Two of the 42 Jamaicans who were today deported from the United Kingdom have accused the Jamaican government of failing to do enough to protect the interest of its citizens in the UK.

The 42 deportees were deported after committing offences.

Fiver others were not sent back to Jamaica after their lawyers intervened at the last minute.

One of the deportees who declined to give his name, labelled the government as a "sell-out".

Another deportee, Seon Clarke, agreed and argued that Jamaicans in the UK are being targeting and mistreated.

Clarke, who admitted to living in the UK illegally and to stealing ganja there, said the Jamaican government should do more to stand up for the rights of Jamaicans.

LISTEN: Seon Clarke on Soundcloud www.soundcloud.com/jamaicagleaner

The deportees were released today after being processed at the Mobile Reserve in St Andrew.

As they left the building, onlookers said people who spend the majority of their lives in a foreign country, like the UK, should not be deported, noting that many of these persons don’t have family support in Jamaica.

They also argued that more state-funded support services should be made available to deportees.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry says it will remain in contact with both the Jamaican High Commission in London, as well as the Ministry of National Security, to address any deportation issues which might arise.



IN PHOTO: Kamina Johnson Smith

Earlier today, Opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs Morais Guy said the issues surrounding the deportations from the UK highlight the need for the government to move swiftly to appoint a High Commissioner to London.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has stated that the appointment of a new High Commissioner is currently being finalised.

The ministry also says the staff of the High Commission in London, including an Acting High Commissioner, remain available to advise members of the Jamaican Diaspora in the United Kingdom about actions available to their relatives who are facing deportation.

According to the Ministry, the deportation of the 42 Jamaicans was facilitated under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Jamaica and the United Kingdom.

Yesterday. a group of demonstrators gathered at the Jamaican High Commission in London and protested the cooperation of the Jamaican government with the UK.

They said the move was unfair as some of the persons had been in the UK since they were children.

In a release today, the foreign affairs ministry said there have been similar deportations by the UK in the past.