FIVE years ago, when my husband and I registered our son at the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), we faced a peculiar situation. I am a Chinese Singaporean while my husband is British of Afro-Caribbean descent.
My husband was not able to register his race as Afro-Caribbean but as British since the former was not available as a choice in the system. There was not even an 'Others' option.
We were told that when our son reached the age to obtain his identity card, he will be identified as British under his race, much to our dismay.
A month ago, we had to register our daughter. On our way to the ICA, we thought surely things had changed in these five years. I was confident there must be at least an 'Others' option.
Turns out I was wrong. So now both our children are identified under a weird race - British.
At least now, with the new policy that has come into effect this year, we have a choice of Chinese, British or Chinese-British.
Question is - is British a race or nationality?
Gina Kum (Mdm)
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_474674.html
My husband was not able to register his race as Afro-Caribbean but as British since the former was not available as a choice in the system. There was not even an 'Others' option.
We were told that when our son reached the age to obtain his identity card, he will be identified as British under his race, much to our dismay.
A month ago, we had to register our daughter. On our way to the ICA, we thought surely things had changed in these five years. I was confident there must be at least an 'Others' option.
Turns out I was wrong. So now both our children are identified under a weird race - British.
At least now, with the new policy that has come into effect this year, we have a choice of Chinese, British or Chinese-British.
Question is - is British a race or nationality?
Gina Kum (Mdm)
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_474674.html
