NEW YORK NEW YORK: Hope yet for Bajans on the deportee list?

BY TONY BEST | FRI, AUGUST 26, 2011 - 12:00 AM

Scores of Bajans facing deportation to their birthplace may be given a second chance to remain in the United States.

But the tough question is: what may happen with Barbadians who have already been sent back home?

The opportunity and the intriguing query are linked to a decision by the United States Department of Homeland Security to take a second look at 300 000 deportation cases now before American immigration courts.

The dramatic move has been hailed by immigration advocates in and outside the United States Congress and the courts who have been pressing the Obama White House for more than two-and-a-half years to change a dreaded policy which has resulted in more than a million people being kicked out of the country.

Tens of thousands of men and women from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, many of whom have done nothing more than overstay their allotted time or committed misdemeanors, such as jumping a subway turnstile, possessing a joint of marijuana, shoplifting a $1 pack of salted nuts or sneaking onto a bus without paying the fare.

Almost 70 Barbadians in the northeastern United States are in the deportation pipeline and Andre Padmore, Barbados’ Consul in New York, described the move as “a step in the right direction”. He said they were “awaiting a detailed explanation of the administration’s plans”.

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Open Skies/Closed Skies

REDJET EXPOSES CARICOM's CLOSED SKY
By By Ian Bertrand
Story Created: Aug 2, 2011 at 11:51 PM ECT
Story Updated: Aug 2, 2011 at 11:51 PM ECT
The REDjet imbroglio, though staunched, still continues, and it has exposed to us Caribbean residents the gross inconsistencies that underpin Caricom aviation policies. Policies that are supposed to advance the socio-economic interests of all of us.
We have seen that our Caricom leaders eagerly adopt Open Sky policies for international air services but enforce Closed Sky policies for intra-regional air services.
Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados have each signed an Open Sky air service agreement (ASA) with the United States. (Trinidad and Tobago negotiated their Open Sky ASA over a weekend.)
Yet these same fraternal members of Caricom and willing(?) signatories to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, continue to persist in upholding Closed Sky ASAs among themselves.

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On The Map is part of the Caribbean Tales Worldwide Distribution library

Established in Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago, with the vision of “taking Caribbean films to the world,” CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD) is the first of its kind film distribution company in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Founded by accomplished Trinidadian/Canadian/British film producer and director Frances-Anne Solomon, CTWD aims to become internationally known as the go-to solution for Caribbean-filmed product, offering the best films by the finest filmmakers and producers from the Caribbean and its Diaspora.

CTWD’s principals are creative industries specialist Dr Keith Nurse (Chair), economist and businessman Dr. Terrence Farrell, producer and media personality Lisa Wickham, and filmmaker Mary Wells. CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution is a member of the Barbados Business Enterprise Corporation.

CaribbeanTales (TM) is the trademark of a group of companies, with bases in Canada, Trinidad, and Barbados,that also includes CaribbeanTales an educational multimedia production company, and the CaribbeanTales Film Festival Group – that produces film screenings, festivals, and industry training events around the world.

For more on the CTWD and to order On The Map, visit this link - http://caribbeantales-worldwide.com/?page_id=2744