Prime Minister supports Bill

ON Tuesday, the Prime Minister of Barbados gave his full support to the Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

This Bill would amend the Immigration Act, Cap. 190 to make provision for an offence of smuggling of persons in accordance with the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime and for related matters.
 
“One of the reasons Barbados has to address this issue is because we are in a position where we would be an attractive receiving state for persons who are into smuggling, as indeed we would be for persons who are being trafficked.
 
“We have to make it very clear that we would not leave our footprints on that unworthy and highly disreputable path of participating either as perpetrators or beneficiaries of this unwholesome practice,” the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart told the House of Assembly.
 
He signalled that the legislation imposes heavy penalties for persons involved in this kind of practice, and expressed his continued confidence in border officials who will be on the lookout for cases of this kind.
 
“We have had a few cases that did not materialise as such… I am certain that it is not going to be difficult if cases of smuggling present themselves for those cases to be identified as such, and to be dealt with appropriately by the law.
 
“So Barbados is pleased to identify itself with all those countries across the world setting their face against human trafficking and against human smuggling,” Stuart stated.
 
He further stressed, “We have to make sure that the borders of our country are properly protected and that the people who eventually end up in Barbados are the people we want in Barbados.
 
“We have been seeing people coming from far and wide to take up residence here, and I have to place on record my profound gratitude to our border security officials and our police for acting swiftly on these matters, to remove even the appearance of a threat to Barbados’ national security… These are battles that have to be fought every day; they resurface in other guises and we just have to continue to be the vigilant nation that we have always been.” (TL)
 

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