NATION NEWS (Barbados) – Guyana is having a close look at a Barbados recommendation to place limits on the granting of citizenship to children.

Guyana’s Honorary Consul in Barbados, Norman Faria, made the admission Sunday, saying the proposal had implications for the future of the children of undocumented immigrants.

The recommendation is included in a “green paper” on immigration, released by the Thompson administration for public discussion.

Faria spoke about Guyana’s concern during the Sunday Brass Tacks Voice Of Barbados (VOB) radio call-in programme where moderator David Ellis quoted at length from the green paper.

“It is recommended that the legislation should be amended to stipulate that children born in Barbados shall not be deemed to be citizens of Barbados where neither parent enjoys the status of immigrant, permanent resident or citizen nor qualified under the Caribbean Community Act 2003 (8), which gives provision for matters arising out of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas,” Ellis said.

“However, that child should be allowed to reside if the parent is on a valid long-term work permit or has permission to reside and work.”

Faria’s response was: “The Guyana government, they’re seriously looking at this particular detail … because of the sizeable (number) of Guyana nationals in Barbados.

“Those undocumented, they would have had children born here. So there are ramifications for those Guyanese who would like their children born in that situation to remain in Barbados, grow up in Barbados and so on. We are looking at that, among the other articles in the statement.”

Faria added: “I would say in general though, and I think that the Barbados Government recognises it, that children born to immigrants, traditionally over the years, several generations have made outstanding contributions to the welcoming country who have had children born here.”

Political scientist George Brathwaite, part of the panel, said the suggestion raised questions of discrimination under the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas establishing CARICOM.

“I think it is something that has some legal implications that need to be fully explored,” he commented.

Panellist Stephen Ellcock, who runs a farming business, disagreed with the idea of placing limits on citizenship for children.

“As long as you are born on a land, you have a right to be citizen of that land,” he declared.

Meantime, Antigua and Barbuda’s Chief Immigration Officer, Colonel Ivor Walker, says the two-island state is watching Barbados’ response to immigration problems with a view to providing its own solutions.

According to Walker, the Antigua and Barbuda government recently concluded a national consultation on immigration that went on for weeks and is looking to come up with a broad immigration policy next month.