Fixing the problem

In Part I defined the complex nature of statelessness. I would be remiss if I did not offer solutions. Here goes:

First, recognize the stateless who have lived here most or all of their lives. Giving them status with documents would be a huge first step in restoring a measure of hope. And it would reduce the incentive to join a gang that offers them money, power, self worth, and a sense of belonging, however horrendous the trade-off to commit crimes. Of course, identifying and granting numerous people legal status would be a massive and complicated undertaking. Determining just who deserves status and who does not will never be easy. And there are political implications and push back on the prospect of even more legal residents. But none of that should dissuade or deter us. Indeed, the previous Governor, Nigel Dakin, granted some ten undocumented youngsters the status of naturalized citizens. Commendable, but hardly a dent. That process needs to be scaled up by several orders of magnitude.

What is the alternative? The stateless are not going away. They live among us and have for a long time. Indeed, many of the children of better-off Belongers and expats have played soccer or basketball and even hung out with these now-young adults without legal status. Those of us on the privileged side of the divide have seen their faces and their smiles that allowed a glimpse of an ideal world in which differences disappeared. A fleeting moment of complete equality before the game ended and “they” returned to the shantytowns where the house is lit only by candles, has no running water, and everyone sleeps on bare floors. Meanwhile, the rest of us return to our first-world homes just a mile or two away, secure and cozy with the AC blasting.

Should these stateless youngsters now be condemned to perpetual poverty and dead-ends purely because their parents didn’t have or file the proper papers at the right time? Is it okay for the rest of us to turn away while our own children pursue their dreams of higher education, travel, a career, all uncomplicated by concerns of status and citizenship? There’s a profoundly moral issue here, as well as a practical one.

Second, ramp up social services and health care in the settlements. This is directly related to the statelessness. Right now social services are way understaffed and cannot reach all the people in need, particularly children who may be in unstable environments or in danger of being harmed physically, mentally or through exploitation. This will require training and hiring of large numbers of social service counselors and working closely with existing facilities that can provide a temporary home for the most vulnerable.

Regarding health care, none of the undocumented have national health insurance cards, nor can they afford medical treatment. Some medical professionals provide free or nearly free services, but their charity can only cover a fraction of the need. Therefore, clinics should be established in the settlements for people to visit and at least get basic care, including counseling for mental health. Also under the radar for this stateless group is the enormous psychological stress and sometimes lingering trauma. Visible social services and health care can alleviate suffering and restore well-being that makes possible the mental strength to escape poverty.

Third, expand vocational job training opportunities post-high school. Specifically, offer youngster a chance to be certified as mechanics, electricians, plumbers, air-conditioning repair, and builders, among other trades. It need not stop there. Classes in coding, AI, IT, medical tech, and accounting can also be added to the mix. There is high demand for people with these skills, so job placement should not be an issue. At the very least, it gives young people a vocation that can be applied immediately to earn money and possibly build a business.

Fourth, slow or stop altogether new resort development. Yes, heretical as it seems since TCI is almost entirely dependent on tourism for its well-being. But unfettered development, even if mostly high-end, precipitates TCI’s inequality. Development brings high prices for everything, particularly food and rent. The purchase of land or a finished home has become completely out of reach for most people and thus erases any opportunity for building even a modicum of wealth or security.

In short, rapid growth without measures mitigating the consequences keeps people poor, including many Turks Islanders. A job paying minimum wage of $8.00 an hour does not begin to cover costs, even for the most frugal. But the stateless cannot even aspire to those jobs. If they can get work, it’s on the down-low with no protections and for even less money.

Everyone on Provo, whether monied or not, clearly sees how mass development is severely stressing the infrastructure and causing the island to lose its luster. And while that is a serious concern, it tends to overshadow the compelling issue of the statelessness coupled with poverty fostered by too much development. Bringing to a halt to new resorts would allow the island to reset and refocus on how to include the left-behind members of society so they too can have a stake in the future.

Pivot to Social Investment

None of these recommendations is new or unique or revolutionary. In fact, there have been calls for these kinds of changes for some time in various forms. Of course, easier to advocate than to actually put into practice. A huge social investment in TCI’s most powerless will require a longterm commitment requiring many more regulatory officers, service providers, and teachers, and it will cost plenty.

Funding for such a massive venture could be done in two ways. First, by raising the current hotel tax 1% from 12% to 13%. Second, by increasing the stamp duty 1% from 10% to 11% for property sales with a value over $750,000. That additional money raised can be specifically earmarked for social transformation and clearly spelled out to all those who are charged the extra fee. I am confident that few tourists or investors would object to help reduce poverty in TCI.

Just as TCI has led the Caribbean in tourism development, the country can also lead the way in applying tourism revenue to lift up those who have fallen into the social abyss. This does not mean giving residency to all people who arrived illegally just because they are now here. But it does mean lending a big hand to the younger generation that has lived here most of their lives but missed out securing the rights and privileges that others have–again, through no fault of their own. In so doing, TCI could do right and make progress on the seemingly intractable challenge of putting an end to murderous gangs that blight the grace and allure of these magnificent islands.

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