Martinez Criticizes Immigration Forum as Intimidating for Dominican Community Hispanic community advocate Alex Martinez has criticized last week’s immigration forum, describing it as intimidating and counterproductive for Dominican nationals.
The Immigration Department hosted its first bilingual community meeting on Friday to address residency and citizenship concerns among the Dominican community, one of the largest non-national groups in Antigua and Barbuda. However, Martinez said many Dominicans avoided the session out of fear after encountering armed officers and security screenings at the venue.
He argued that the meeting, intended to promote dialogue, instead left many feeling unwelcome and failed to address key issues such as long document processing times and high visa and work permit fees.
Chief Immigration Officer Katrina Yearwood rejected the criticism, saying the heightened security followed international best practices due to the attendance of senior officials and diplomats. She said no passports were checked, only standard safety screenings were conducted, and the session was deemed successful.
Immigration officials have pledged to continue engagement with immigrant communities and plan to host another forum soon.
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Why not get a statement from an OFFICIAL of the Dominican Republic…like Consul General Joaquin Diaz-Lopez in the photo above???
Send them back. To wherever they are from in Dominican Republic. The atrocities that they the Dominicans have carried out against the Haitian’s needs world wide attention. Here in the Caribbean the so called leaders are silent on the Haitian plight. It’s shameful.
These criminals come illegally then want VIP treatment. If you want VIP treatment, go home to the DR with our own people.
De proof inna de sudden. Tek r u bungle a tiefing bak a Santo Domingo. Ah so de Haiiian and dem dat luk laakah Antiguans feel and get treated pan de same land mass, wey r u call home.
Antigua fu clean up itself and fu include ebrie Tut, Mun and BOGEYE. Even Antiguan who a criminals.
If U abide by de laws, ah de Nation, dat Irie. But nuff ting fu clean up, and if CRIME dey mongst R U, are ANYBADYELSE, ah high time fu “CLEAN UP RUBBISH,” lakkah Burning Flames say…
Clean up list…
Fuss innah line – De Parliament & CABINET.
Next – POLICE, IMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS
THIRD – WAYWARD and UNRULY CITIZENS, DENIZENS AND UNDOCUMENTED FAMILIES.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏾Garrat_Bastard
Vere Edwards
When these people come here it’s as if they want to dictate things and make their own rules, and that is because they have been spoilt from since the days if Lester Bird Administration and they think it must continue. There Government treating Haitians as less than dogs