Wednesday, December 01,
1999 11 Chinese travellers with Dominica
passports barred
Marina Jimenez
National
Post, with files from The Associated Press
Eleven Chinese nationals carrying "economic" passports from the
Republic of Dominica, a tiny Caribbean island, have been refused
entry to Canada, after officials became suspicious that they were
not genuine visitors.
The incident underscores fears that Dominica's economic
citizenship program -- where so-called passports to paradise are
available for $50,000 (US) in as little as three weeks -- will
attract smugglers and criminals to Canada.
"The passports are an open invitation to people who are seeking
to enter Canada by fraudulent means," said an immigration source,
noting that Canada does not require visas for visitors from
Dominica.
The eleven men and women, who were all from Fujian province in
China and range in age from 17 to mid-40s, each paid only $20,000
per passport; they were apparently given a group discount from the
Dominican government.
After just one month on the Caribbean island, they flew to
Toronto on a BWIA International Airways flight via Trinidad,
arriving at Pearson airport on Nov. 18. They had little luggage or
winter clothing and told immigration officers they were here for a
one-week tour of Niagara Falls. Officials, however, became
suspicious they were not bona-fide Dominica businessmen, since they
did not speak English, and only carried about $1,000 each.
"After one month in Dominica, they came here with little money in
their pockets. The motivation was very suspect," said Anna Pape, a
spokeswoman with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. "We felt they
were not genuine visitors and would be unlikely to leave."
The 11 were detained and the matter went before an immigration
adjudicator on Nov. 22. However, the group decided to leave Canada
voluntarily, rather than go through an inquiry. They were put on a
plane back to Dominica last Sunday.
Critics say the country's "economic citizenship" program, which
is advertised on the Internet, and other similar Caribbean
citizenship programs are being exploited by international criminals
and human smugglers.
In a report in March, the U.S. State Department said Dominica had
sold citizenships to 300 Russians who are suspected of being
involved in money laundering.
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