A 20-year-old law prohibiting Rastafarians and hippies from entering the British Virgin Islands has been repealed.

The Legislative council last Friday passed a motion by the Opposition leader, Dr, Orlando Smith, by a seven to four majority removing the law which had given immigration officers the authority to refuse entry of persons who appear to be members of the Rastafarian movement or hippies.

The removal of the law was a defeat to Chief Minister Ralph O'Neal who voted against the measure stating that it should remain in force because of the fear of influx of Rastafarians from overseas.

But Deputy Chief Minister Eileene Parsons supported the motion and said: "Rastafarians hairstyle is now atsepted as the natural African look, and hairdressers respond to their customers' wishes in providing this hair style which is in great demand."

Dr. Smith, in moving the motion, said that it was a violation of human rights to deny entry of persons of the Rastafarian religion or people wearing their hairstyle. He also said it was an embarrassment to the territory to adopt such a harsh and unreasonable law.

But Chief Minister O'Neil said that he was in the Legislative Council when the law was passed and that the legislators at the time were justified in introducing it.

A related articale on the rasta ban