tion as “a spill in Bahamian waters could
quickly damage vibrant corals, kill off
seagrass beds, and coat important mangrove
ecosystems which are important to
carbon sinks.
“The United States cannot afford
another Deepwater Horizon disaster. This
bipartisan group of members respects the
sovereignty of the Bahamas, but a spill
in Bahamian waters could bring ruin to
both of our countries’ shorelines. Ten
years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster,
we call on Secretary Pompeo to urge
the Bahamian government to reconsider
its efforts to green-light dirty offshore oil
drilling in a region so full of magnificent
ecosystems and so dependent on international
tourism,” bipartisan letter by more
than a dozen representatives noted.
Bahamian authorities have reacted
rather conservatively to the US move,
noting that they will do all in their power
to assure Floridians about safe exploration.
The local oil company had hoped to
spud the first well in May before the
annual hurricane season begins or peaks
but this has now been pushed back to
October because of the corona pandemic.
In nearby Jamaica for example, authorities
Caribbean L 12 ife, April 24-30, 2020
rushed nearly 50 deportees from
the US into mandatory state quarantine
after they had arrived on a special charter
flight on Tuesday. Some countries which
have been forced to accept large groups of
deportees from the US have complained
about a number of them being positive for
the virus as they asked American authorities
hold off on their repatriation until the
worst of the pandemic passes.
In Trinidad, officials there on Tuesday
finally allowed a group of locals who had
been stranded in Barbados for more than a
month to return home to quarantine after
satisfying themselves that they can cause
no harm to the island’s situation. Trinidad
has nearly 120 cases. Jamaica has 233 and
Guyana 67. Jamaica has closed call centers
on the island after dozens of staffers
had tested positive for the virus.
Continued from Page 1
lamation,” James continued. “We stand
ready to take legal action.”
In signing the proclamation
Wednesday, Trump said he was “temporarily
suspending immigration into
the United States” and that “this will
ensure that unemployed Americans of
all backgrounds will be first in line for
jobs as our economy reopens.”
Trump had first announced the
proclamation in a late-night tweet on
Monday.
“I have determined that, without
intervention, the United States faces a
potentially protracted economic recovery
with persistently high unemployment
if labor supply outpaces labor
demand,” said Trump at the White
House on Wednesday. “Excess labor
supply affects all workers and potential
workers, but it is particularly harmful
to workers at the margin between
employment and unemployment, who
are typically ‘last in’ during an economic
expansion and ‘first out’ during
an economic contraction.”
The US president said lawful permanent
residents, once admitted, are
granted “open-market” employment
authorization documents, “allowing
them immediate eligibility to compete
for almost any job, in any sector of the
economy.
“There is no way to protect already
disadvantaged and unemployed Americans
from the threat of competition
for scarce jobs from new lawful permanent
residents by directing those
new residents to particular economic
sectors with a demonstrated need not
met by the existing labor supply,” he
said, stating that existing immigrant
visa processing protections are inadequate
for recovery from the COVID-19
outbreak.
Trump said the vast majority of
immigrant visa categories do not
require employers to account for displacement
of United States workers.
While some employment-based visas
contain a labor certification requirement,
because visa issuance happens
substantially after the certification is
completed, he said the labor certification
process cannot adequately capture
the status of the labor market today.
Moreover, he said introducing additional
permanent residents, “when
our healthcare resources are limited,
puts strain on the finite limits of our
healthcare system at a time when we
need to prioritize Americans and the
existing immigrant population.
“In light of the above, I have determined
that the entry, during the next
60 days, of certain aliens as immigrants
would be detrimental to the interests
of the United States,” said Trump,
stating that the suspension applies to
individuals who, as of Wednesday, are
outside of the US, do not possess an
immigrant visa and do not have official
travel documents other than visas.
Continued from Page 1
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
Keith Rowley.
Photo by Nelson A. King
TROUBLING
TIMES
Trump temporarily bans immigrants
Saving a life is easy.
Pay attention.
Respect work zones.