TT nationals in UK beg to return home

TT citizens stranded in the United Kingdom are begging for an exemption to come home.

In an open letter to Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram and copied to the media, they begged him to give his permission so they can be repatriated.

“CMO, we beg of you to publicly give your permission and provide a schedule with dates for us in the UK to return home with urgency by June,” the letter said.

The group asked if their lives mattered and accused the authorities of failing them by not providing them with solutions and answers, except to say all decisions and policies are guided by the medical experts.

The group said many of them have applied for exemptions since March and have not been given any hope, or a date, on when they can return home.

“When you are stranded out of your country, no lives matter to no one,” the letter added.

The group said there were stranded citizens who were homeless and without money to buy food.

“Where is their help to come from? And why are they to await so long? We have pleaded, we have begged, we have provided reasons, rationales and solutions to you and your government ministers for repatriation. But because our lives (do) not matter, we cannot get an exemption. We hope all stranded nationals can protest and march in front of the respective consulates for their much needed assistance to return home,” the group said in the letter.

“Maybe the poor stranded nationals whose hands are tied behind their backs, in India, United Kingdom Canada and United States have nothing to offer this government and have no worth in returning,” the letter added.

The Prime Minister said on Saturday the country’s borders remain closed “and we will keep them closed as long as there is a health requirement.”