Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Allen Chastanet said following a meeting with United Kingdom (UK) Minister Theresa May that Caribbean leaders will be monitoring closely the situation regarding the Windrush generation.
The UK Prime Minister apologized to Caribbean leaders during the meeting on Tuesday this week which emanated from the current crisis with the Windrush Generation of Commonwealth citizens who have reportedly been denied healthcare and threatened with deportation.
The Windrush generation refers to those arriving in the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries, most as a response to post-war labour shortages in the UK.
“We know that persons are fearful and we are all very sympathetic to what has happened particularly to a group of people that have made us all so proud,” said Prime Minister Chastanet, who is currently in the UK for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Prime Minister Chastanet was among the leaders at the meeting who have been given assurances by the UK Prime Minister that this matter will be resolved.
He explained that the UK has put together a team to assist in the application process, to ensure there is cross-ministerial support and that there are no costs associated for those affected. The leaders were also assured that a team would assist persons who had already been extradited to give them a path back into the UK.
Prime Minster May met representatives from twelve Caribbean Commonwealth States on April 17 on the matter. Those attending included senior representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
