“Shutters closed and garden furniture secured for #tropical storm Fahy. Be prepared Stay safe.” @BDA_DG

Twitter message Deputy Governor of Bermuda Saturday October 11, 2014

In late December 2012, seemingly mild-mannered Senator Michael Fahy was appointed as Minister of Home Affairs with responsibility for Immigration for Bermuda.

In early October 2014, seemingly mild-mannered Tropical Storm Fay headed to Bermuda. No one could imagine the widespread damage of either one.

How does one destroy a forest or culture?

One blow at a time.

Blow One: Remove the roadblock preventing long-term residency of non-Bermudians

One of the OBA’s first orders of business was to remove term limits.

“The Ministry obtained some time ago legal advice that demonstrated unequivocally the law, as it currently exists, was sufficient to limit reasonable expectation of permanent residents. Term limits are not required in any way to do that. Period.” Senator Fahy — Jan 31, 2013

If our laws were “sufficient to limit expectations of permanent residents”:

* Why did OBA have all work permit holders sign a waiver declarations; waivers that probably have no legal validity?

* Now that there is nothing to prevent long-term residency, why is OBA now claiming that blocking status for long-term residents is a human rights violation?

Blow Two: Grow the number of PRCS

In September 2013, the OBA amended the Incentives for Job Makers Act to make it easier for expat executives to gain PRC status. Future OBA legislative reform will possibly move to grant full status and voting rights to these PRCs.

Blow Three: Get expats naturalised

Without term limits, the OBA has set the stage for 6,782 work permit holders to become long-term residents. Persons, who have resided in Bermuda for 5 years or more, are eligible to apply for UK naturalisation.

Blow Four: Grant rights

Once long-term residents are naturalised, these persons become “belongers.” Section 11(5) of our Constitution gives certain rights and protections to “belongers”. It is important to note, it is Section 11(5) that OBA is using to justify granting PRCs Bermudian status.

Blow Five: Use the European Convention on Human Rights as a reason to grant status.

With “belonger” status, OBA will use scare tactics and imply that by not granting status to long-term residents, The Bermuda Government would be risking the threat of legal cases being lodged for violating the European Convention on Human Rights.

Don’t be fooled; the OBA has conveniently failed to mention that:-

1. Prime Minister David Cameron is threatening to pull out of the Convention to ensure that British courts are “supreme.”

2. The European Convention on Human Rights have not been incorporated into our local laws.

3. Countries have the right to control their own borders via immigration laws

Blow Six: Grant status to young non-Bermudians.

“You can also expect to see from us this session amendments to the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956.” Sen. Fahy — November 13, 2013

1. “The Permanent Resident Certificate [PRC] holder……..cannot pass their residency rights on to their children — this provision has created a state of limbo and uncertainty for children born to these parents that needs to be resolved for the sake of the individuals and children who are affected.”

2. “the Government will move forward with amendments to the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956 to provide pathways to Bermuda status for persons born in Bermuda or persons who have been adopted by Bermudian parents.” OBA November 2014 Throne Speech

Blow Seven: Sell off status to the highest bidder

“Another area of Immigration that we will be looking at this year will be the concept of Commercial Immigration……. one way to offer economic citizenship would be to allow people to come to the Island for five years and then apply for naturalisation, which would enable them to obtain passports but not to vote.” Senator Fahy — November 13, 2013

Not giving persons the right to vote once they have purchased “economic citizenship” would contradict Senator Fahy’s own claim that not granting status to “belongers” is a violation of the European Convention of Human Rights. This will be “solved” by grating status that includes voting rights.

Landscape changed forever

On Sunday October 12, 2014 Bermudians woke up to the widespread destruction of Hurricane Fay with damage to thousands of trees, hundreds of roofs, and vehicles.

Likewise Bermudians are now quickly waking up to Minister Fahy’s wide spread destruction of our own rights in our own country.

What is the real agenda of the OBA’s version of “Comprehensive Immigration Reform?”

“We will expand the voter base” OBA 2012 election campaign promise.

“We shouldn’t believe it’s a grand conspiracy to give people voting rights.” Senator Fahy — Mar 20, 2014

Yeah, right.