Stifling heat and an ill-timed power outage could not dampen spirits at the Clearwater Middle School gymnasium last night as around 80 residents gathered for the third and final of the Progressive Labour Party’s town hall meetings regarding Permanent Residency Certificate holders.

Shadow Immigration Minister Walton Brown was joined by Opposition Senate leader Diallo Rabain, Shadow Minister of Labour Relations and Seniors Derrick Burgess and Shadow Education Minister Lovitta Foggo in addressing the party’s concerns over a potential pathway to citizenship for PRC holders in Bermuda.

While Mr Brown recounted a history of immigration policies in Bermuda that he said have resulted in the problems facing immigration today, impassioned speeches by Mr Burgess and Mr Rabain drew the most applause from the crowd. Mr Burgess said the “last-minute” appeal of the decision handed down by an independent Immigration Appeal Tribunal — which directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to grant applications for Bermuda status by two long-standing PRC holders — was a “PR trick”, accusing the Government of wasting taxpayer’s money in appealing a decision they were told was not likely to be overturned.

“Their intent was to give PRCs status all along,” said Mr Burgess. “PRCs have a passport, you know. When they came here they had a passport.