Rowley to TT Diaspora: Your rights will be protected

PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley has assured members of the TT Diaspora that their rights were being protected in the wake of the threat of deportation of the “Windrush generation.”

“Trinidad and Tobago stands with you,” he told them. There was widespread criticism by Caribbean leaders following threats by the UK Home Office that children of Commonwealth citizens would be deported, despite living and working in the UK for decades, owuing to a lack of documentation.

Last week British Prime Minister Theresa May apologised to 12 Caribbean heads of government for the treatment of Windrush citizens and promised no one would be deported.

Caribbean migrants who arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries have been labelled the Windrush generation, in a reference to the ship MV Empire Windrush which arrived in June 1948, bringing workers from Jamaica, TT and other islands.

Rowley, speaking yesterday during a town meeting with the TT Diaspora at the TT High Commission in London, said TT considers itself Caricom leaders and that position has always been kept close to the country’s programme.

He said the foreign office and High Commission in London were engaged in the issue “that blew up” regarding people being denied legal access to the UK. “And I must say as a politician and as the head of the TT Government, leading its people, we were really a little surprised at what has happened and the extent to which our people over here have been exposed to what you have been exposed to– the anxiety, the treatment.

“And of course we expect that those who are responsible are making significant efforts to have this rectified and it is more of a problem than they would have ever wanted to have.” Rowley said he was sure those who had begun the move to deport Caribbean immigrants “wish that they never approached you in that way.

“We are a Caribbean people and we are a proud people,” he said. “And as the leader of TT we stand with the rest of the Caribbean on this matter.” He said this country has spoken very forcefully on the matter and told those present that their interests and rights were being protected.