The government has dismissed concerns sparked by online advertisements promoting birth tourism in Barbados, stating that available data do not show any trend warranting alarm or changes to existing policies.
Minister of Home Affairs Gregory Nicholls told Barbados TODAY that the Immigration Department has been monitoring these advertisements on social media for years.
Reports surfaced this week of at least one African travel company advertising birth tourism services in at least six countries, two of which are CARICOM members, including Barbados.
The company alleges that Barbados offers citizenship by birth, a resident permit for parents immediately after childbirth, the ability to travel to Barbados with a UK visa, and visa-free access to 162 destinations, including the United Kingdom, the Schengen area, and Canada. It also claims that birth tourism can provide access to quality healthcare, global mobility and future opportunities.
Nicholls noted that the advertisements were not a recent development and reassured that the department has been proactive in protecting the country’s national interests.
“These advertisements have been up on social media platforms for a number of years now, and the Immigration Department has been keeping a watchful eye to ensure that our immigration laws, our borders and our national interests have been properly enforced and protected,” the minister said.
“The department continues to be vigilant, and through enhanced surveillance and continuous screening, they have been able to execute these important functions to enforce the laws of Barbados and protect our national interests.”
Nicholls did not address the company’s claim that parents receive a resident permit immediately after childbirth, but said government data shows parents are not applying for residency or citizenship.
“The data suggests that the persons who come to Barbados to access these medical services can pay for them and are not a drain or charge on the public purse. The parents are not applying for residency, citizenship or any other immigration status,” he noted.
According to Nicholls, the number of births involving persons who are not citizens, permanent residents or ordinarily resident in Barbados does not support claims that birth tourism is becoming a significant issue.
“When we look at the numbers of births recorded for persons who are not citizens, or permanent residents or persons not ordinarily residing in Barbados, the actual numbers are not presenting any cause for alarm and certainly no shift in policy.”
Nicholls also dismissed suggestions that any particular airline or vessel was facilitating birth tourism, saying all passengers are screened on arrival.
“When we look at the number of pregnant women who arrive in Barbados on all airlines and vessels, there is no basis for any one airline or vessel to be singled out for attention. In fact, let me assure the country that all passengers arriving in Barbados are assessed through the Advanced Passenger Information System that we put in place since World Cup 2007. Passengers are screened and thoroughly assessed by Immigration Officers on arrival.”
The minister further stated that the public birth records do not support alarm over foreign nationals accessing obstetric or gynaecological services here.
He said, “The public records of births do not show that there needs to be any public alarm at the provision of medical doctors providing gynaecological or obstetrical services to non-nationals in Barbados. The number of births does not show a need for a knee-jerk reaction to advertisements on social media or to the hype and sensationalism associated with these platforms.”
Barbados’ international reputation for fertility treatment is one of the reasons the island continues to attract people seeking medical services, Nicholls shared.
“It is a fact that Barbados has on island, one of the leading fertility facilities in the world, and it has a bespoke international reputation for providing a critical service that adds to our overall attractiveness as a world-class leader in this field.”
He also pointed to Barbados’ maternal and infant health outcomes:
“According to PAHO records, this rate ranges about 39/100 000 births when compared to more than double that at 80/100 000 births in neighbouring countries and in Africa and Asia. What this tells you is a story that should be celebrated. We have nurses, midwives and doctors who have been leading in the field of obstetrics, gynaecology, general nursing and midwifery.”
Rather than birth tourism, Barbados’ declining birth rate was the country’s more pressing demographic concern, Nicholls said.
“The more startling cause for alarm is that the birth rate in Barbados has fallen and that deaths per annum have now outstripped births. The population is now in a structural decline, and that is a cause for concern which the government is currently addressing.”
He added that the government would continue strengthening border security through local and regional partnerships.
“The government will continue to monitor the situation and will give all of the necessary support to our Immigration Officers and the Barbados Police Service to ensure that they can adequately protect our borders and enforce the law. We will also continue to engage with our external partners like the [Regional Security System] and CARICOM IMPACS [crime and security agency] by deepening our partnerships and enhancing our surveillance capabilities to keep both Barbadians and our borders safe and secure.”
(LG)
