By Caribbean News Global contributor
CASTRIES, St Lucia – Home affairs minister Dr Virginia Albert-Poyotte has taken exception at Saint Lucian’s using their talent to offer services to seemingly “disenfranchised nationals”, unable to navigate ridiculous and disrespectful services at the immigration department to obtain a Saint Lucian passport.
According to comments attributed to minister Albert-Poyotte:
“People come on the line, and these are not persons who come for passports. They are actually coming to hold spaces for people, and they come very early in the morning and we are seeing it developing as a little business and this is something I am encouraging Saint Lucians to discourage.
“When you see those long lines, it’s persons who are actually trying to lobby to get to hold places on the line for people who will be coming later. So if people come at the time that they need their passports checked, you will not have the long lines.
“This is something that we are actually investigating to see if there is a scheme going around. People trying to take lines and pay people to make some money quickly to get passports,” Albert-Poyotte stated.
Wittingly or unwitting the minister was able to expose the incompetence of her portfolio to policy and operations at the immigration department and the inability to offer solutions to better facilitate nationals obtaining a passport.
Small business ventures develop in areas where there is sufficient or aggregate demand for service.
Thus, what’s wrong with entrepreneurial minds recognizing a need, and providing service for a legal dollar?
Why decry the ingenuity of the people who have elected a government to provide quality and effectively run services?
The incongruity of the minister said comments borders on little thought [inadvertently and loose] that conflicts with “putting people first”; seeking government services and obtaining a Saint Lucian passport.
According to the home affairs minister:
“We have checked with the immigration department on a number of occasions and they said most of the time by ten O’ clock most people have gone home. So the long lines and giving the impression that from 2:00 am people have to be on the line, this is ridiculous and people must not continue to do that,” she opined.
As Saint Lucia celebrates 44 years of independence it is very strange that nationals have to be creative – going around weak and efficient government services to obtain a passport; including standing in line from 02:00 am, [irrespective of environmental conditions] – paying people to hold a spot in the line and having to wait months on end to receive a passport.
On the contrary, non-nationals through Citizenship by Investments (CIP) have a smooth and effortless process, that does not require an applicant to physically stand in line, under the elements of a harsh environment, and/or to be in Saint Lucia.
St Lucia’s e-passport available July 25, confirmed at EC$250
Has the two Saint Lucia’s become a reality?
Celebrating independence 44 [February 22] must have meaning and value, not the continuation of lip service and deprivation.
The policy and procedures of obtaining a Saint Lucian passport and other national documents must be a national priority. To do otherwise, while celebrating 44th Anniversary of Independence – is an exercise in formality.
“Putting People First” must have meaning in words and actions.
“Putting People First “ must not lose its social conscience compass and now reprimand the public for governance and policy ineptitude and inefficiencies.
The dignity and preservation of being Saint Lucian must be upheld literally and figuratively, not the extraordinary civilization of the two Saint Lucia’s.
