Column in the Jamaica Observer published 8 July 2019
by Jean Lowrie-Chin
We learned about the #WidenWindrush campaign from our
relative ‘Angel’ Lorraine Young during a recent visit to London. Lorraine and
her mother Fay Young serve on a Committee led by her Member of Parliament,
Janet Daby, which has been calling for an amendment to the Windrush Scheme
which “would provide a route to citizenship for the descendants and family
members of the Windrush Generation.”
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| My husband Hubie Chin with our relatives Lorraine 'Angel' Young and her Mother Mrs Fay Young, activists for #WidenWindrush, on our visit to the Houses of Parliament in London |
At a Briefing held on June 19 MP Daby explained that
the Windrush Scheme had been set up “to address the difficulties faced by
members of the Windrush generation, large numbers of whom were prevented from
working and subjected to detention/removal as a result of Hostile Environment
policies”. She noted that “it
established the basis for the Windrush Taskforce to expedite these cases
without fees and ensuring speedy documentation was issued. It is the central
practical measure introduced to remedy this important generation had been
subject to.”
The briefing noted that the roots of the Windrush
scandal started from the discriminatory aspects of the 1971 Immigration Act
“which (along with the 1968 Legislation) came into being on the back of a
racist backlash to Black and Asian immigration, led by Enoch Powell.”
Note this important point: “The 1971 Act cemented the
rights of those who were born British in the colonies and commonwealth and were
already settled in Britain, not as full British Citizens, but as people with
the right to be treated ‘as if’ they were British Citizens.”
To quote our favourite English playwright, William
Shakespeare, “There’s the rub”: the words “as if” meant that the Windrush
generation and their descendants would still be regarded as second class
citizens. This is in stark contrast to
the privilege granted to residents of “the older colonies” mentioned in the act
– namely the USA and Australia, who could easily claim British Citizenship
through its Patriality Clause.
Now that there is wide recognition of the Windrush
Generation’s contribution to the development of Britain, MP Daly says it is
unacceptable that their descendants and family members continue to be subject to
removal and detention.
We heard the stories of relatives being detained and
threatened with deportations. There are many appeals on their behalf, now
pending.
A “BAME Summit” is being planned for later this month
as the Committee is concerned about the racist undertones of the Brexit
movement. The Briefing noted, “Brexit
lays the basis for another Windrush scandal, and is Britain’s contribution to
dangerous growing white nationalism across Europe that physically threatens our
sisters and brothers, settled and arriving from Africa, Asia and the Middle
East regions.”
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| Rita Mitra and I at Windrush Square, Brixton |
Windrush Square
My friend Rita Mitra was kind enough to take me to
Windrush Square in Brixton where I placed flowers at a Memorial to honour
African and Caribbean soldiers who had served in World Wars I and II in memory
of my dear Dad who served in the Royal Air Force.
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| Placing flowers in memory of my dear Dad Joscelyn Lowrie, who served in the Royal Air Force |
Rita hosted us at a famous Indian restaurant in Euston
called Diwana. With Indian food being so
popular in Britain, folks are concerned about a looming “curry crisis”.
According to a report in the UK Standard, “Curry house bosses told how they felt ‘used’, ‘let down’
and may have been given ‘false hope’ by politicians that quitting the EU would
allow more workers in from South Asia to address staff shortages.”
Bloomberg reported on the losses of
leading Indian Restauranteur Syed Joynu: “This was nothing like what he was
promised in the Brexit campaign he supported … immigration has become tighter,
business has suffered, and the workers from eastern Europe he had come to rely
on have fled. Getting chefs over to work in Britain’s cherished Indian and
Bangladeshi restaurants is near impossible under current immigration laws.”
The
report quotes Joynu: “We didn’t realize what would happen after Brexit and
thought we’d be better off. If there’s a second vote now, I’d vote to remain in
the EU.”
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| Enjoying Cambridge with Family |
In
spite of these ripples, we tourists had a great time in England. We had an
extensive tour of the Houses of Parliament, courtesy of Lorraine Young enjoyed
lunch at the popular Happy Halibut, visited family at Coulsdon and in
Cambridge. Imagine, attending the Cambridge Midsummer Fair in its 808th
year! The countryside is beautiful, and we felt especially blessed at the sung
Mass at the Church of Our Lady and the British Martyrs.
