Visa uncertainty, deteriorating sports facilities and limited education options are putting Antigua and Barbuda’s young people at risk of losing opportunities to study and compete overseas, according to concerns raised this week by the parliamentary representative for St. Mary’s South.
The lawmaker, Kelvin Simon, said government policies and inaction have combined to undermine students and athletes at a critical stage in their development.
“The government that we have today prove time and time again that they’re not about the youth of this country,” Simon said. “They’ve robbed them in many areas, in the areas of sports, in the area of development, infrastructure and opportunities.”
He said the consequences extend beyond individual hardship and amount to a national loss.
“By extension, what the government is doing is robbing this nation of its human resource,” Simon said, adding that the situation is “preventing us from being as competitive as we should in order to drive this country forward.”
Addressing recent concerns surrounding student travel, Simon said the Antigua and Barbuda passport has become a disadvantage for young people seeking visas.
“While it is a fact that the application for the F1 visa, which is the student visa, does not or is not subjected to a bond, the reality is the passport of Antigua and Barbuda is a red flag,” he said. “That, within itself, creates a level of uncertainty for anybody with a passport going to apply for any sort of visa.”
Simon said local institutions are unable to meet all academic needs, making overseas study unavoidable for many students.
“There are many areas of study that the University of the West Indies do not offer and do not cover,” he said. “A vast majority of our students pursuing higher level education will have to travel, and specifically, to the United States in order to pursue their career of choice.”
He said visa delays and denials are already disrupting educational and athletic careers.
“Visa delays and denials result in missed opportunities, lost scholarships, and, for some, stalling their athletic careers,” Simon said, noting the resulting anxiety among youth and their families.
Simon also criticized the state of sports infrastructure, saying local shortcomings compound external barriers.
“Our athletes are already facing local infrastructural disadvantages and visa barriers are only going to compound this issue,” he said. “Governments cannot claim progress while our young people are locked out of these kind of opportunities.”
He challenged Prime Minister Gaston Browne to address the issue directly.
“I challenge the Prime Minister to have a press conference, face the nation, answer the critical questions that the people have, rather than responding to me on Facebook,” Simon said. “You have time to respond to me on Facebook, but you don’t have time to come and answer the nation.”
Citing international education data, Simon questioned the future of Antiguan students already studying abroad.
“According to the Open Doors Report, 183 students from Antigua and Barbuda are in higher learning education in the United States,” he said. “What will become of these students? Will the visas be renewed? Will they be able to finish their studies abroad?”
Simon said investment in young people must be treated as a national priority.
“Youth investment or providing youth opportunities is not a charity,” he said. “It’s nation building.”
He concluded that while visa policies are set overseas, the responsibility to protect citizens remains at home.
“We may not control foreign country visa policies,” Simon said. “But we are responsible to protect our people from the impact of these sort of sanctions.”
