Vincentians residing in U.S urged to empower themselves through citizenship

The Ambassador of St Vincent and the Grenadines to the United States La Celia Prince is encouraging Vincentian residents in America to empower themselves through citizenship.{{more}}

Speaking last Saturday evening at a town hall meeting at Friends of Crown Heights in Brooklyn, Prince stated that Vincentians who are residents in the U.S. and are eligible for citizenship, should go the extra mile to attain it.

“We do not want to get into your business as such, or tell you how to run your lives, but we want to encourage you to empower yourselves through citizenship,” she said.

The ambassador explained that an individual can be deported even though they have been living in the country for years. Furthermore, she stressed that US citizens are the only ones who are immune to deportation.

“There are many instances where we would have had to deal with or we see families being separated because of deportation. It’s a very real issue here,” Prince said.

She said many of those affected had been in the US for years, but had run afoul of the law and had to be deported.

In her remarks, Prince pointed out the benefits that would come with acquiring citizenship.

“Empowering yourselves also means that you have a stake in the country. You have a voice in the policies of this country, because you can make that voice heard through the power of a vote.

“There are many things that are happening on Capitol Hill. Legislation that is being crafted which will affect your lives as well as St Vincent and the Grenadines, such as immigration reform, such as the financial action task force legislation that will actually tax your savings overseas.”

The ambassador implored persons to take her advice, which will allow them to empower themselves and, by extension, St Vincent and the Grenadines.(BK)