Editorial

Windrusers Should Bomrush UK Home Office … Why Not? 1948-1971

“She is the Home Secretary ….” Dianne Abbot MP …

Windrush Generation 1948-1971

For the UK’s Home Office to have been treating all, but mainly Jamaicans as if second-class citizens, rendering some of them stateless if not homeless after they went to UK some 50 + years ago to rebuild a war ravaged Britain after Hitler’s bombs had devastated the motherland, is disappointing to say the least.

Concessions

In the latest development the British authorities in Parliament today Monday April 23, 2018 through Home Secretary Amber Rudd has announced that “all fees will be waived for the Windrush generation.” Amber Rudd made the announcement. “It is heartbreaking  …. they are British,  but without legal status. We will waive citizenship fee, also language and those overseas I will waive fees for their return … children of Windrush are not already citizens, but those without will be made naturalized citizenship …. fees will also be waived. … nine (9) cases have been resolved. Case workers will be able to make a judgment call. We were too slow to realize.  The Home Office is a great place .. we need to give a new human face. I will set up a new office …. 50 new senior employees to help review cases. As long as you have been here since 1973.  It was never our intention for them to suffer ….”

Commissioner Breaks Silence

British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Asif Ahmad CMG said 800,000 persons of Jamaican decent are in Britain.  Jamaica has been shown to bring sound leadership … Andrew Holness addressed a large town hall. 200, 000 British come and go here.

Homosexuality

As a foreigner it is not for me to dictate. “The PM Andrew Holness was correct …”

My parents were Windrush … they are citizens of Britain.  I don’t think any amount of money will be able to compensate them. We can do things to address it but the hurt runs deeper.  This is a start … the plan is to go after undocumented residents.  The 1973 measure was an immigration measure.  In 2009 the process started but was strengthened in 2012. I am here in Britain as result of Windrush. Each case is being look back into on a case by case basis.

Compensation

An apology is the first step … “the state has let these people down … these are people who should be thanked. The focus is on people after 1973 but before 1982. Greater rights …. no one  can undo the pain. Some 4000 of 8000 cases being looked into.” Asserts Rudd.

Dianne Abbot

“The Buck stops with her ” Abbot

Dianne Abbot, MP  … “She is the Home Secretary ….  she is behaving as if it is a surprise to her.  Some of these Windrush folks worked hard. My uncle told me he never missed a day from work. You should do it legislatively … the damage to human psychic needs to be also compensated for …. these migrants viewed with an unparalleled pride to be British. It is shameful they have been treated this way. The problem was it was foreseeable .. it came about due to the 2014 immigration act.  We voted against it. A hostile environment was caused by the repeal of the 2014 Act.”

Patriotic, Commonwealth citizens were evicted and this was unsustainable.  Elements are welcome to apply for the neutralization for children.  Compensation for loss of jobs, and benefits. Supply the figures for those detained from the Windrush generation. Shadow Minister on Immigration speaking in the House Of Commons.

Glimmer Of Hope

Speaking from UK, Jamaica’s High Commissioner to Britain Ambassador George Ramacon has said; One thousand two hundred and fifty … four are now settled from this figure. One thousand and twenty less four leaving one thousand and sixteen.  These Windrush people must have been in Britain before 1973.

Deportation

Ambassador George Ramacon

Deportation is off the table, they are being asked to contact British High Commission, supply information by text and emails.

David Lammy MP son of a Windrusher said:  I am not amused with the developments  ….”

RAF

The Royal Air Force (RAF) absorbed many West Indians who like a lamb to the slaughter went in arms way and paid the ultimate sacrifice so that “Britain will not be enslaved.” The British now proudly sing “Oh Britannia ….”   it is the sweat, blood and tears of blacks and other mixed races that make/made this possible. The blood soaked fields of Flanders can attest to this sad commentary.  At Flanders the heroism of brave men and women, some of whom had barely reached adulthood are strewn over these killing fields. They have come alive by their unselfish acts of bravery and patriotism in their sense of duty.  For their heirs and successors or inheritors to be now treated as if second-class citizens is an act of betrayal, low down and despicable conduct on he part of the British authorities …. to put it mildly.

Ground Troops

The West Indians, majority of whom were Jamaicans were also used as ground troops, many of whom were killed on the battlefields during world wars one and two.

Commentary

We are delighted that the Windrush matter is being handle with sensitivity. It is our hope that Jamaicans in particular will
move to get themselves and their dependents to regularized their status … they cannot afford to allow this process to pass  then later on regret they had not taken up this opportunity as it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get your citizenship situation legalized in Britain.

Now that there has apparently been promise of a new approach to the Windrush saga, there seems to be less of a need to bomrush the Home Office as was advocated above.

This is good news.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper.

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