GOVERNMENT is considering an amnesty for more than 2,000 illegal Chinese immigrants who have been living in Trinidad and Tobago for the past five years.

This is, in addition to granting a public holiday on October 12 to mark the 200th Anniversary of Chinese Arrival in TnT.

Government sources told TnT Mirror the amnesty could be a similar gesture to the one when the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) came into power in l986.

Then Prime Minister Arthur N.R. Robinson had granted an amnesty the following year for all CARICOM nationals who were living here illegally prior to December 15, 1986.

Some 15,000 “Small Islanders” and their beneficiaries had their status regularised.

One source said: “Only those Chinese who arrived in the country legally but overstayed their time would benefit from the amnesty.

PM PATRICK
MANNING

A.N.R.
ROBINSON

“Even though they did not return to their homeland, they contributed to the economy and did not depend on the government for handouts,” the source said.

“They have been working hard to earn their livelihoods and were, significantly, not involved in any criminal activity or even ended up as vagrants on the streets,” the source noted.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning has hinted about the possibility of granting a holiday for the Chinese community for their Bicentennial Celebration on October 12.

Addressing thousands of people at the Emancipation Day celebration last Tuesday at the Jean Pierre Complex, Port of Spain, Manning said very shortly, in October, the rest of the nation would join “our Chinese brothers and sisters to commemorate the occasion of their first arrival to Trinidad and Tobago.”

He promised the government would honour the Chinese community in a tangible way.

Last month, Dr. David Picou, chairman of the Bicentennial Committee, in announcing plans for the 200th Anniversary of Chinese arrival in TnT, told reporters at a Press conference they are awaiting word from Prime Minister Manning on whether October 12, will be proclaimed a public holiday.

“We met with the Prime Minister last year, discussed the outcome of the programme of events and he expressed enthusiasm for our ideas.

“He said October 12 would be proclaimed a national holiday and we are going to hold him to that promise,” Dr. Picou said.

When contacted on the amnesty issue, Ken Chang O, secretary of the Bicentennial Committee, said he heard about the proposal to legalise the status of illegal Chinese nationals but could not comment further.

He noted, however, that the Chinese who are here illegally are not a burden on the government and are gain-fully employed.