Southern United States

Tel:  407-443 3317

Fax: 407-574 7623

P.O Box 4336, Orlando

Florida. 32802-4336

waynegoldingjadna@gmail.com

 

September 22nd,

PRESS RELEASE

JAMAICA DIASPORA BOARD MEMBER FOR SOUTHERN USA ANNOUNCES

ANOTHER SUCCESS RESULTING FROM THE 6TH BIENNIAL JAMAICA DIASPORA

CONFERENCE – “LIFE CHANGING RESULTS FOR SOME INVOLUNTARY

RETURNEES “.

     September 20th, 2015 reveals yet another credible, practical and tangible

historic accomplishment for the Jamaican Diaspora when a Jamaican born brother

and sister greeted the soil of the United States of America with hopes and dreams

not unlike those who traversed Ellis Island, New York during the early days of

migration. Devon Cameron and his sister Donna Cameron made history when they

landed at John F. Kennedy Airport just a few miles from Ellis Island and the grand

Statute of Liberty and were each welcomed home as United States Citizens. This

brother and sister were deported to Jamaica in 1989 and forever banned from

reentering the USA as result of drug related offenses, which occurred when they

were young adults previously living in the USA as permanent residents.

     June 13th-18th, 2015 saw the Government of Jamaica and it’s Ministry of

Foreign Affairs and Trade hosting of the 6th Biennial Diaspora Conference in

Montego Bay Jamaica. The conference included an Inaugural Symposium on

Immigration that was paced on the agenda after consultations between the Diaspora

Board members and Honorable Minister of State Ministry of Foreign Affairs and

Trade, Hon. Arnaldo Brown.  The last day of the conference was  specifically

designated Diaspora Day of Service.  As their contribution, the Jamaica Diaspora

Advisory Board Member for the Southern USA, Wayne C. Golding Sr. along with

fellow Diaspora Advisory Board Member for the South East USA, Joan Pinnoch Esq.

created a pro bono project to meet and consult with involuntary returnees to

Jamaica. Each returnee’s individual case and legally analyzed to determined if there

was any possibilities for him or her to return to the deporting country legally. Both

board members are attorneys in the United States practicing extensively in the areas

of Immigration.

 

     On June 18th, 2015 both attorney’s met with over 50 involuntary returnees at

the Hilton Hotel Rose Hall in Montego Bay and gathered the relevant information to

do follow up investigation on their cases.  The session also provided closure to those

who needed to get a legal opinion on their current status and whether there were

any legal options to return.  The Cameron siblings were just two of the involuntary

 

returnees who attended the June 18th, 2015 informational forum. Upon being interviewed

 

by Attorney Pinnoch, it was immediately determined that both would immediately

have a right to return to the United States legally. This was premised on the fact that

although both had been born in Jamaica they had derived U.S Citizenship through

their parent and should not have been deported from the United States.

 

     Both Cameron siblings were instructed on the necessary procedure to

procure their United States Passports and subsequently a mere two-months later on

September 9th. 2015 they both received one the world most coveted passports from

the U.S Consulate in Montego Bay, Jamaica.  Pinnock and Golding returned to Jamaica on

 

September 17, 2015 to conduct  another information forum for another forty involuntary

 

returnees at the Jamaica Pegasus. At the forum, it was determined that at least four of the 

 

attendees were eligible to return to the United States under the same circumstance as the

 

Cameron siblings. The Diaspora Board members have been partnering with Family

Unification and Resettlement Initiative (FURI), a New York- based, Non Profit

Organization formed by a member of the Jamaica Diaspora Carmeta Lindo for the

purpose of assisting involuntary returnees.

 

     Twenty-Six years later on Sunday September 20th, 2015, Pinnock confidently

boarded a flight escorting United States Citizens Devon Cameron and Donna

Cameron back to the United States and their longing families. After the customary

immigration checks they were admitted and welcomed home.  This marked the first

steps to healing for just one of the families devastated and ravaged by deportation.  

The work of the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board members is destined to

and will reap additional benefits for Jamaica and its Diaspora in the area of

Immigration. They will continue to lobby and also return to Jamaica in a few months

to continue the work and service that they have began.