@$:[AT]$:v2.05e1bylinerg:By Matthew Taylorbodyindent:*t(0,0," ")British MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee want the UK Government to urge Overseas Territories to think about extending voting rights to long-term residents or "belongers".*t(0,0," ")t-2The issue was raised in a number of jurisdictions and the FAC quoted submissions from several long term residents (LTRs) complaining about Bermuda's strict immigration laws.t$*t(0,0," ")The report said: "We received many submissions about rights of non-Belongers. Of most concern was the lack of voting rights."*t(0,0," ")It quoted Jonathan Suter, from Bermuda, who described the fact that Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) holders in Bermuda did not have the vote as an "absolute embarrassment" and called for the UK Government to advise Bermuda to extend the franchise.*t(0,0," ")Mr Suter had argued that PRC holders already have the right to live and work in Bermuda, therefore giving them the right to vote does not put any further pressure on the housing market or lend itself to any of the rhetoric concerning foreigners 'taking away' jobs from Bermudians.*t(0,0," ")Mr Suter wrote: "Therefore, the only significant impact would be that PRC holders would have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process. The current Government would argue that this would somehow dilute the voting right of Bermudians.*t(0,0," ")"Yet, looking at the numbers, the number of PRC holders is about five percent of the voting population – 2,000 out of 42,000.*t(0,0," ")"PRC holders should have the right to hold the government accountable. They are not simply guests on the islands, they have been contributing members of society for over 20 years!"*t(0,0," ")Julian Griffiths, from Hamilton, claimed Bermuda's immigration laws were "racist" and discriminatory and questioned why the UK Government had permitted them to continue.*t(0,0," ")*t(0,0," ")t-2As well as lack of voting rights, he pointed out that non-Belongers, some of whom had lived in Bermuda for more than 20 or even 30 years, were also not given equal treatment under the tax system, or equal rights of property or business ownership.t$*t(0,0," ")He added: "Worse, all these rights are denied to children born in Bermuda after August 1989 if their parents are not Bermudian, even though they may have lived all their lives in Bermuda. By extension this situation could lead to stateless people in the next generation."*t(0,0," ")t-1Mr. R. David of Bermuda also highlighted the issue of lack of rights for children of non-Belongers in the Territory and argued that it effectively made some children "second class citizens in their own land of birth".t$*t(0,0," ")He added: "Strangely this denial of basic human rights upon such individuals continues to be endorsed by the silence of the FCO on this matter."*t(0,0," ")Susan Parsons, a former Bermuda resident now living in Canada, explained to the FAC the impact non-Belonger status had on her family.*t(0,0," ")She wrote: "I am married to a Bermudian and have been for ten years we have two children together born in Bermuda who hold full status. I had three children from my previous marriage when we met, born to a UK status father.*t(0,0," ")"We have had to leave Bermuda as when my children turn 21 they could not apply for status. This would have left my family in a situation where three children would be ripped away from their family and siblings and expected to start a life alone elsewhere.*t(0,0," ")"After having been brought up and schooled in Bermuda for over ten years. Is this not a constitutional breach of our rights as a family?*t(0,0," ")In conclusion the FAC wrote: "We conclude that although extending voting rights to non-Belongers will be politically difficult for Overseas Territory governments, the Government should at least encourage local administrations to review this issue with regard to non-Belongers who have resided in an Overseas Territory for a reasonable period.*t(0,0," ")"We recommend that the Government should propose that non-Belongers' rights be an agenda item for the next OTCC."*t(0,0," ")The MPs also had other concerns about voting as they reported that the Voters Rights' Association highlighted an average inaccuracy of eight percent in the electoral register in Bermuda's December 2007 general election, and also alleged fraud.*t(0,0," ")The report said: "We understand that in one constituency that voter challenges were ignored contrary to the law.*t(0,0," ")"In this same district a large number of basically homeless people were moved into the constituency just weeks before the election and were not allowed visits by the Opposition candidate."*t(0,0," ")The FAC urged the UK Government to say what steps had been taken to properly investigate the allegations of electoral fraud.*t(0,0," ")The MPs added: "We also recommend that the Government should encourage the Bermuda government to strengthen its transparency measures, including by establishing an independent Electoral Commission and ending the practice of Committees of the House of Assembly sitting in camera."