for Bermudians?

Contrary to some online critics, protecting scarce land resources is not xenophobic.

This week the Chamber of Commerce made mention that to grow the population in meaningful numbers we would need significantly more rental units. The Government, via the Bermuda Housing Corporation, provides affordable housing for more than 700 Bermudian families, with additional units planned and under renovation.

Likewise, in the Cayman Islands, the same place that Mr Fahy and others love to use as their examples, the Government is now forced to provide affordable housing because of “new Caymanians” buying up the land.

“The [Cayman] property market is flourishing.”

— Michael Fahy (2019)

Flourishing yes, but for whom?

“Building homes that ordinary working Caymanians can afford is becoming a critical issue, given that the average price of residential property sold in the Cayman Islands in 2022 was $1.32 million, an increase of more than 9 per cent on the previous year.”

— Cayman News (February 21, 2023)

Balance

Those that have spent a large portion of their lives in one country should have the ability to make these islands their permanent home. So, yes, we have to have a balanced plan of approaching the delicate subject of immigration. For many reasons, though, it will not be through the mass granting of status.

• Christopher Famous is the government MP for Devonshire East (Constituency 11). You can reach him on WhatsApp at 599-0901 or e-mail at carib_pro@yahoo.com