ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – The Dominica government says it will appoint a task force to look into problems associated with the issuance of work permit to Haitian nationals as Roseau again voiced concern about Haitians leaving here illegally for the United States.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit told a news conference that the unit should be established later this week.
He said that the Haitians had started receiving work permits and resident status soon after he became prime minister in 2004 because “of the recognition of history and my understanding of the contribution of the Haitian people” to ending slavery.
“We wanted to ensure that we embrace them as brothers and sisters, not only in words but deeds, and that’s what we have done.
“But we have a challenge not with them coming in, but them leaving and leaving illegally. Every time a boat is intercepted, whether in St. Kitts, St. Marten or St. Thomas, or the French territories, it places a diplomatic strain on Dominica.
“A few years ago, we almost lost our visa-free access to Guadeloupe and Martinique because of that situation. I had to go to Paris and Guadeloupe to speak with the French government to dissuade them from taking that action.”
Skerrit told reporters that he is thankful to the French authorities for not imposing the visa restrictions on Dominicans, adding, “What we see happening sometimes is that the Haitian nationals “because even if they have work permits, even if they have residency status or citizenship, when they go, especially to the French territories, they destroy their documents.
“So if you land in Martinique or Guadeloupe, which are part of the European Union and part of the French Republic, and request asylum, the French authorities must consider you.
“So that’s the issue we have. Today he is in Dominica; tomorrow morning, he has left Dominica, and many of them have been here for a long time; they are doing well, and they respect the laws…
“Even though their work permit has not been processed, the police are not there searching for Haitians to send them out, and the police are not going to construction sites and farms to take them out. That will not happen,”
Skerrit said a more “robust and transparent” system would be implemented to facilitate the approvals of the work permits.
“I will put in a task force to review the outstanding applications and quickly address the issue of work permits, not only for the Haitians but for citizens from the Dominican Republic who are here as well.
“We are not opposed to granting them the work permit, but it must be done orderly and with the proper documentation and that we do not place the people of Dominica at a risk or disadvantage when it comes to our engagement with other countries,” Skerrit said, adding “ we will not be deporting the Haitians.
He said the task force should be in place by Monday next week.
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