Terrorism and Europe
By Mr. Godfrey Eneas



We all can remember September 11th, 2001 when New York City’s World Trade Centre was bombed and thousands were killed. The next western city was Madrid, Spain where again hundreds were killed, maimed or injured. Last week it was London, England. In all of these cases, terrorists were the culprits.


There were subtle differences in each incident. The New York bombing was executed by outsiders; it is believed that the Madrid bombing was also by outsiders. The British situation was different in that the bombers were British. It is also alleged that one of the four was a Jamaican Brit. This has generated much concern in Britain that the terrorists bombers were of immigrant origin but British bred.

During the 60s when I attended Reading University in the UK, entering the UK was a simple undertaking. In those days there was an immigration line at Heathrow Airport for Commonwealth citizens. Today, that line does not exist. Even though the Commonwealth exists as a geo-political grouping, being a member does not entitle the citizens of member states any special immigration status when entering the United Kingdom. The rules have changed.

The UK has now aligned itself with the Continental states which have formed themselves into the European Union (EU). When one goes to the UK now, one is accommodated for immigration procedures in the "Others" line. In EU states there is this distinction between EU citizens and Others. People like us from The Bahamas find ourselves in the Others line. The matter is further complicated by the fact that non-EU citizens, particularly those from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states require Visas to enter the EU. The UK has not been as stringent with Bahamians, as we can still enter the UK without a Visa.

Gaining entrance to the EU by Caribbean nationals has become cumbersome. EU states have closed most of their Embassies in the Caribbean; this certainly is the case in The Bahamas. The preferred visa for the EU is a Shangen Visa. In most instances, it takes two to three weeks tom obtain a Shangen Visa.

With this recent intensification of the war on terror, there will be increased scrutiny for ACP Nationals seeking to visit Europe for holiday, business or study. Presently, the requirements for a EU Visa are stringent (health insurance, bank letter, round trip ticket, address) plus it is expensive and very limited, generally for a year.

This was the status prior to the recent underground bombing in London . In order to have better control of their borders, getting into the EU will become even more difficult for ACP nationals like us in The Bahamas.

The EU States have been great traders and they look to their former colonies as markets for their products. It is from these same former colonies that Europe has and continues to build its wealth. The EU needs the ACP as much as the ACP needs the EU.

In recent years, the EU has been tightening the movement of aliens as many come and never want to return to their home countries. All over Europe, there are people from the ACP states. Most of them are in Europe because the economies in their home countries are in dire shape and they are in search of work and a better life.

One of the factors believed to have pushed the British bred bombers to commit their acts of terror is the feeling of being "marginalized" in a land which had become their adopted homeland. Even though culturally they may have adapted, they, for one reason or another, felt alienated in their new homeland.

It is this perception which is perplexing those engaged in the analysis of this terrorist act. The UK as France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Germany have been inundated with ACP people who live in their enclaves but who never are really assimilated into fabric of European culture and life. We in The Bahamas face this same dilemma.

The assimilation process for a West Indian in The Bahamas is easier than it is for Haitians. West Indians or Anglophone Caribbeans have a similar colonial background whereas this is not the case with the Haitian, hence the difficulty in the ability of the Haitian to be assimilated into the socio-political and cultural life of The Bahamas.

Traveling to EU countries will now be compounded by more severe security arrangements. This latest act of terror will have far reaching implications for Europe and the global village.

thats all great, but they werent british, they came from other countries and were not REAL brits.

And if they felt alienated, they should have, as we bahamians say, "carried their a**" back to their homeland!!

Terrorism and Europe
By Mr. Godfrey Eneas



We all can remember September 11th, 2001 when New York City’s World Trade Centre was bombed and thousands were killed. The next western city was Madrid, Spain where again hundreds were killed, maimed or injured. Last week it was London, England. In all of these cases, terrorists were the culprits.


There were subtle differences in each incident. The New York bombing was executed by outsiders; it is believed that the Madrid bombing was also by outsiders. The British situation was different in that the bombers were British. It is also alleged that one of the four was a Jamaican Brit. This has generated much concern in Britain that the terrorists bombers were of immigrant origin but British bred.

During the 60s when I attended Reading University in the UK, entering the UK was a simple undertaking. In those days there was an immigration line at Heathrow Airport for Commonwealth citizens. Today, that line does not exist. Even though the Commonwealth exists as a geo-political grouping, being a member does not entitle the citizens of member states any special immigration status when entering the United Kingdom. The rules have changed.

The UK has now aligned itself with the Continental states which have formed themselves into the European Union (EU). When one goes to the UK now, one is accommodated for immigration procedures in the "Others" line. In EU states there is this distinction between EU citizens and Others. People like us from The Bahamas find ourselves in the Others line. The matter is further complicated by the fact that non-EU citizens, particularly those from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states require Visas to enter the EU. The UK has not been as stringent with Bahamians, as we can still enter the UK without a Visa.

Gaining entrance to the EU by Caribbean nationals has become cumbersome. EU states have closed most of their Embassies in the Caribbean; this certainly is the case in The Bahamas. The preferred visa for the EU is a Shangen Visa. In most instances, it takes two to three weeks tom obtain a Shangen Visa.

With this recent intensification of the war on terror, there will be increased scrutiny for ACP Nationals seeking to visit Europe for holiday, business or study. Presently, the requirements for a EU Visa are stringent (health insurance, bank letter, round trip ticket, address) plus it is expensive and very limited, generally for a year.

This was the status prior to the recent underground bombing in London . In order to have better control of their borders, getting into the EU will become even more difficult for ACP nationals like us in The Bahamas.

The EU States have been great traders and they look to their former colonies as markets for their products. It is from these same former colonies that Europe has and continues to build its wealth. The EU needs the ACP as much as the ACP needs the EU.

In recent years, the EU has been tightening the movement of aliens as many come and never want to return to their home countries. All over Europe, there are people from the ACP states. Most of them are in Europe because the economies in their home countries are in dire shape and they are in search of work and a better life.

One of the factors believed to have pushed the British bred bombers to commit their acts of terror is the feeling of being "marginalized" in a land which had become their adopted homeland. Even though culturally they may have adapted, they, for one reason or another, felt alienated in their new homeland.

It is this perception which is perplexing those engaged in the analysis of this terrorist act. The UK as France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Germany have been inundated with ACP people who live in their enclaves but who never are really assimilated into fabric of European culture and life. We in The Bahamas face this same dilemma.

The assimilation process for a West Indian in The Bahamas is easier than it is for Haitians. West Indians or Anglophone Caribbeans have a similar colonial background whereas this is not the case with the Haitian, hence the difficulty in the ability of the Haitian to be assimilated into the socio-political and cultural life of The Bahamas.

Traveling to EU countries will now be compounded by more severe security arrangements. This latest act of terror will have far reaching implications for Europe and the global village.


I don't quite get your point. Unless it is that you are decrying the immigration laws in the UK.

In the past England has been very generous with its immigration policy. People, of all sorts, settled there when no one else would have them (the US is not the only place that said, "Gives us you poor, your huddled masses....) During the time when African nations, and India too, not to mention Carribean nation, were getting their "freedom" hundreds of thousands of people fled their home land and settled in England. They were often the "Brightest and the Best." The British government even made provision for this. Ninety-nine and three quarters percent of those people settled in very nicely.

As I remember England, particularly London in the 50's, it was nothing like it is now. The last time I was in England I looked down Oxford Street and there were people of all sorts - many in their national dress. It looked like lunch break at the UN!! Wonderful sight!

Things have changed. England sees itself as under threat. They have every right to tighten up their immigration policies.

You stated "One of the factors believed to have pushed the British bred bombers to commit their acts of terror is the feeling of being "marginalized" in a land which had become their adopted homeland. Even though culturally they may have adapted, they, for one reason or another, felt alienated in their new homeland."
I disagree. I think the problem is that they can't get their own way! Some want England to become Islamic, others simply want to go on the Dole and bite the hand that feeds them. Some of them are to lazy to do a days work and what to blame others because they can't buy a Rolls Royce! Still others, who see themselves as Islamic first, want to influence England's policy in the Middle East. If they feel alienated, it is of their own doing. I'll tell you one thing - these bombings will not help the problem.

thats all great, but they werent british, they came from other countries and were not REAL brits.

And if they felt alienated, they should have, as we bahamians say, "carried their a**" back to their homeland!!

They were as British as the Queen!

They were as British as the Queen!


no, they were not born there, they have no blood connection to the country, no family, nothing.

thats all great, but they werent british, they came from other countries and were not REAL brits.

And if they felt alienated, they should have, as we bahamians say, "carried their a**" back to their homeland!!

lol at the term real brits...
that is saying they weren't real Americans or real canadians. Rory you must understand that England like the United States is a hub, all cultures live there, all are British. England is an open society, welcoming all, dependant all on. To tell all of the immigrants to go home would collapse the country...to tell all of the immigrants of the United States to go home would leave the Indians. That being said, to tell all of the foreign immigrants to leave the Bahamas would leave the people of Cat Island with their all age school, cooking yellow grits out side in oder to feed a family of 9.

I don't quite get your point. Unless it is that you are decrying the immigration laws in the UK.

In the past England has been very generous with its immigration policy. People, of all sorts, settled there when no one else would have them (the US is not the only place that said, "Gives us you poor, your huddled masses....) During the time when African nations, and India too, not to mention Carribean nation, were getting their "freedom" hundreds of thousands of people fled their home land and settled in England. They were often the "Brightest and the Best." The British government even made provision for this. Ninety-nine and three quarters percent of those people settled in very nicely.


Most of these persons were poor in their own countries, and why was that; colonialism...all the money was sent back to jolly old England, these immigrants just moved to surrogate mother land to get their just share.

Most of these persons were poor in their own countries, and why was that; colonialism...all the money was sent back to jolly old England, these immigrants just moved to surrogate mother land to get their just share.

Truth is many of them were well educated and they either feared their native land or saw no future there - at least I know that to be the case from friends of mine living in England who left Kenya. He was a Doctor, she a Lawyer. It looks like they were right to fear it, what a mess!

lol at the term real brits...
that is saying they weren't real Americans or real canadians. Rory you must understand that England like the United States is a hub, all cultures live there, all are British. England is an open society, welcoming all, dependant all on. To tell all of the immigrants to go home would collapse the country...to tell all of the immigrants of the United States to go home would leave the Indians. That being said, to tell all of the foreign immigrants to leave the Bahamas would leave the people of Cat Island with their all age school, cooking yellow grits out side in oder to feed a family of 9.



yeah i know, y ou know i know :-) im all for it and thats how countries progress, Just i gets upset sometimes when i see tings like people coming to another country getting all kinds of free things, then paying that country back by killing the countries peoples , and even some of them were not the countries peoples .. i guess i get peed at the ones that come and take over without giving anything back ...