Dear All
Immigration is a touchy subject as the debate is polarised by extremism but in any country there has to be control of immigration to ensure that fairness of those coming in and those already here is protected.
I have always believed that the immigration system should recognise the concept of fairness. As much as everyone welcomes the qualified doctor with their skills, we should also recognise that others with no skills should be given an opportunity as well.
There has to be fairness right across the board.
Here is a case of interest were flexibility and commonsense should have applied in favour of the family.
Mr Navjot Singh and his wife Nidhi came to Perth in 2004 and their first daughter, Kashish (8) was enrolled in a Perthshire primary school. Their second daughter, Tanisha, was born in Scotland. Under immigration rules they would have been eligible to stay in the UK indefinitely next month, however Mr Singh died early this year. Now his widow and children are being forced to leave.
By accepting the Singh family we have a responsible to them as members of the community; the family has been beset by tragic circumstances so we therefore cannot abandon them because they have fallen on difficult times.
If we do, what does that say about us as a people?
Mrs Singh agreed to return to India with her children earlier this year, because she did not want to remain in Scotland illegally.
So she is willing to play by the rules but in this case the rules should be protecting her and her family but they did not.
Their SNP MP, Pete Wishart says;
"The Singh family are in a dreadful situation. I am appalled by what has happened and this shows how bureaucratic and rigid the rules are. "Mrs Singh has a degree in electronics and communications and has a useful contribution to make to the Perth community. Her children have started their education here and know no other country. Mrs Singh should be allowed to come back to the UK without being subject to this officious nonsense. What we need is a system that works on behalf of families placed in this particular and unusual situation”.
That was is the entire problem, rules that allow unfairness as normal.
How could an immigration officer not see the right and moral thing to do?
I believe that a point based system can work and be effective if the correct people are put in place to run the system.
Once people have been accepted like the Singhs, why should they still be on the system when patently they wanted to be permanent residents? They should have been granted citizenship and issued with passports.
There is a case for immigration to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament in order to protect people such as Mrs Singh and her children.
And let us not forget that one of her children was born on Scottish soil; she is Scottish.
I hope the Home Office acts in a fair manner and let Mrs Singh and her kids return, dare I say it, Home!
Finally; from the section of the Home Office website listing, Our Values it states;
“Working together to protect the public”.
Well, they have certainly let the Singh Family down!
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Immigration is a touchy subject as the debate is polarised by extremism but in any country there has to be control of immigration to ensure that fairness of those coming in and those already here is protected.
I have always believed that the immigration system should recognise the concept of fairness. As much as everyone welcomes the qualified doctor with their skills, we should also recognise that others with no skills should be given an opportunity as well.
There has to be fairness right across the board.
Here is a case of interest were flexibility and commonsense should have applied in favour of the family.
Mr Navjot Singh and his wife Nidhi came to Perth in 2004 and their first daughter, Kashish (8) was enrolled in a Perthshire primary school. Their second daughter, Tanisha, was born in Scotland. Under immigration rules they would have been eligible to stay in the UK indefinitely next month, however Mr Singh died early this year. Now his widow and children are being forced to leave.
By accepting the Singh family we have a responsible to them as members of the community; the family has been beset by tragic circumstances so we therefore cannot abandon them because they have fallen on difficult times.
If we do, what does that say about us as a people?
Mrs Singh agreed to return to India with her children earlier this year, because she did not want to remain in Scotland illegally.
So she is willing to play by the rules but in this case the rules should be protecting her and her family but they did not.
Their SNP MP, Pete Wishart says;
"The Singh family are in a dreadful situation. I am appalled by what has happened and this shows how bureaucratic and rigid the rules are. "Mrs Singh has a degree in electronics and communications and has a useful contribution to make to the Perth community. Her children have started their education here and know no other country. Mrs Singh should be allowed to come back to the UK without being subject to this officious nonsense. What we need is a system that works on behalf of families placed in this particular and unusual situation”.
That was is the entire problem, rules that allow unfairness as normal.
How could an immigration officer not see the right and moral thing to do?
I believe that a point based system can work and be effective if the correct people are put in place to run the system.
Once people have been accepted like the Singhs, why should they still be on the system when patently they wanted to be permanent residents? They should have been granted citizenship and issued with passports.
There is a case for immigration to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament in order to protect people such as Mrs Singh and her children.
And let us not forget that one of her children was born on Scottish soil; she is Scottish.
I hope the Home Office acts in a fair manner and let Mrs Singh and her kids return, dare I say it, Home!
Finally; from the section of the Home Office website listing, Our Values it states;
“Working together to protect the public”.
Well, they have certainly let the Singh Family down!
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
2 comments:
Well said George. Of course the sad thing is that should this lady have remained in the country illegally it would probably have ensured that she got to stay. After all even the most right wing amongst us would surely have baulked at a young widow and her fatherless children being thrown out the country in these circumstances.
I wish both her and her family well and hope she can return to Scotland in the very near future.
Dear Observer
It is a disgrace how this country has treated Mrs. Singh and her children. She was as I understand one month from leave to remain indefinitely.
Hopefully now this matter is now in the public domain it will put pressure on the London Establishment to come to its senses and do the right thing.
I will be asking the SNP to make it a by-election issue at the Glasgow North East bun fight.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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