By NAN Contributor
News Americas, LONDON, England, Weds. Aug. 8, 2018: UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, may have thought she was being culturally sensitive when she saluted Jamaica on its 56th independence anniversary Monday with a tweet that said simply: “Today marks 56 years of Jamaican independence. The contribution of Jamaicans in the UK and abroad is huge – long may that continue. #JamaicanIndependenceDay.”
But what May may not have expected was the clap back she received from many Jamaicans still hopping mad over her administration’s deportation and treatment of many Jamaican and Caribbean Windrush immigrants.
“A wha do bombo-claat dis Ginal a chatbout? Yu si mi breddah an sista dem a skin teet? Mine wi nah bring Nanny Maroon do Obeah Ooman, fi ‘Fix yu biznez fi yu,’ Danny John-Jules responded in Jamaican Patois by tweet while Philip Denner added sarcastically: “Says the woman who set up the legislation that powered the #Windrush deportations. No shame.”
Rebecca McManus for her part asked: “Weren’t you the person who was the ultimate author of the policies that have caused so much distress to people from, amongst others, Jamaica as part of the Windrush scandal? I really think you should engage brain before your publicist tweets on your behalf.”
Another Angry Voice replied: “The absolute shamelessness of this. Your vile #Windrush policy of deporting Jamaican-born British citizens proved that you have no respect whatever for ????citizens. ‘We can deport now, hear appeals later.’ – Absolutely disgusting.”
While Taz B added: “Taking the actual piss now! If you really cared about our Jamaican community you would condemn @sajidjavid and his silencing of #WindrushScandal victims. Use of NDA is not ok Mrs May. Your silence speaks volumes.”
There were over 592 retweets and over 2,000 likes while over 2,100 responded.
Adding her voice was Hannah Salvidge who replied: “Have you NO shame or self-awareness, woman?” while Paul Elliott added: “And the Prize for Hypocritical Tweet of the Year goes to the Person who wanted to purge the very same Jamaicans from our shores.”
The twitter storm over May’s wishes comes as the UK’s Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, has been accused of “buying the silence” of those affected by the Windrush scandal.
The Labor Party’s Diane Abbott said under Javid, the department is making people affected by the immigration catastrophe sign non-disclosure agreements in order to get immediate payments.
The Windrush generation has been failed time and time again by this Government. The Home Secretary promised to ‘do right’ by our fellow citizens from the Windrush generation yet it appears he has gone back on his word,” she stated recently, according to the Voice. “The Home Office must not attempt to buy the silence of citizens who have been so shockingly wronged and had their rights so gravely infringed in return for compensation that they are entitled to.”
This comes after the May government was accused of “dragging its feet” over the compensation scheme for the Windrush generation, as victims who are detained, threatened with deportation and denied the right to medical care and benefits are awaiting to see if they will receive compensation with no confirmation date in mind.
The Home Office has denied the allegation.
