...out of all the Nigerian overstayers with medical issues, just why would the plight of Luqman Onikosi cause a passionate CiF article to be written?
I was impressed by Onikosi's ability to connect his experience as an African to everyday racism in the UK, and his attention, not only to black history, but to the politics of migration and Islamophobia as well.
Soon, Onikosi was appointed black and minority ethnic students officer by the students' union and used his position to fight the case of international students and students of colour, who despite Sussex's "radical" tradition, are woefully underrepresented on campus.
Ah. Suddenly,
it all becomes clear...
Integration, a word beloved of post-9/11 western governments, suddenly becomes an irrelevance when it comes to wrenching from their homes people who have put down roots, created professional links, and benefited the society.
I think you and I, Alana, have a very different definition of what constitutes 'a benefit to society'.
Shorter Alana Lentin: 'This man supports all the causes I support so I demand an exception is made to the rules!'
ReplyDeleteAin't that always the case with these soap-boxing Grauniadistas...
Poor chap, but I tend to agree with Lynne, it is a case of this person is a friend and therefore some other poor sod (who has contributed taxes and NI over a number of years) should be denied treatment and it be given to my friend. Or the proles will have to work harder so we can have an infinite amount of medical care.
ReplyDeleteAha! The medical issue. A Mauritian family pitched up to the hospital in which I worked when granny, who was over on a holiday visa, became unwell. She had developed renal failure and they thought she would get it for free, so benificent is the NHS. But Mauritius has no reciprocal arrangement and granny had no insurance. My wily Scots boss was not going to foot the bill so he explained to the family that they would get a weekly invoice for several thousand pounds which he would pursue with some vigour. Granny was put on the next flight home.
ReplyDeleteI suspect this entreprenising race hustler would do the same when presented with a hefty weekly bill for his expensive Hep B therapy. Unless the bleeding hearts at CiF want to have a whip round.
***tumbleweed***
What a load of bollocks. I would be very surprised if this wonderful Nigerian chappie didn't know of this condition prior to popping over to fleece the NHS like thousands and thousands of his fellow Africans. A couple of years ago I spoke to a paediatric nurse at QE2 Hospital in Woolwich, part of the failing PFI-fucked up nhs trust down there. He told me that there was a revolving door between Africa and the NHS and that most of the paediatric budget was spent on non-UK citizens and much of it on HIV treatments and there was seemingly nothing they could do. Children come in with 'auntie' and 'uncle', no checks done, no ID, no passport and NO INSURANCE. dreadful. I wonder what the silly tart would say if she had to make the choice between this poor Nigerian chappie and one of her own family?
ReplyDeleteMost of the CiF comments say that they agree with the Home Office's decision.
ReplyDeleteIf Dr Lentin put her money where her mouth is, she should be raising funds (by charity or otherwise) to pay for his private treatment at the overseas rate, and then applying for a Private Medical Treatment visa for this man.
If he gets better and then qualifies for a work visa, then he can stay under the existing rules.
Yes, these articles alternate with Folly Tuscanee's tirades about how the NHS is underfunded (to treat the world for free).
ReplyDeleteAnd yet the dots remain unjoined.
PS pegylated interferon alpha cost £22000 per year for drug alone ( before you factor in medical time, giving equipment, delivery etc etc)
ReplyDeleteYou tax/NI at work
Here's a recent case setting out the current law.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/509eb8d92.pdf
See the itialicised summary at the start and paragraphs 96 - 101 for how things are the moment.
Well Gawd bless their Lordships
ReplyDeleteIf we didn't keep so many foreigners alive we could afford to take thousands of pensioners off the "Liverpool Care Pathway", ie dehydrating them to death.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that pdf.
ReplyDeleteGiven the fantastic cost of all that litigation, we must do the following:
- ignore the ECHR; it has gone far beyond its remit and is now making rulings for which it has no authority. Oh dear, this apparently means we violate the Lisbon Treaty. How sad.
- repeal large parts, if not all, of the HRA for the same reason.
- take the complexity of this decision away from judges. Whether to use taxpayer money on a foreign national is a political decision.
- The judges should be allowed to give a limited ruling; they cannot order a person to be allowed to stay under the conditions a citizen (even the yukky ones) might enjoy. However, they can order that a person be allowed to remain on the Liverpool Pathway so that the dignity of their imminent death can be assured. If it's good enough for us, it's good enough for them.
XX students of colour, who despite Sussex's "radical" tradition, are woefully underrepresented on campus. XX
ReplyDeleteOf course, it could not POSSIBLY be because of the fact that they are all thick bastards??
"Ain't that always the case with these soap-boxing Grauniadistas..."
ReplyDeleteThey aren't usually so blatant!
"Unless the bleeding hearts at CiF want to have a whip round."
I did actually suggest that, when Alana popped up on Twitter to proclaim me a big meanie...
"I would be very surprised if this wonderful Nigerian chappie didn't know of this condition prior to popping over..."
Given it runs in the family, how could he not?
"Given the fantastic cost of all that litigation, we must do the following:"
A hearty 'Amen! to that!
XX Islamophobia XX
ReplyDeleteNo, NO a thousand times NO!
I am not SCARED of them (Phobic) I just don't bloody LIKE the bastards.
I don't like milk. I am not terrified by cows!
It is ever my pleasure to savour your comments, mine Furor. Gracing the internet with your Merseyside double entendres, subtle accentuation and nuances of punctuation, has provided a nonpareil read. XX
ReplyDeleteIt appears that all comments have been removed. I am sure the Guardian would never censor a stream against their narrative. Any ideas?
ReplyDelete